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Click to view BrandonE's profile Pro
BrandonE
127 posts since
Nov 7, 2007

Dec 9, 2007 7:49 PM

Pain in calf just above ankle

I'm new to running (~5 months), and I've never had any injuries before, but Friday, my calf felt very tight after my run. The pain is about a hands breadth above my achilles tendon on the back of my calf, below the main calf muscle but above the ankle. Feeling around the area leads me to believe it's inflammation of some tendon, but that's just my uninformed opinion.

I'd just finished my long run on Friday (5 miles) when I noticed it during my cool down walk. I had a race last weekend, and picked up with my normal easy running again on Monday. I did also add a day on Thursday, but kept it short (only 1.67 miles). Even so, I'm afraid this happened because I pushed too much this week.

A couple of hours after my run, my calf felt really tight, but as the day went on it eased up. Now it feels fine when walking.

Is anyone familiar with an injury like this? I plan on taking next week off of running, replacing it with easy walking as long as the pain when walking remains gone. I'll ease back into running more conservatively after that than I did post-race.

I appreciate any advice. Thanks.

Brandon
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runner92
77 posts since
Aug 31, 2004
1. Dec 9, 2007 8:06 PM in response to: BrandonE
That type of pain in my experience is usually associated with an increase in speed rather than distance. Or if you increased speed and distance, or added extra hills to your route, that could do it as well.

If the pain goes away when you stop running but the site still feels tender when touched, then it is likely not an overuse injury yet.

Your treatment plan should work. In my case, when I was just starting back with running again, I just dealt with it because I knew from past experience that as long as I don't go faster than x I'd be ok. For me, after running about 3.5 miles non-stop, the pain would just go away.

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BrandonE
127 posts since
Nov 7, 2007
2. Dec 10, 2007 7:45 PM in response to: BrandonE
Thanks for your help. My calf doesn't hurt anymore, but if I feel around the area where the tendon inserts into the muscle, it is still slightly tender. Hopefully by the end of the week I'll be back in business.
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Click to view Abadabajev's profile Legend
Abadabajev
231 posts since
Oct 4, 1999
3. Dec 10, 2007 8:01 PM in response to: BrandonE
quote:<HR>Originally posted by BrandonE:
I'm new to running (~5 months), and I've never had any injuries before, but Friday, my calf felt very tight after my run. The pain is about a hands breadth above my achilles tendon on the back of my calf, below the main calf muscle but above the ankle. Feeling around the area leads me to believe it's inflammation of some tendon, but that's just my uninformed opinion.

I'd just finished my long run on Friday (5 miles) when I noticed it during my cool down walk. I had a race last weekend, and picked up with my normal easy running again on Monday. I did also add a day on Thursday, but kept it short (only 1.67 miles). Even so, I'm afraid this happened because I pushed too much this week.

A couple of hours after my run, my calf felt really tight, but as the day went on it eased up. Now it feels fine when walking.

Is anyone familiar with an injury like this? I plan on taking next week off of running, replacing it with easy walking as long as the pain when walking remains gone. I'll ease back into running more conservatively after that than I did post-race.

I appreciate any advice. Thanks.

Brandon <HR>


Its your soleus muscle.
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