New here to slowtwitch. I have an interesting problem. I keep pulling what seems like my left calf. This has been going on for about 10 years. I go out for an easy run and from one step to the next the top of my achilles pulls and my whole calf is pulled. This usually happens 2-3 times a year depending how how much time I take to heal. I am usually pain free in 2-3 days and can swim and bike. But if I try to run without waiting 25-30 days it pulls again. I had a MRI done about 5-6 years ago and he said it was a bad calf pull and to take 2-3 weeks off. Last year I went to see a different doctor and he said to strech more. I have rested it up to 60 days and it seems to come back on easy recovery runs and 30-60 days of running. Some how I stayed heathly enough last summer to do Ironman Wisconson. I just pulled it again yesterday for the 3rd time this year. Has anyone know anyone with this problem or know a doctor out there that won’t give up. I live in Illinois. I am 55 years old and have ran pain free all my life until this happened. I have been doing tri’s for 4 years for the cross training and love to do them now. The doctors I have seen say it is in the muscle and can’t do anything, but I believe there has to be a tear somewhere the won’t heal. Help!
I’ve been running since '79 and I’ve never had a problem with “strained” or “pulled” calf muscles until about 18 months ago.
Ever since then I’ve had this problem and it’s been recurring out of the blue just as in your case. It’s never completely healed and I’m told that after you have this problem you are always susceptible to it happening again.
I’m not crazy about making fashion statements but for some reason wearing compression socks help a lot. So for that reason I wear them for almost 100% of my training runs.
I can’t help you with any advice on treating your injury but when you’re once again able to run you might consider wearing compression socks.
Mine’s not quite that bad, or chronic, altho it has hit me each of these past 2 seasons, right around late Winter/early Spring. Blah.
I’ve gotten ART done on it, and that seems to help a LOT more than simply resting it, which proved pretty much totally useless for me.
So look for a good ART practitioner in your area, cuz when that stuff works, it’s like magic.
You could also try compression sox, they are nice to have on those days when the calf needs a little extra hug.
I had just purchased a pair of compression socks. Guess I will have to wait a while to see if they will help.
I had just purchased a pair of compression socks. Guess I will have to wait a while to see if they will help.
What do you mean by ART
I had just purchased a pair of compression socks. Guess I will have to wait a while to see if they will help.
What do you mean by ART
Active Release Therapy
ART = Active Release Technique. Google is your friend. Go to their website, then the Find a Provider search feature.
Or, you could ask around, there are likely other athletes in your neck of the woods who could recommend somebody.
google “calf heart attack”
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once i had what i called a pulled/torn calf and self treated it for 10-12 weeks. similar symptoms as your case. kept fit with swims and bikes but every time i tried to come back to running, i would feel that stabbing pain at about the 10 min mark of the first run back. then take another 3-4 weeks off of running, only to repeat the process.
after about 3 cycles of this, i was recommended to see a particular physical therapist who specializes in endurance sports injuries.
http://www.pt-solutions.us/ found out it was never a tear or pull, it was tendonitis caused my position on the bike combined with a hunched over running style. worked on many stretches from the middle of my back to the bottom of my foot, changed my running posture slightly and within a week i was running as if i never missed any time!
Now, i’m not saying this is the case with you, just sharing my experience to give you something else to rule out.
good luck
I had the same issue a few years ago and asked someone at at running store about it. She advised me to put these “Sofgel” heel pads under the insoles of my running shoes. It worked! It raises the heel just barely enough taking the stress off of the achilles tendon. I’ve put these in all my running shoes and haven’t had a calf issue since. Also, I shortened my running stride as well. Overstriding can also be a culprit. You can buy these heel pads at most sports stores, and drug stores. The compression socks work well. I’ll wear the 2XU calf compression sleeves on hard, long runs, all on pavement. I’ve run marathons with them and without them and they help especially in the later miles when fatigue sets in and your legs have been pounding the pavement for a few hours. I think they help the calf muscles for a different reason. First, I would try the heel pads and see if that helps.
How much kicksets do you do in the pool and do you use fins?
I have had a similar issue, and certainly know many others in the same boat. Mine is usually soleus, and I had pretty much given up on running after not being able to run more than around 6 weeks without a strain/tear. I did something about it and it is a lot better, although still a little fragile. basically plenty of strength work on the lower legs. you should be able to do 30 one leg calf raises, and if you can’t - it is not strong enough! make it stronger and make sure your shoes are in good condition and appropriate for you.
Graston tecjnique solved my calf issues. You most likely have scar tissue that needs to be broken up. Where in IL are you, as I found an excellent guy in Madison who is tremendous!
I had something similar, until I realised that it could not be a tear in the muscle itself as a) when it was healing it was doing so suddenly and very rapidly (overnight), b) the muscle was in a sort of permanent contraction, different from a normal tear, and the pain was different. After years of consulting various ‘’‘‘specialists’’‘’ I concluded it was neuro-muscular, something akin to a sciatica. Another sign was that the pain was triggered several times after prolonged driving and running even very gently downhill. I started to stretch my back, reinforce it, change my posture at work (I spend a lot of hours seated, and now at least 50% ofthe time I seat on a gym ball). I got ride of it (so far, fingers crossed). The other thing I found which helped was to find in the calf a very sore point and to apply pressure on it. Hurts like hell, but it worked. I don’t know if you have the same problem, maybe. Good luck.
I don’t use fins when i swim and I don’t do a lot of kicksets. when i do, I do them at the beginning of the workout so I don’t cramp up.
never had it that bad but used to strain my soleus 2-3 times per season and that would require a few weeks off, through massage (not when injured when it is feeling good) using the TP footballer from trigger point technologies (key to watch the video to use correctly), custom orthotics and functional movement/core strengthening it has resolved, of course there are new injuries now, but the calf is better…good luck
Functional Movment example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJYx2RnZgaw
Triggerpoint website http://store.tptherapy.com/
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Going through it now myself, it’s become more prevalent for me the past few years as I’ve gotten older (I’ll be 44 next month). I’ve had ART and Graston done in the past and though it can hurt like a bitch (especially the Graston) as it is being done, it does help break up old scar tissue and adhesions along the damaged area of the muscle that develop over time. When I was doing bikram yoga regularly a few years ago, I had no issues at all, so the increased stretching helps as well. I haven’t tried compression socks but have used kinesio tape before and that seems to help. I need to make an appointment with my ART guy this week.
Hi did you ever fix the problem? I have had he same problem for ten years
No matter how I approach running the same thing happens at some point 6-12 weeks into any running program calf pull and then misery!
Use calf sleeves instead of calf socks as these are easier to get into and out of. The issue could be related to myofascial tightness as stated in some of the calf heart attack searches.
you’re over 40 aren’t you? probably over 45? we call it mad calf disease. read that article. and buy and run in hokas.