In my mid thirtys and have had around 4 to 5 calf strains over the past four years that have taken me out for at least a couple weeks each time.
My PT advised using an angle slant board to stretch 3x1 minute before and after running. This worked well for over a year. However, the other day I did a quick 35 min run and at the end my calf cramped and strained. I didn’t do the calf stretch before, but didn’t feel tight or anything and felt great on the run until the cramp and strain.Usually I always use the board but this time…
What else could I do to prevent these in the future. Seems like an established area for scar tissue that strains easily. Anything else I can do to strengthen the vulnerable calf and increase my future running durability?
Thanks,
Dave
compression… recovery socks at night, ice treatment, ice baths after training…avoiding hot showers or hot baths that cause inflammation after training? GL
In my mid thirtys and have had around 4 to 5 calf strains over the past four years that have taken me out for at least a couple weeks each time.
My PT advised using an angle slant board to stretch 3x1 minute before and after running. This worked well for over a year. However, the other day I did a quick 35 min run and at the end my calf cramped and strained. I didn’t do the calf stretch before, but didn’t feel tight or anything and felt great on the run until the cramp and strain.Usually I always use the board but this time…
What else could I do to prevent these in the future. Seems like an established area for scar tissue that strains easily. Anything else I can do to strengthen the vulnerable calf and increase my future running durability?
Thanks,
Dave
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If you’re running in minimalist shoes, STOP. Get a sneaker with a big drop, like 1.5cm, and lots of padding. It makes a big difference by decreasing the impact your achilles tendon has to take.
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Run more frequently, in smaller amounts, with overall slower paces. Only introduce speedwork when you can handle the volume without straining yourself at easy paces, and even then, decrease mileage slightly on weeks that you’re doing speedwork until it’s not straining your calves anymore. It could take awhile, but it’s the way to go - slow and steady. Running every day will pay huge dividends on this front.
For me slower warmups and build volume slow. Don’t add to much running or build too fast.
Yes 10-4 on the run frequency. Shoes are NB 890v2, so think I’m ok there but was running in Brooks pure flow which I liked a lot. Thinking about Brooks ghost 5 but this could quickly turn into a shoe thread.
Speaking of that tried a Newton experiment in 2010 that ended my season in mid July with a bad calf strain.
If you like Brooks (as do I), try going with the Launch or ST5…they will both provide more cushion than the pure flow, without being a clumsy heel striking 13 oz motor boat.
Seems like I’ve heard a lot of folks rave about the launch but I’ve never seen it at any local running store near me. I’ll try and check it out.
If it’s the same area that is repeatedly straining, and you think it’s scar tissue, I would seek out a good course of soft tissue work. Find a good PT who is well versed in the art of inflicting pain and spend a few weeks letting him do his worst. The source of the tension could also be coming from farther upstream, so it’s probably a good idea to start increasing core and hip strength and flexibility and discuss with your PT if further soft tissue work into those regions is advisable.
Yes 10-4 on the run frequency. Shoes are NB 890v2, so think I’m ok there but was running in Brooks pure flow which I liked a lot. Thinking about Brooks ghost 5 but this could quickly turn into a shoe thread.
Speaking of that tried a Newton experiment in 2010 that ended my season in mid July with a bad calf strain.
All too common complaint from first time Newton users who aren’t elite/efficient runners…stick with Brooks
I’ve dealt with this over the last several years myself. Here are some things I’ve been doing:
Ramp up mileage very gradually (already mentioned).
Be vigilant about stretching after runs. In particular, I stretch my soleus, as this is where I was having problems. From a regular straight-leg calf stretch, flex the knee of the stretched leg forward a bit, and feel the stretch move down your calf into the soleus.
Do regular strengthening exercises. For example I do simple calf raises in the elevator every morning on the way up to my office, then again when leaving.
Mix in a stairmaster session in lieu of running once or twice a week. Or another low-impact aerobic machine.
At the first hint of pain, stop! Walk back in and rest a few days/weeks until symptom free.
The last one was the hardest habit to adopt.
- If you’re running in minimalist shoes, STOP. Get a sneaker with a big drop, like 1.5cm, and lots of padding. It makes a big difference by decreasing the impact your achilles tendon has to take.
This for me … but what I actually found was that if I’m pushing the training boundary - either by going further or faster than in recent weeks, then I do that run in shoes with a larger drop than I’ve been used to. So I go on a lot of long walks in racing flats, short runs in fairly minimalist shoes etc. then bring out the chunkys for the long run. Don’t know why, but the muscle seems less likely to spasm then tear if it’s working in a narrower range of motion than it has been conditioned to.
Also, when the muscle spasms, each time you land on the foot is adding a week to your recovery. I’m constantly “listening” and prepared to stop (fall over if necessary). Happened recently 15km into a run when my foot landed in a small hole in the road. Stopped before foot hit the ground the second time and was running again the next week.
Re : stretching - I find that getting the calf loose on a board THEN using thumbs is more effective but you need to be prepared to hurt yourself.
I have a friend who deals with the same issue. He plays soccer routinely and run on trails and he’s never had his calf go in those situations but if he runs on the road there’s a good chance it will go. So maybe try trail running? I would guess this works for him because road running is a lot less variable in terms of the stress on the muscle than soccer or trail running and at some point the tissue fatigues and tears due to the repeated stress in the vulnerable tissue.
I’m skeptical if stretching is the best thing to be doing unless you have a range of motion problem which it doesn’t sound like you have (e.g. is your calf tearing when you jump up onto a curb or something and stretch the muscle beyond it’s normal range when you’re running or is it just tearing at some point during a routine stride?).
I have a really good PT and I have been doing a ton of hip, lower ab and glute work. I was doing great but have had a couple injuries that have set me back again- last being calf cramp then strain out of now where.
What soft tissue work are you talking about; just massage? Or have you done something different like graston ect.
Thanks,
Graston, rolfing, deep tissue… it’s all just fancy marketing to accomplish the same result. A good PT should be familiar with a number of techniques and know how to best get the job done.
I’ve don’t a lot of what has already been mentioned. What worked for me was:
-minimalist shoes with a GRADUAL increase in mileage…and don’t suddenly throw in hills. Add those gradually too.
-Magnesium Glycinate supplementation. Our modern farming techniques have rendered our soil depleted of magnesium…even “magnesium rich” foods can really be lacking in it. I take a vegan pill (a lot of gel caps are made from pig or cow and I have a cow allergy). I get these from a naturpath. Avoid the “natural” stuff from your corner drugstore that might have talc as a filler. I understand talc is a carcinogen. You may be able to order Klaire Labs products on line - - best supplements. http://www.klaire.com/prod/proddetail.asp?id=V827-10
-I also take a calcium supplement but that is due largely to my cow allergy which equals no dairy. I don’t take the magnesium and calcium together although I’ve found a lot of recommendations to do so. My naturpath said she wants me taking them separate and it is among the things that are working.
-Trigger point therapy. You won’t be able to walk for the rest of the day after but you will wake up practically a new person.
-occasionally I sleep in a 90 degree splint that I acquired when I had plantar fascitis. This seems to also keep both the plantar and the calf strains at bay.
-I’m a chick, I work in a professional office environment. I only wear heals in the office. Otherwise it’s flats, vibrams or my saucony kinvaras or barefoot.
-NO FLIP FLOPS.
-I also do heat therapy - - I invested in a hydrocollater and use the sandbags on my calves (wrapped in quite a bit of terry cloth). I swear the damp heat is better for you. It gradually relaxes the muscles in your calves. My naturpath also does this before doing the trigger point injections.
Seems like an established area for scar tissue that strains easily.
the PT will be able to find a knot of scar tissue if this is the case… remedy is cross-friction massage to break up the scar tissue, aka ‘crucifixion’ since it’s so painful 
I have this in my R calf, have not yet had the cross-friction, manage it with stretches and do 2x40 reps of eccentric drops every day. Although these drops are meant for Achilles problems rather than calf, I’ve found them helpful for both…
This popped up for me this year.
Started using Trigger Point rollers and they seem to have solved the problem for me. Specific focus on my soleus.
Also, as mentioned, stretch right after your runs, and don’t run through pain in that area.