tight calves & numb feet

[KatintheHat]

Again not an injury as such but....

Recently I've been getting tight calves when running up hill, and while this isn't anything so new (I'm pretty unflexible and have aways suffered from tight calf muscles) I am now getting almost numb feet too, which doesn't sound like a good thing to me!

On long ascents it means I have to stop running and just walk as quick as I can. Where it really annoys me is that with semi-numb feet as soon as the gradient gets shallower, flat or downhill, it feels like I have blocks of ice attached to my legs not feet (!) and therefore I have trouble running again, its a sort of hobble instead!! I loose 'my bounce' so to speak!

Anyone have a similar experience? Does this sound like a circulation problem or a nerve problem?! I have started to concentrate on proper frequent stretching of my calf muscles, but as yet no improvement at all!

Cheers
Kat

[IainR]

I get this, but only when I wear innov8's. No idea why.

[GeoffB]

My BG partner, Dan, has something that sounds similar to this.

He had to drop out of Ennerdale (2 weeks before our BG) when one of his calf muscles started tightening up. Then, on the BG itself he thought he was going to have to give up at Threlkeld because of the same problem. However, Helen (our resident Osteopath) did a laying on of hands trick there and at each subsequent road-crossing & he got round ok.

He also gets numb toes (rather than feet).

Helen thinks it all stems from a back problem, and it appears to be nerve related. She's still treating him for it now, but when I spoke to him last night, it seems to be getting better slowly.

[Calf]

Tights calfs could be just because your running more / slightly faster than you have been?
I find my calfs are sore after a speed session at the track!

As for your numb feet, stupid as it sounds but try running without your shoe laces as tight!

[Athers]

I get tight calves and have a pulled calf at the moment, i seem to suffer from my calf pulling down the side instead of at the back. I get really bad numbness of feet after about an hours of running which is really crap as i have to stop and let them come back to life because i feel like im running on stumps, ive never had it checked out because i've searched on the net before and there doesn't seem to be any answers, im only 25 but i think i have poor circulation from years of football/football injuries, loosening the laces can help but doesn't help me too much. It could be anything, poor circulation as mentioned, nerve damage, type of footwear or even running style, how hard you land on your feet. Ive tried all sorts of shoes, Walshes, NB, heard bad things with innovate being really tight so havent bothered with those, just bought some Running bear galdiator, i'll see how i get on.

If anyone knows of this or has overcome this i would love to know too.

Thanks

Chris

[mr pitt]

Had the tight calf thing down the outside edge of it. Turned out to be a REALLY tight muscle that took acupuncture to release. Also have noticed the lace thing, but not in my Inov8's, only in my road asics.
Try some massage on the leg, and also make sure you give it a good stretch after running. Hope it gets better!

[KatintheHat]

Thanks guys. Interesting, I think its definitely worse in my innov8s, not so bad in my highlanders, and better again in my walshes, but I much prefer the highlanders and innvo8s when racing!! I've never really noticed it road running, but then tend not to run such steep hills on road.

Tight laces could make it worse, although I only crank them really tight in races, and tend to suffer as badly on training runs. I guess I also don't have the lightest, most fluid running style either.

I do suffer from reynolds syndrome in my feet so poor circulation is likely but I'm not sure if it would cause this numbness?!

Any physios out there with any opinions? I'm thinking of going to one anyway to sort out a sore neck so I may as well kill two birds with one stone!

Kat

[crowhill]

Thanks guys. Interesting, I think its definitely worse in my innov8s, not so bad in my highlanders, and better again in my walshes, but I much prefer the highlanders and innvo8s when racing!! I've never really noticed it road running, but then tend not to run such steep hills on road.

Tight laces could make it worse, although I only crank them really tight in races, and tend to suffer as badly on training runs. I guess I also don't have the lightest, most fluid running style either.

I do suffer from reynolds syndrome in my feet so poor circulation is likely but I'm not sure if it would cause this numbness?!

Any physios out there with any opinions? I'm thinking of going to one anyway to sort out a sore neck so I may as well kill two birds with one stone!

Kat

Interesting thread this. I used to get this a lot in races and dismissed it as just one of those things. It was always on climbs and the feeling would subsequently return after flat running or descents. I attributed it to my calves getting really pumped up and blood not reaching the extremities, as it seemed to spread from the toes inwards. Funny thing is that I don't seem to get it anymore and I didn't consciously do anything to address it. In fact it wasn't until I read this thread that I even remembered that I used to suffer. Maybe it will pass in time?

[KatintheHat]

Hoping it will pass with time CH but who knows!! You've given me hope..

Out of interest do any of you fellow sufferers do much cycling? I ride to work and back most days (14 miles in total) and do a bit of road and mtb as well, and I'm pretty sure this doesn't help the old calf flexibility!!

Its also a lot worse running on the lakeland fells that it ever was in the peak. Could this be the difference in terrain (i.e. rocky more than boggy) or the fact that the hills are bigger? !!

[Fleeter]

do you get pains in your shins when stood up for a while? as that along with the the tight calves and numb feet is what's stopped me running for the last 5 months,and that was diagnosed as compartments syndrome due to my flat feet,getting orthotics to sort it out