Many runners experience pain in the lower leg from time to time. You use many areas of the lower leg when you run, and that can cause a variety of injuries and pain. However, there are ways you can prevent this pain or treat it easily if you catch it early.
Structure
The lower leg has several muscles, bones and tendons that can be prone to injury and pain when running. The calf muscle, which runs along the back of the leg, includes the soleus and gastrocnemus muscle. The calf provides support for the knee and helps control ankle movement. The tibia is the long bone below the knee that attaches your knee to your ankle.The tibialus anterior muscle runs down the outer edges of the lower leg and helps to flex the foot, while the tibialus posterior muscle runs down the inside of the lower leg and helps support your foot’s arches. The Achilles tendon is basically like a rope that attaches your calf to your heel.
Types
An injury to any one of the parts of the lower leg can cause lower leg pain. If tears occur within the tibialus anterior muscle, you can develop anterior shin splints, which is pain along that muscle in your leg. With this type of injury, minor fractures can develop in your tibia bone, causing small stress fractures that increase until you feel severe pain. A posterior shin splint is a tear that develops in the tibialus posterior muscle. These tears most often occur due to misalignment of the foot and result in pain. Calf muscle strain also results from tears in the calf muscle and can vary in severity from a minor tear that results in mild discomfort to a full muscle tear that causes sudden and severe pain and swelling. Achilles tendonitis occurs when the thin sheath surrounding the Achilles tendon swells, causing friction and pain in the tendon.
Causes
Lower leg pain in runners typically happens as a result of overuse. Excessive hill work, abrupt changes in training routines, or sudden increases in running distance or intensity all can lead to additional pressure on the lower legs and result in strain, injury and pain. Problems with alignment in the feet also can lead to pain. If you have flat feet or tend to roll your feet inward or outward when you run, your anterior and posterior tibialus muscles twist, causing tears and producing pain.
Prevention
Performing exercises to keep muscles flexible during warm ups and cool downs helps to prevent lower leg injury and pain. If your feet are not properly aligned, buying special running shoes or inserts for running shoes might help with alignment and prevent injury. Gradually increase the intensity of your routine and avoid abrupt changes. Perform hill work in moderation to prevent pain due to overuse.
Treatment
Apply ice to sore areas at the first sign of pain to ease achiness and reduce the risk of swelling. Try to avoid running for at least five days after the pain subsides. Medicines like ibuprofen or asprin also can help to relieve pain. Continue to stretch the muscles in your lower legs several times a day to keep muscles flexible and ease tightness and soreness in the muscles. Return to your routine gradually, and see a physician if pain continues or becomes severe.
