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Runner's Forum: New Runner Injury Question

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    pete.staehling

    I seem to have pulled or torn something in my left calf yesterday.  It was tight so I stretched before starting a run, but it was still tight.  I stopped at .5 miles to stretch it and again at 1 mile.  I tried to just keep running at an easy pace hoping it would loosen up.  That apparently was a bad move because at a bit over 1.5 miles something went ping and I was stopped in my tracks.  I am trying to stay off of it as much as possible and icing it.  It has pretty much full range of motion but won't support much weight in a position like a heel drop stretch on a curb.

    The pain is along the centerline of the calf in the back.

    I am a new runner and have only been running a couple weeks.  I have always walked a lot and have been an active cyclist.  I recently started running because of a wrist injury keeping me off of the bike.

    I rode across the country last year (73 days 4244 miles) and at home before the wrist injury I rode 20 miles most weekdays at a brisk pace with a longer ride on the weekend.  So I am not completely out of shape, but am probably not in shape in the specific ways peculiar to running.   I guess I maybe should have taken it slower in my running, but I never pushed past what felt comfortable until the calf problem.

     My question is what do I do now?  Do I just stay off of it until it feels better?  The injury was yesterday.  What criteria should I use to determine when/if I need medical attention?

  2.  
    rpetreccajr
    This spring I had a similar injury. My calf had been twingy for a couple of days then about half way on a four mile out and back I felt a pop. I went right into the doc that day as I had a half marathon coming up 5 weeks later. I had pulled a muscle in my calf. The doc had me not run for a week, bike and elliptical at the gym were okay, but nothing with impact. Then start by trying a mile. I was to stop immediately on any pain. The first run back I made .7 on the treadmill at the gum. Two days later I made it to .85. Two days after that a full mile. At that point he had me doubling my mileage every other run until I was back to pre-injury mileage. I also wrapped my calf with an elastic bandage. That was a pain to deal with so I went to the drug store and got a calf brace. I ended up doing the half with my right leg wrapped in neoprene from above the knee to the ankle due to a pre-existing knee problem. But I completed it in a very decent time, close to my original goal prior to the injury.
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    CarolinaCrazy

     Disclaimer: this is NOT professional advice...If you have a decent health plan (low/no co-pay) it can't hurt to see a doc.

    I get the occasional calf strain and when I do, I know I haven't been stretching enough.  I try to stretch my calves at least 2x per day for 5 minutes every day.  And then I make sure to stretch AFTER every run, so that the muscles don't tighten up too quickly.

     As for your current injury, here's my suggestion -  Definitely no running for a couple days, sorry. Resting and not running is the hardest thing to do when you are injured, but it won't get better if you don't rest it.  (i'm just back on the road after a 6 week layoff due to a hip problem).

    RICE - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.  This is the most important treatment every runner should live by.  Ice is your best friend.  Ice it as much as you can stand for the next 3-4 days and don't do any thing that would stress/stretch the sore muscle.  Then spend a couple of days just gently stretching it 4 times per day. 

    And if it is still sore after a 5 days and you still can't walk on it, see a doc.

     Best of luck!

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    pete.staehling
    I have been icing the calf and it is improving, not too much pain now and only a slight limp when walking.  I decided to not even consider running until at least Monday.  I REALLY don't want to wind up with a chronic problem so I plan to take it very cautiously.
    • CommentAuthorburgalurg
    • CommentTimeJul 7th 2008
     
    burgalurg

    Good luck today, Pete...I'm rootin' for no calf pain during your run for yah! : )

    KJ

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    pete.staehling
    Thanks.  I ran Monday with 1/4 mile runs separated by 1/4 mile walks for a total of 1 mile of running and 1-1/2 miles of walking.  Today I ran a mile without the walk breaks.  It feels good to be running again, but I plan to take it pretty easy for a while to let this thing really heal.

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