If you have ever gone running and experienced a nagging, aching feeling in your calf, you might understand how frustrating this pain can be. This pain can possibly be due to overuse of the muscles, poor stretching habits or poor footwear.The good news is that you may be able to reduce or eliminate the pain by adjusting a few variable factors in your running regimen.
Anatomy of the Calf
The calf is compromised of three main muscles. The gastrocnemius is the large muscle that can be seen when the leg is flexed or extended. The bottom end of the muscle attaches to the ankle via the Achilles tendon; the top part of the muscle has both a medial and lateral head that originate behind the bone of the femur. The soleus sits just under the two heads of the gastrocnemius and originates at the fibula and attaches to the heel. The plantaris is a long, thin muscle placed between the gastrocnemius and soleus, originating at the knee and attaching to the heel, as well.
Explanation
Typically, the pain that you experience from running is felt in the soleus muscle. The soleus, though smaller than the gastrocnemius, is the first muscle to be engaged in the motion of running, thus it bears a substantial amount of weight and pressure. However, pain may also be felt in the gastrocnemius due to stress, overuse or muscle tearing. Pain in the calf may be due to insufficient stretching of the calf muscles before or after exercising. Other possible explanations could include dehydration, an electrolyte imbalance or a calcium or potassium deficiency, which causes the muscles to stay in a contracted position.
Short-Term Solutions
If you experience an aching pain in your calf only on occasion, the treatment may be as simple as proper stretching before and after you run. Spend five to 10 minutes doing additional leg stretches, focusing on the calf. For example, stand against a wall with your toes touching the wall at a 45-degree angle and then gently shift your body weight toward the wall. Hold for 12 to 20 seconds before switching legs. You may need to stop in the middle of your run to stretch as well. If stretching does not relieve pain, try the standard rest and ice approach. Leave your leg elevated and wrap a bag of ice in a towel, placing it under your lower leg for no more than 20 minutes.
Maintain hydration during exercise or rehydrate yourself after exercise. Sports drinks containing electrolytes can help your muscles function properly.
Long-Term Solutions
Dr Foot Sports explains that a proper shoe insole can alleviate symptoms of pain in the calf because the purpose of insoles is to correct the structural and functional balance of the calf muscles through redirecting the direction of the foot as you walk. If your feet tend to roll inward from heel to inner toe as you walk, you may be overpronating, which can be fixed by adding extra support or cushioning in your shoe.
Considerations
If you continue to have aches and pains or your pain is getting worse over time, consult a physician. If you need to take a temporary break from running in order to prevent permanent damage or injury, you may be able to continue participating in other exercises that have less impact on the muscles and joints, such as swimming or biking.
