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Thread: Tight Calfs - won't go away

  1. #1

    Tight Calfs - won't go away

    Anyone suffered from excessively tight upper calf muscles for a long timeie months?

    Stretching, rest, diet and loads of water havne't worked. Calfs still feel like balls of irons in the top of my lower legs and I've got the LAMM A course to run in 6 weeks - while not an injury as such, it is very hard to run on legs as sore as this. Any ideas of causes / remedy? Obvious things like training surface and show type haven't changed, neither has volujem/ frequency of training.

    Any 'special' stretch tips or diet extras would be appreciated etc

    Thanks


  2. #2
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    Re: Tight Calfs - won't go awa

    Sports massage is meant to be quite beneficial to speed up recovery and help break down/release areas of tighness. If you don't know anywhere that does it, check out http://www.theisrm.com/directory.php for a local therapist.

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    Senior Member Goldie's Avatar
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    Re: Tight Calfs - won't go awa

    had the same problem about 3 weeks ago really painful when running and not much speed. Seen the physio, was a little bit knotted up but was mainly due to tight hamstrings, lots of stretching during and after work during training runs too. Fingers crossed should be fine now just need to keep stretching, also ankle exercises do work.

    Hope the pain eases for you.

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    Master molehill's Avatar
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    Re: Tight Calfs - won't go awa

    You could try dropping down to hill walking, that's all you'll be doing on the (lamm) uphills anyway so you won't lose much strength.

    Not sure otherwise, but I started like that in my 40's and now have totally knackered calves (at 55) due to pushing through and ignoring the synptoms.

    Be warned
    Don't roll with a pig in poo. You get covered in poo and the pig likes it.

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    Master Wheeze's Avatar
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    Re: Tight Calfs - won't go awa

    It is vitally important that the whole kinetic chain is checked. That means your spine, your pelvis and your thighs. Very often, tight calves are the end result of postural maladaptation. You need to be fully checked out by an sports physio or an osteopath who understands such things (so that cuts out chiropractors).
    Too often we make the (understandable) mistake of just focussing on the calves which are the end result of a problem elsewhere.
    Simon Blease
    Monmouth

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    Senior Member The Navigator's Avatar
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    Re: Tight Calfs - won't go awa

    Quote Originally Posted by mountain boy View Post

    balls of iron
    That would be a great username!

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    Master hopey's Avatar
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    Re: Tight Calfs - won't go awa

    Quote Originally Posted by Wheeze View Post
    It is vitally important that the whole kinetic chain is checked. That means your spine, your pelvis and your thighs. Very often, tight calves are the end result of postural maladaptation. You need to be fully checked out by an sports physio or an osteopath who understands such things (so that cuts out chiropractors).
    Too often we make the (understandable) mistake of just focussing on the calves which are the end result of a problem elsewhere.
    Totally agree with wheeze, all my problems are coming from the back/pelvis.

  8. #8
    Senior Member crowhill's Avatar
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    Re: Tight Calfs - won't go awa

    I too suffer from bulked up calves - they are huge and fill with lactic acid, especially on steep climbs. I've tried stretching, which helps a bit but the route of the problem is mainly biomechanical problems and to a lesser extent just the fact that I seem to put on muscle very easily - a family trait.
    If you see a decent physio that knows about running they may diagnose biemechanical problems that may be pelvis, back, hamstring or knee related.
    Problem for me is that any physio work is only a temporary fix and I revert to bad form so the problem comes back from time to time.

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    Master Penguin's Avatar
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    Re: Tight Calfs - won't go awa

    Quote Originally Posted by mountain boy View Post
    Anyone suffered from excessively tight upper calf muscles for a long timeie months?

    Stretching, rest, diet and loads of water havne't worked. Calfs still feel like balls of irons in the top of my lower legs and I've got the LAMM A course to run in 6 weeks - while not an injury as such, it is very hard to run on legs as sore as this. Any ideas of causes / remedy? Obvious things like training surface and show type haven't changed, neither has volujem/ frequency of training.

    Any 'special' stretch tips or diet extras would be appreciated etc

    Thanks


    have you tried masaageing them??

  10. #10

    Re: Tight Calfs - won't go awa

    Have You Tryed Compression Socks?

    Skins, Nike etc?

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