[Iron Mike]

Hi, I have recently been trying to get back to exercising after about a year of nothing and an increase in weight of a stone. I am overweight: 15.5 stones and 5 ft 9".

After about 15-20 minutes of running I feel pains around the calf and shin area. It is so bad that I can't continue running. The pain goes away once I have stopped running so I don't think there is any permanent damage.

As I am no stranger to 'on and off' training regimes, I used to get this before too. However, it was only during the first week of exercise and took much longer to develop. Probably after 50-55 minutes I would get those pains which would disapear a week after using the treadmill each day.

Now I get it so quickly that I am finding I can't get any decent workout done. Has anyone else experienced this? What should I do? Would training my calf muscles with weight training help?

[silent ninja]

Shin splints.
You get them due to your running technique. Most likely your footwear needs changing and you're hitting the ground hard, probably flat footed, like "thump thump thump." I get this from jogging at low speeds due to over-pronating but it's mitigated by running on grass (it's the best cushion) and trying to land mid-foot rather than the heel.

Post in the running thread. There's more serious and knowledgeable runners there who can advise.

[Iron Mike]

Thank you, I think you have hit the nail on the head there. I'll give that a try tommorow and post ing the running thread if it doesn't work.

[GeekyNick]

Based on the coming and going nature it does sound like an overuse injury like shin splints. You said you gained some weight and this might be contributing - a higher bodyweight causes greater stress on the muscles and joints. If you aren't using decent trainers and running with good form that could also trigger it.

In terms of getting rid of them the obvious thing is to just try going a little slower. Personally if I ever get calf pain it's due to pushing a bit too hard. Some basic calf exercises probably would help - certainly they are beneficial for your running in general. I tend to just do heel raises on the edge of a bench or staircase.

I would expect that as you lose some more weight and improve your fitness you would see some improvement but I'm certainly no expert ...

[silent ninja]

(Original post by Iron Mike)
Thank you, I think you have hit the nail on the head there. I'll give that a try tommorow and post ing the running thread if it doesn't work.

Definitely try different shoes. Running shops can analyse your gait (technique) and recommend a pair, but I'm not so sure because they're not qualified. The best bet is to get referred by your GP if it persists. It's free and you'll get accurate professional advice.

I've gone from supposed padded shoes that are designed to help over-pronators like me (ankle roll + flat footed) to my basic Pumas and haven't had any aches in the last couple of days. There's no harm in trying different shoes you currently own. Footwear makes a huge difference.

Or it simply might be that you're getting back in the groove and are training too hard (based on the fact you said you got aches in the past it's more likely you're running technique).

[squeakysquirrel]

(Original post by Iron Mike)
Hi, I have recently been trying to get back to exercising after about a year of nothing and an increase in weight of a stone. I am overweight: 15.5 stones and 5 ft 9".

After about 15-20 minutes of running I feel pains around the calf and shin area. It is so bad that I can't continue running. The pain goes away once I have stopped running so I don't think there is any permanent damage.

As I am no stranger to 'on and off' training regimes, I used to get this before too. However, it was only during the first week of exercise and took much longer to develop. Probably after 50-55 minutes I would get those pains which would disapear a week after using the treadmill each day.

Now I get it so quickly that I am finding I can't get any decent workout done. Has anyone else experienced this? What should I do? Would training my calf muscles with weight training help?

Are you sure it is not a build up of lactic acid - it is like a stitch but in your legs. I get it is I dont run for a while.

Either way - a decent warm up should help and pace yourself.

[L-x]

It's almost certainly overtraining, though getting shoes you feel comfortable in is important. "trying to land mid-foot rather than the heel" is a really bad idea if you aren't a natural mid-striker and don't know what you're doing. You'll end up doing it by pointing your toes instead of shifting your weight, and could end up seriously hurting your calf.

[Chicharito14]

(Original post by silent ninja)
Shin splints.
You get them due to your running technique. Most likely your footwear needs changing and you're hitting the ground hard, probably flat footed, like "thump thump thump." I get this from jogging at low speeds due to over-pronating but it's mitigated by running on grass (it's the best cushion) and trying to land mid-foot rather than the heel.

Post in the running thread. There's more serious and knowledgeable runners there who can advise.

It may not necessarily be just shin splints causing the problem here, as the OP's calves are hurting too.

I suffered from this too, particularly from running on treadmills or even walking a a fairly fast pace on an incline (pavements/treadmill etc). This would cause a severe 'pump' on the lower part of both calves, along with pain on the shin on one leg.

I thought i had shin splints too, but i went to see a specialist musculoskeletal physio, along with sports physio's at uni, and was diagnosed with chronic compartment syndrome.

So far, i have had physio to loosen up the joints in my ankle, along with some exercises.

The most likely solution for the OP is to either get proper running shoes and running gait checked (as ninja stated) or get sole implants to reduce the pressure on your feet.

It also doesn't hurt to get your problem checked by a doctor, just to be on the safe side.