So I just finished a long run (20 miles) and am icing my ankle when I notice that aliens have inhabited both of my calves. The calf muscles are firing quite a bit, and I can’t even feel them moving (which is freaky). This is not like a tic-type of twitch, but 5 or 6 different spots in the muscle all “rolling” smoothly instead of twitching, independently. It looks like I have two hamsters wrestling inside each of my calves. This has been going on for an hour, and is now starting to fade. So I’m curious what to think or do:
Don’t worry about it, and enjoy the free entertainment.
The muscles got used to firing every few seconds for 3 hours, and it takes them a while to realize I have stopped.
It’s related to dehydration or electrolyte loss, and I should drink / supplement more next time.
It’s related to icing (doubtful).
Other.
I expect it’s not unusual, but it’s a first for me. Can anybody tell me what this is?
I had that once…it was ALS for sure as muscle twitches search on google had this as a first hit (did I hear someone say Hypochondriac?)
maybe you can check if you could be still running but haven’t realized?
maybe you can check if you could be still running but haven’t realized?
It’s possible. I know I was on autopilot for the last 5 miles or so. Perhaps I forgot to stop.
I’ve had this issue when I ran regularly and both my quads and calves would continue firing. Due to overuse injuries I quit running and don’t have this come up when I just bike. I was also in my twenties back then.
So I just finished a long run (20 miles) and am icing my ankle when I notice that aliens have inhabited both of my calves.
I had a very similar experience, and found it was a lack of magnesium (on the recommendation of a nutritionist friend). I now take a small magnesium supplement (chelate) on a semi-regular basis and haven’t had it in over a year. This could be the issue.
I haven’t posted on Slowtwitch.com in a very long time, but one of my athlete clients told me that I need to get back to helping out. My name is Julie Donnelly and I’m a deep muscle massage therapist in New York. Because of my work with Ironman Triathletes, I’ve written a book titled “The Pain-Free Triathlete.” I’ve worked with hundreds of endurance athletes through the years, especially via forums such as Slowtwitch, Mile 141, and my own forum. I hope I’ll be able to help you.
It sounds like the gastrocneimus, soleus, and probably also the flexor digitorum longus muscles are all in spasm. These are the muscles that either raise your heel off the ground, or curl your toes down so you can push off from your step. Try this treatment and let me know how you are doing:
Cross your legs so you can easily reach your calf and lower portion of the calf, just above your Achilles tendon. Then, using your fist, press deeply into your calf, and slide from just below your knee all the way to your ankle. There are many ways to work on the calf muscles, and this is just an “examining” way to do it. But, it sounds like you really need to flush this out gently before you get into any really deep self-treatment.
When you get down to where you feel the two big bumps, which are actually the muscle spasms, just put your fist onto them, press in toward your bone with the intention of flattening the bumps, and stay there for 60 seconds (at least).
I strongly suggest that you don’t try stretching the calf muscles until you have released the tension in the muscle fibers, or you could potentially tear the fibers. Your muscles are too tight to stretch right now.
I look forward to helping you.
Wishing you well,
Julie Donnelly
YOU are your own best therapist! Visit www.aboutcts.com and www.julstro.com to learn logical answers to joint/muscle pains and numbness.
I get this, too, but what happens more often to me now is that I get these horrible cramps in the arch of my foot. Sometimes I’m stretching my feet after a long ride and they just lock into position!
Not only are you experiencing the same problem in the calf muscles, you probably also have spasms in your tibialis anterior muscle (pulls your foot up so you can bend your ankle). Try this to see if it will help: sit on the floor with your hurting leg straight out. Press your opposite heel deeply into the muscle that is just outside of your shin bone, and just under your knee joint. Slide all the way down to your ankle, even crossing over your ankle joint and into the top of your foot.
The tibialis anterior muscle goes under a band at the front of your ankle, and then inserts into your arch. When it is tight, you feel it along your shinbone, at the front of your ankle, and also in your arch, but not necessarily in all three places.
To work on a cramp in your arch, cross your legs so you can put your fingers directly into your arch, right where you are feeling the cramp. Then apply pressure and just stay there for a minute or so. Finally, deeply slide on your arch, from your heel toward your toes.
