Dumb move - new shoes/cleats = lower leg pain

Triathlon Forum
1

So I bought new shoes and didn’t pay enough attention to the fore/aft positioning of the cleats. Turns out they were set a fair way back on the sole of the shoes, with the ball of my foot much more forward of the pedal spindle than they used to be.

It only took 2 60km rides, but I now have a sore calf/achilles on my right leg. I’m thinking tendonitis? I’m doing the stretching, massage on foam roller and icing routine, but am wondering if I should stay completely of it for a week or so to let it properly recover? The strain is noticeable as a dull ache rather than an acute pain, so hopefully it’s not too bad?

%*#k it.

2

Without knowing a whole lot, here are a couple things to keep in mind…

Try a heel lift for a couple of days to shorten the achilles in everyday footwear and athletic.

Hold off on the stretching for now. Excessive stretching can exacerbate symptoms if done prematurely.

Rolling out calf muscles is a good idea, but do it in the belly of the calf and not over the tendon. This will release tension on the achilles.

Heat and rolling before activity. Rolling, Ibuprofen, and ice after activity.

Aquajogging to replace running.

I’ve founf ART to be very helpful with this injury.