There are several muscles, bones, and tendons that make up the lower leg. Injury or strain to any one of these areas can cause lower leg pain in runners. While these types of injuries are common in runners, they are preventable and can be treated relatively easily when identified early.
Anterior Shin Splints
Anterior shin splints are felt as a pain through the outer edges and front of your legs. This pain occurs as a result of a tear in the tibialis anterior muscle, the muscle that runs along the front of your leg. Weak shin muscles and tight calf muscles put you at a higher risk of developing an anterior shin splint. Anterior shin splints most often result from overuse, which is why they are common in beginners who may tend to overestimate their running ability. However there are other factors which may cause or aggravate anterior shin splints such as running on hard ground, having feet that tilt in or out when you run or having flat feet.
Posterior Shin Splints
If you develop a posterior shin splint, you will feel pain along the inner side of the leg. This muscle is called the tibialis posterior, and runs down the side of the leg around the shin bone and ankle, attaching behind the ball of the foot. This muscle provides support to the arch of your foot. If your foot is pronated, or rolls outward at the ankle, the Tibialis Posterior muscle will twist, causing tears in the muscle that lead to inflammation and pain.
Achilles Tendonitis
Achilles tendonitis manifests as a feeling of pain in the very low calf, closest to the heel. The Achilles tendon connects the heel to the calf muscle. The tendon is encased within a sheath which can become swollen and become too tight for the tendon, causing pain. This swelling occurs when the tendon gets pulled, typically the result of a short calf muscle or a longer distance between your calf and your heel. Running on soft surfaces, such as sand, can cause or aggravate Achilles tendonitis.
Calf Strain
Calf strain is a tear or several tears within the calf muscles. These tears can be in the larger gastrocnemius muscle which runs from the heel to just above the knee joint, or the small soleus muscle which runs from below the knee joint to the Achilles tendon. Calf strain can range from a very mild tear resulting in minor soreness, to a tear of over 90 percent of the calf muscle fibers resulting in severe pain. Calf pain often results from an abrupt change in routine, such as a sudden increase in running intensity or distance. Excessive hill work can also lead to calf strain.
Prevention
Effective stretching of the lower leg muscles through warm ups and cool downs is essential to preventing lower leg pain. Doing wall push-ups several times per day can help to increase the flexibility in the lower leg muscles. For problems with foot alignment such as flat feet or pronation, you may need to buy special shoe inserts to help correct the problem. Avoid excessive hill training and introduce changes into your training routine gradually.
Treatment
When you feel pain in your lower legs, ice the area immediately after running to reduce swelling and pain. You may also want to take anti-inflammatory medication such as aspirin or ibuprofen to help ease some of the soreness. Keep legs elevated as much as possible, and refrain from running while pain persists. Stretch your lower legs several times a day through exercises such as wall push-ups. Ease back into your routine gradually once the pain has subsided. Seek a physician if pain persists as it could be a sign of a more serious injury such as a stress fracture.
