HUGE problem with my leg while running

[Enrique2010]

I recently got back into running in our poolee meetings and have seem to injured my leg. Its in the INSIDE part of my leg right below the calf. I want to say its this muscle here http://www.pilatespatio.com/flexor_digitorum_longus.jpg

It doesnt seem to be shin splints because the pain isnt in my shin. its to the inside of the leg.

It doesnt hurt when I walk, but if I jump or run, with each step it hurts. After a lap or so around the track the pain eases a bit, but I still cant give 100% and once my running is over, it pounds. Anyone else experience this? I dont think alot of you honestly do, as alot of you are in highschool still and are physically active, but I graduated 06 and really didnt do many physical exercises so yeah. Any info will help!

[SeanRyan32]

Can you describe more of the positioning of it, please? That may help a little more. (I.e., inside right leg, back left, etc.)

[Enrique2010]

Its on the inside of the leg. So for my left leg, its to the right of the shin below the calf, and on the right leg, its to the left of the shin below the calf. this muscle or tendon http://www.pilatespatio.com/flexor_digitorum_longus.jpg

If you look at that picture, thats what is sore to the point where I dont want to run.

[SeanRyan32]

Oh, it's on both? I have no idea. My suggestion would be to rest a few days and then see what's up. I hurt my quad just above my knee on the outside of my left leg. Two days of down time and now I'm good to go. Don't take my word for it, though. If any other poolees here know what this is, our brother-in-waiting could use it.

Good luck with that, Enrique.

And HAZZAH Classes of '06! lol

[Enrique2010]

Yeah thanks man, Ive been looking this up all day. Lol. Been sore for a month now. I can still manage a 10:00ish 1 1/2 mile but I KNOW I can do better if I can get it healed.

[SeanRyan32]

If nothing else, my grandma swears by China Gel. It supposedly works wonders, but smells bad, so I've never used it. She's gotten a bunch of people hooked on it. Just heat it up, rub it on, and you're good.

[Enrique2010]

Haha, I dont want to hide the pain, but get rid of it completely. Ahh, I see you are in Hacienda heights. Im here in SD.

[Cressler]

I think you should look up and do some special stretches for the next week or so and while your in boot....The best i can tell you is if you have an athletic trainer you were friends with at school talk to him or....go to yahoo answers and put this info on there there are some very capable people on there that can help you

[sbombard15]

Congrats. Sounds like you have shin splints. Soak both your legs in a bucket of ice water for 20 min a night it it will feel 100% better.

[stayfr0sty]

I used to have the same kind of pain in the same area, it was shin splints. What I did is wrapped my shin area with first that thin foam tape then athletic tape. When I applied the athletic tape I would wrap it so muscles on the side of my leg were pulled back towards my calf. The foam tape is so you don't have to tape anything to your skin making it unpleasant when removing. After a while the pain just went away and I didn't have to tape my shins.

[Enrique2010]

Alright thanks for the advice guys. Much appreciated.

[MarinesFTW]

Ice your leg's, its the only real advice I can give. My sister run's ALOT and if they hurt she just goes and takes a ice bath or when its getting colder here in Minnesota go's and stands in a lake, and the problem goes away!

[cmixcoatl]

Another thing you might look at is your running shoes. Make sure you have the correct kind; go to a store that specializes in running shoes, make them look at how you run. You need a different kind of shoe depending on the degree of pronation you have in your stride.

I'm an older guy too, this was my problem. The trick to ice your leg in that particular area: ice and seram wrap. Do that for 10 mins, followed by 10 mins in a hot towel. Repeat for an hour.

Hope this helps.

[AMarine]

That is a ligament. From what it sounds like, it does not sound like it is tore. I have had a similar problem, i didnt run from a month and when i went back in to running for the first time, the ligament was swollen for like three days. I would reccomend trying some biofreeze. also, use a heating pad, for 20mins, a cool compress for 20mins. alternating for 2 hours at least. Alternates to biofreeze: IcyHot, Bengay, etc.

[McFeely]

I have the same problem. Or I did. A poolee told me to sit on the ground and with my right foot (heel) push against my left foot (toes) so that you are pulling with your toes and pushing with your heel. Anyways do that stretch from now on and it should make it stop. If that doesnt make sense send me a message and Ill try to explain it better. It worked for me and now I have now pain.

[Bioskrizzel]

There are a few problems you could have, but i would say shin splints is most likely as it is caused from running, jumping and sprinting. If you were inactive for awhile and just jumped right into running or sprinting this could have caused the problem. the most easy way to describe it is over use of an underused muscle, your putting to much stress on your legs. My advice would be to to take a few weeks off from running before you give yourself a stress fracture in your tibia, shin splints is completely cureable, it just takes a long time to heal completely. You should find other types of cardio exercises to do in the mean time such as swimming and biking, you also need to make sure your stretching the muscles in your lower legs everyday to help facilitate proper healing and flexability which will help prevent this injury in the future. The best stretch i know of to help recovery for shin splints is to get on your knees and sit on your lower legs with your feet pointed stright back, do this untill you feel comfortable with it and then as you progress keep trying to lean furthur back as you get better. Also make you your shoes fit properly and have good support for your feet, this is a must to prevent not just foot or leg injurys but also back injurys.

Remember no running, jumping or sprinting for 3/4 weeks, stretch your legs every day and STAY MOTIVATED!! i know an injury sucks and not being able to run or do sprints for a few weeks sounds stupid but this will most likely cure you completely so you do not have a reoccurance during boot camp. Once you have finished your time take it easy at first dont just jump right back into what hurt you in the first place, work up to it, also some light strength training in your lower legs wouldnt help once your done.

I had shin splints once when i was in high school in 03, My coach gave me this advice i stuck with it 100% and i have never had it since. Just my 2 cents, good luck Enrique

-ski

[Enrique2010]

Thanks skrizzel and everyone else for the help!!

[PooleeHunt]

Every one on here is giving you solid advice. When icing the area, elevate it. Also, some ibuprofen. It's not just for pain, it reduces swelling (which may not be highly visible) and helps healing, just like the cold compress. Rest it, ice it (along with compression like the foam tape and/or wraps), and elevate it. That's about it. Also run on soft surfaces if possible.

Also, the exercise.suggested earlier really works. Lay down on your back, have someone pull on your toes away from your head, while you pull against them pulling your toes towards your head. This worked really well for me.

[Eddie01]

I had that exact same problem doctor said its from over training. he said to either start running less miles or take a longer break between times when you run. So I would run wait a couple of days and then would run again and it eventually went away. All you need to do is rest it and it will get better.

[Hartford]

Wow I had this EXACT same problem. It was such a pain to have all that pain...I was PT'ing a lot at the RSS and they got sore but I had to do the IST the next day so I just sucked up the pain and passed the IST. But then after that the same inner ankle/calf area was pretty harsh, it hurt to walk between classes. I started wrapping my left ankle during the day as it was the worst with an ACE bandage. Then at night I'd ice them both using a Ziploc baggy with ice cubes/water until all the ice melted, alternating between the two sides every ~10 minutes. Then at night I'd wrap the right one. After about a week they started to feel better and I quit running too obviously and added Advil (ibuprofen) to help. Then last Saturday I got horribly burned at the beach so I didn't go to PT this week either which was good for healing...I think I'll go on Monday and see how it is.


I have the same problem. Or I did. A poolee told me to sit on the ground and with my right foot (heel) push against my left foot (toes) so that you are pulling with your toes and pushing with your heel. Anyways do that stretch from now on and it should make it stop. If that doesnt make sense send me a message and Ill try to explain it better. It worked for me and now I have now pain.
Could you go into more detail about this stretch? It sounds like it'd work very well.

[PooleeHunt]

It's the same thing I described basically in my message. Lie on your back, with your toes pointed to the sky, have someone pull your feet away from your head (as if trying to point your toes away from your head). At the same time, give them some resistance, try pulling your toes away from them (towards your head). Like you're trying to touch your shins with your toes, but the other person pulls against you.

[Hartford]

For anyone else with this problem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vZVq3ov914

I've been doing these and other exercises recently and it really helps.

Also these work well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_RwK-PL4H0

However I do them with no shoes on and for a weight anything 5lbs or so will be plenty...even with no weight and just your arm it can become difficult...