So, I’ve been running for years with very few injuries so this one is throwing me for a loop. I’m training for my first marathon in October and have been increasing my distances into the 15-20 mile range. I’ve begun to experience pain in my shin and I’ve noticed a bruise on the back of my leg, directly behind the shin pain. I don’t remember hitting the back of my leg of anything (unusual place for that anyway) so I’m not sure of the relationship between the pain and the bruise. I have tried to run through the discomfort but the pain seems to get worse. Any ideas? Thanks.
I got the something similar last week in the run portion of a triathlon. I developed a big bruise on my leg that caused major leg pain and redness going up one of my veins. I ended up seeing 2 Doctors to determine what it was.
The first Doctor though that I had an infection and put me on antibiotics. The next day I got the pictures back from the race and it clearly showed that I got the injury during the run. I went back to the Doctor and he told me to see a vein Doctor. Instead, I got an appointment at my wife’s doctor the same day. It turns out that She’s a runner/triathlete and thought that I simply bumped my leg with my other shoe and one of the superficial veins internally bled and clotted (superficial thrombosis). She told me to take 3 motrin 3x a day until it subsides.
6 days after the injury (today), I was able to ride again. I’ll get back to running on Tuesday.
Thank you for the advice. I will be running the 20 miler tomorrow, so I will see how the pain goes. I would not be concerned if I was not running the marathon. Thank you.
Shin pain: google “medial tibial stress syndrome.” IE shin splints. Tx: stretch calves and anterior tib muscle; ice shins post running.
The bruise: your other foot may be hitting your calf as you run … you might not notice it. Mine does that sometimes though mine usually hits above my medial malleolus (inner ankle bone).
I’d like to post a cropped picture of my le during the run last week, but I don’t know how to post a picture on this forum.
That red spot swelled up pretty well after the race. The next day, the redness went all the way up the lesser of the two leg veins and was quite painful. One week later, it still hurts a little but is subsiding. I hope to run again on Tuesday. I’m trying to get ready for Miami 70.3 in October.
wow, major heelstrike.
I thought the bruise was on your calf (back of the leg).
Don’t know what the front issue is.
you are probably really overstriding BTW
The OP had the bruise on his calf. Mine pooled in the ront of the leg.
your legs could use a good shave 
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