Tight calves - advice needed

electric_comperella

Hi guys

Just wondered if anyone could give me advice regards a problem with a feeling of tightness in my calves kinda radiates from mid calf to the back of my knee.

It's not a pain it just feels tight in a very mildly bruised sort of way :S

Just started regularly exercising for the first time in about 10 years - I tried a warm bath to help it and it did for a short while... also tried stretching them out but no overall joy

Is it a problem worth seeing the doc over?

Thanks in advance

Ella x

Nile

electric_comperella wrote: »

Hi guys

Just wondered if anyone could give me advice regards a problem with a feeling of tightness in my calves kinda radiates from mid calf to the back of my knee.

It's not a pain it just feels tight in a very mildly bruised sort of way :S

Just started regularly exercising for the first time in about 10 years - I tried a warm bath to help it and it did for a short while... also tried stretching them out but no overall joy

Is it a problem worth seeing the doc over?

Thanks in advance

Ella x

Hello electric_comperella

I would say yes, definitely see your doctor about it.;)

The reason is because I had a sporting injury affecting the same area of my leg/calf. I'd had warning 'feelings' prior to the nasty injury but ignored them.:o

So...........because of my ignorance, my calf 'feelings' progressed to a snapped ligament/ligaments and being unable to do any sport for 6 weeks until my leg/calf healed.

Seeing my doctor was the best thing I did because as well as diagnosing the problem, he warned me that my other leg could suffer the same injury if I didn't do the appropriate stretching exercises on a regular basis.

I wouldn't have known how to prevent another injury, if I hadn't seen my doctor.

So............even though your worrying condition might not be exactly the same as mine............it's worth going to see your doctor to get the best advice for now and the future, to prevent injury.

I hope you feel better soon.

Regards

Nile

tabskitten

Get a sports massage

belfastgirl23

Seeing a doctor won't do any harm and it's free so you should do it to be on the safe side and rule out any major problems.

But I would also second tabskittens advice, having just had my first sports massage lately. I took up running and pulled a gluteal muscle. The sports masseur was highly recommended by a couple of friends who had both had injuries. He did a lot of work at the muscles releasing tension from them (this was sore btw!) but also spent time giving me stretching exercises to do to help prevent the problems. He also understood the biomechanics properly so while I might have thought I needed to stretch my glutes, the problem was actually coming from elsewhere.

The other thing is do you have proper footwear associated with the sport you're doing? Running shops will fit you with shoes for general fitness purposes as well and having properly fitting footwear can make a huge difference.

But don't just sit and see does it get worse, nip it in the bud!

Pitlanepiglet

I am prone to muscle stiffness in this area and used to get knee pain because of it. I was taught to hold the stretch for much longer than you would expect. Try holding the calf stretch for at least 30 seconds on each leg. It solves my problem.

....but yes, if you're worried see your GP.

MarzipanFish

Since lots of people have suggested injury/go to the doctor already so you don't need more people saying the same, i'll go with different advice:

To me it sounds like the normal kinds of pains you get the day after exercising, especially since it's in both legs. I think it's to do with lactic acid building up (though that's just school PE theory lessons so i'm not sure if that's quite it) and it'll go away in a day or so or whenever you next exercise.
Did you do a proper warm down? That can stop it happening.

ticklepenny_2

Its better to be safe than sorry. Check it out with your Dr, worst case scenario youy may be told to do more stretches but your Dr may be able to sign post you to somewhere that can give you free advice on the best way to get back into fitness. Prevention is better than cure as they say!

Good luck an dlet us know how it goes.:D

welshdent

I doubt a gp would do a great deal to be honest. Maybe advise rest and pain killers. For muscular pain you normally need to try and stretch and exercise it. I would say the best thing is see someone that knows what they are doing with the musculo skeletal system - a physio

londoner1998

electric_comperella wrote: »

Hi guys

Just wondered if anyone could give me advice regards a problem with a feeling of tightness in my calves kinda radiates from mid calf to the back of my knee.

It's not a pain it just feels tight in a very mildly bruised sort of way :S

Just started regularly exercising for the first time in about 10 years - I tried a warm bath to help it and it did for a short while... also tried stretching them out but no overall joy

Is it a problem worth seeing the doc over?

Thanks in advance

Ella x

Like others have said, stretch, stretch and stretch... your muscle fibers are shortening and hardening and it will get worse. I wouldn't think is anything serious, but again this could mean you are over-exerting or mi-using other areas (knees, thighs) and it is true that the problem is often elsehwere- you are overusing your calves because you are not using some other weaker part of your legs at the right level.

Somebody with understanding of biomechanics should be able to help you, but to begin with, stretch those calves. I have a similar problem and in my yoga class we often to just that to begin with: get something so 4-5 inches wide (we use wooden blooks, but a thick dictionary will do, for example) and l lift your toes and keep them on it while keeping your heels on the floor- it is quite an intense stretch but it will help you to relax the muscle fibers... the more you do the easier it gets...

jenniewb

A few stretches you could try:

And also to mention you need to hold them for about 40 seconds to really get the minimum benefit. 2 mins has been proven to be ideal but few people will do this.

1. Stand with your feet together/side by side touching and touch your toes, or as close as you can get to your toes. Keep the legs straight.

2. Similar to the above, feet together, bend forwards etc etc, bend your knees, place each hand inside of palm facing upwards and stand on your hands (n/b- don't wear shoes for this!) your wrists should meet up with your toes, your finder tips should be somewhere around the heel of your foot- but not under as you stand on them.
If you can, straighten your legs and lean slightly forward into your arms. You should get a nice back-of-knee stretch here. Just be careful not to over stretch as it can feel so good you can end up pushing it too far!

3. Find a step, place one foot flat onto the step and the other with the heel falling off the step (but the top half of the foot on the step), push the heel downwards to feel the stretch.

4. Self massage. Get a foam roller or use your hands to massahe your calves, run up then down the entire calf to boost the circulation. Try to do this once a day, if your at a gym, the foam rollers can be excellent- ask for help on how to get the best out of them.

Also, don't forget other muscles in your legs, if one is weak, another will compensate and this can cause injuries and problems. Make sure you stretch everything fully before stopping.

nappentass

All good advice, always worth checking with the doc and just wanted to add that as well as physios & sports massage specialists, Bowen Technique/Bowen Therapy can often be very effective & quick.

hth