on Jan 25th, 2010Q&A – What is the pain in my calves when running?
Adam asked: I took up running this year to help me get fit and lose about 3 stone. Every time I head out running I’m fine for the first 5 to 10 minutes then I get a really bad burning sensation at the bottom of my calves. It is so bad I have to stop and walk. I used to run regularly for 40 to 50 minutes and have never had anything like this. I dont think its my trainers as I’ve tried different ones and still get the pain. Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks.
Answer…
The most common cause of this kind of injury is strain of the achilles tendon or a muscle tear. It is unusual for this to cause a burning pain however. This implies irritation of the nerve(s) in the area. Sometimes, as a muscle tear heals (muscles normally heal very quickly and quite easily because they have a relatively good blood supply) the scar tissue laid down binds to local nerves preventing them from moving freely between the soft tissues of the leg. Henceforth, prolonged exercise such as running can produce a burning pain in the legs. Specific stretching and deep tissue massage, provided it is not too vigorous (i.e. should not aggravate your symptoms), eventually resolves the condition.
Other alternatives are vascular dysfunctions (probably very unlikely if you have been a relatively active person, how long was your break in running?). Another possibility is a bit of wear and tear in your back restricting nerve movement into your lower limbs. Sometimes called intermittent claudication, this form of it is usually self limiting and settles with time. If not physiotherapy helps.
If it is both calves producing pain simultaneously, it is more likely to be caused by something more central, i.e. the back, and that is where I would want to assess first. If this sounds most likely to you I would suggest seeing a physiotherapist so that you can get back to your running ASAP.
Hope this helps, get back to me if you have any further questions.
Paul Cremin is a physiotherapist with over 9 years practice experience. He has a degree in Physiotherapy, a Masters degree in Neuromusculoskeletal Physiotherapy and a degree in Sports Science.
Ask Paul about: Lower Back Pain & Sciatica, Neck & Whiplash Injuries, Accidents & Sports injuries, Pelvic Pain & Knee Pain, Injury Rehabilitation.
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