Had a race this past weekend, was a bit sore after the race, but nothing unusual. On monday my legs were sore / tight, so i went out for a recovery run to flush the muscles. near the end of my run, my left soleus started to ache and has been real tender to the touch ever since. i have been icing it but havent seen much improvement. Any thoughts as to what i can / should do? Or what this might be?
Thanks!
is it up high or on the distal end of the muscle (in which case there might be some Achilles’ tendon issue)
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Join the club.
Rest #1,2 and 3
A passive night splint you sleep can help here as well. Are you sure it is the soleus muscle (not gastroc)?
Had this happen a few months ago, 3/4 of the way through my run it felt like someone shoved an ice pick in my left soleus. For the first time ever I had to walk the end of my run. No run for a week, ice right away, followed by self massage, heat, and stretching I was over it in about 2 weeks. Still can’t explain it, never experienced anything like it before.
Recovery run? There is really no such thing…more pounding does not seem like recovery…so I would say that for recovery go out on a easy spin or swim…that will be a better recovery than doing a run the next day!
Todd-In my mind, one never wants to simply blow off calf pain. Initially considering the anatomy, the soleus being the deepest muscle of the calf, for whatever reasons, doesn’t seem to have much go wrong with it. The gastroc (or properly gastrocnemius) on the other hand, has plenty of issues from strains to partial ruptures. DVT, blood clots, are always on the mind of any clinician evaluating the patient for acute onset calf pain/swelling and if a high enough “index of suspicion” is present, and ultrasound is ordered**-before the patient goes anywhere**! I’d bet in my practice I have ten negative ultrasounds for every one that demonstrates a clot.
So, do you have any swelling, pain simply with passively extending the ankle (having some one else bring your foot up), a history of DVT, etc.? If so, or if you’re simply worried about it, call your family physician and see what he/she recommends. You’ll be glad you did. Good luck.
Thank you everyone for all your comments. I ended up leaving work early and going over to the PTs office (i love when tri training / recovery gets in the way of work). His diagnosis is that my soleus muscle is just tight.
Over the last few hours i have really dialed in where the pain is. its on my left leg, basically running from the achilles / soleus on the back part of my leg through to the inner part of my leg towards the shin bone, not tender at all on the outter part of the soleus area.
have more pain when i plantarflex my foot as well
Plan is to rest for the next few days, use the trigger point roller and ice a ton.
As for the gastroc, i think this is too low for it to be gastroc.
Try Graston. It sure worked for mine, and is simply magic.
Had this happen a few months ago, 3/4 of the way through my run it felt like someone shoved an ice pick in my left soleus. For the first time ever I had to walk the end of my run. No run for a week, ice right away, followed by self massage, heat, and stretching I was over it in about 2 weeks. Still can’t explain it, never experienced anything like it before.
I think you lost a plantaris muscle.
Had similar pain recently. Went to my sports doc and straight to PT. Hip flexors tight, which leads to everything being a little off. 2 weeks of PT with hips, hammies and calves and I’m good. Still stretch the soleus and hips every day doing the corrective stuff they said to do, but good to go.