Running and calf pain

I developed a calf pain in 2023 as I started to build up my weekly distance. It was at the top of my calf, roughly at the back of my shin bone. I found that running with calf supports relieved the pain.

Heading into 2024, my monthly distance had reduced again (to about 100km/month)  and I stopped wearing them.

Towards the end of 2024 I was doing the Marcothon (5k/day) and got that calf pain again, though only in my left leg. I dug out the calf supports and that got me through to the end of the month.

I'm having a couple of weeks off running now as I think it's mostly related to a lack of "recovery" time.

I warm up/down and stretch.

IANAP but I'd add massage to your repertoire, either with a gun or foam roller (personally I find a foam roller really easy to work the calves. I put it on a foot stool so don't even need to leave the couch). It'll help with any knots and in theory should improve blood flow, assisting the healing process if there are any injuries.

Other than that, rest.

Strength training, you have about 6 times your body weight going through ankles and calves when your run, make sure you warm up with dynamic stretches and warm down again after and two strength sessions a week designed for runners that target runners, so lots of calf raises, ankle mobility work, hip flexors etc

@scotroutes put me on to this guy and find him really good:

As my physio pal says to 99% of issues I take to him "strength and conditioning".

My version of events, after suffering from calf pain years ago, I started running on my toes more - as in landing on the ball of my foot rather then heel - I've not had issues since. Build up gradually from there, don't do any big leaps in distance. Calf raises are probably the easiest exercise to do anytime anywhere.

OP symptoms sound a bit like my calf pain at about day 3 of the NHS couch to 5k. Had me limping for a week or so afterwards. Haven’t tried running since. It hurts!

afterwards friends who do run claimed couch to 5k ramps up too quickly. Some recommended longer warming up before running.

OP, that’s exactly what I’m suffering at the moment, in my left calf. Have had to stop a run 6 times now, with what feels like a sudden pull, but the pain subsides in a few days. Doesn’t affect riding at all. I’m hugely frustrated with it as I don’t run for 3 weeks or so to allow it time to recover, then build up runs again only for it to happen again. My pain is exactly where you’ve highlighted in the diagram.

I’m going to see a physio I think, so following this with interest. I’m rubbish at stretching and all that stuff!

I find a couple of minutes of foam rollering before the run helps with this and also stops it spreading to cause an achilles tendon strain. I never actually stretch beforehand as feel that's just dangerous for muscles that may not be warmed up and not really necessary.  That said, definitely work on things like a hip flexor stretch afterwards. If that's tight, it'll stress the hamstrings and they'll then cause a pull on the calves.

Is your job quite sedentary? i.e. sitting at a desk a lot.  that can lead to 'lazy glutes' > tight hip flexors > stressed hamstrings > tight calves. So things like switching to a standing desk some of the time could help as well.

It's all connected...

I was getting pain in a very similar location, but during the run. As always, the issue was changing things too quickly. I'd been trying to avoid heel striking at lower pace, but it was putting way too much pressure on my calves. Solution was to change incrementally, do some calf raises for strength, and stretch them properly before/after a run.

How long have you been running in those shoes?

Used to get the same, although mine usually started on longer runs and continued afterwards, always in the left calf. Sometimes bad enough that I had to walk home. Completely disappeared after I started going to the gym. Didn't actually go to the gym for that purpose (I was just doing squats and deadlifts and leg press for general strength) but one day I just realised that I was running pain free. Have since run up to half-marathon distance with zero calf pain during or after. I think my calves were just weak from too much cycling (and not a lot else!)

How old are you? Evidence to show an upward tick in micro tears and strains in over 50's. As above lots of strength exercises concentric and eccentric as long as neither cause pain. Also foam rollering once any pain has settled. Obvs build up again slowly and stop at the slightest hint of recurrence, dont try and jog home! Advise doing small loops so that you are not far from home when you restart. I wouldn't bother stretching unless you like doing it...

My suggestions would be:

1, stretch, stretch and more stretching. I know as a runner we all hate stretching but you're going to have to stretch before you run and after you run. Even just holding on to the door frame. Putting one leg behind you and leaning forward to stretch that calf muscle for 30 seconds is better than nothing. Foam roller and massage gun are going to make it even better.

2, sports physiotherapist will probably be a good idea to visit just to verify there's nothing seriously wrong.

3, are you warming up properly? If you're not then you can start to get tight muscles like it sounds you've got.

4, I would pop along to a decent running shop that has a treadmill and camera setup so that they can film you running and verify that you are running correctly for the shoes that you you have

5, in my experience, these issues are caused by imbalances somewhere in your legs. I managed to end up with ITB on both legs at different times all caused by tight hip flexors which were caused in turn by just not stretching. Now I'm white focused on stretching everyday

Good luck !

Thanks for all of the replies.

I'm 46 and have been running for over a year in the same make/model of shoe.  I had no calf issues before a couple of months ago.  I usually run between 5 and 10km with the occasional 15km. The only thing that has changed, and I can think of as the cause, is an increased pace.

What's interesting is I recently ran 5km on a treadmill at a faster than usual pace (21 mins) and had no pain.

Had exactly the same thing, in exactly the same place. I hadn't run for a year or more and started again, after a few weeks and a gradual build up in distance I started to feel it. Eventually I stopped running and went back to bike and gym. Went for my first run in ages last week and could feel it very slightly.

This time around I'm going to take things VERY slowly and see how it goes. I'm over 50 and falling apart so have somewhat accepted the need to manage things more closely now.

Interesting comments about massage - I've been looking for an excuse to buy one of those massage gun thingummies!