It is not uncommon for people, especially after exhausting long-distance runs, to experience pain in the calf area. This condition causes tremendous discomfort, and most importantly, it can signal significant health problems.
Every person who is faced with this needs to know the main reasons leading to this condition, as well as what needs to be done to improve well-being.
Calf hurts after running - reasons
Doctors identify the main causes of pain in the calf area after running.
These include:
- long physical activity on the legs;
- diseases of the arteries and veins;
- muscle diseases;
- back problems;
- lack of vitamins;
- pathology of nerve fibers.
Regardless of the reasons, at the first painful symptoms, each person needs:
- Stop the race immediately.
- Sit down.
If it hurts to sit, but it is recommended to lie down, even on a bench in the park.
- Massage the disturbing place with your hands.
- Wait until you feel normal and go home with a calm step.
- See a doctor.
If the pain does not decrease, then you need to call an ambulance for immediate medical attention.
Long-term physical activity
In the case when a person has had a high physical activity for a long time, the muscles begin to ache, in particular in the calf area.
Moreover, such pain:
- is aching in nature when a person is at rest;
- is sharp during movement;
- lasts for 2 - 3 days;
- arises abruptly, even during training, or after 3 - 5 hours from the moment of its completion.
Often, after exhausting physical activity, a person cannot go in for sports and even walk fully for several days.
Diseases of the veins
With violations of the outflow of venous blood, various diseases of the veins occur, in particular, varicose veins.
With this pathology, a person experiences:
- aching or dull pain in the calf area;
- heaviness in the lower limbs;
- shooting pains after prolonged standing, walking or while jogging;
- convulsions.
The more severe the form of venous disease, the more severe the pain.
Arterial disease
In 95% of cases with arterial disease, a person experiences severe pain in the calves.
Moreover, in addition to the pain syndrome, one can feel:
- stiffness in movement;
- feeling of compression or squeezing below the knees;
- inability to fully straighten the legs;
- constantly cold feet;
- swelling in the legs.
All symptoms increase in the evening, as well as in the case when a person stood or ran for more than 30 minutes.
Muscle diseases
With muscle diseases in a person at the initial stage, only a weak aching pain below the knees is felt, which occurs during:
- walking;
- jogging;
- long standing on your feet.
If you do not engage in treatment, then the pain syndrome will constantly increase and be observed even during sleep.
In 89% of cases, muscle diseases result from:
- various injuries of the limbs and spine;
- transferred flu;
- infectious diseases;
- hypothermia of the body.
Often, in parallel with discomfort in the calves, a person has chills and an increase in body temperature, especially in the late afternoon.
Damage to nerve fibers
With lesions of nerve fibers, a person experiences pain in the calves constantly, and it intensifies in the evening and often does not allow full sleep.
In addition, with such a pathology, one feels:
- pulsation in the calf and thighs;
- lumbago in the knee caps;
- body temperature within 37 - 37.3 degrees, keeping constantly;
- redness of the skin below the knees;
- significant pain when touching the problem area of the body;
- lumps or swellings in the calves.
In a more advanced form, there may be swelling of the lower leg.
Other reasons
Also, a person may feel pain in games for reasons such as:
- Spine pathology. In this case, 78% of patients have inflammation in the area of the intervertebral discs and nerve entrapment, which in turn leads to pain in the legs, especially when walking.
- Vascular inflammation. With this pathology, cramps, swelling, pain in the legs, and often redness of the skin in the area below the knees are felt.
- Lack of trace elements, in particular, calcium and potassium deficiency.
Basically, this problem is faced by people who:
- dropped more than 10 - 15 kilograms;
- are carrying a baby;
- breastfeeding the baby;
- have experienced a severe shock or stress;
- eat improperly.
Only doctors can identify the reasons that provoke pain in the calves and when they examine the patient, and if necessary, send him for a complete examination and testing.
General principles of treatment
For pain in games, treatment is selected exclusively by doctors and according to an individual program, which is compiled depending on:
- The nature of the pain syndrome.
- Diagnosed pathology.
- Existing concomitant diseases.
- The age and body weight of the patient.
Also, the choice of therapy is influenced by how long the patient has been experiencing discomfort in this area, whether he was previously prescribed treatment, whether the person is taking any drugs, especially hormonal ones.
In general, to get rid of this problem, doctors recommend:
- a course of tablets and ointments;
- special gymnastic exercises;
- special diet.
Often people are advised folk remedies that are effective if there are no contraindications to such a technique, and everything is under the supervision of doctors.
Medicines
In the case when doctors have identified any pathologies, for example, diseases of the arteries or veins, then medication may be prescribed.
Basically, patients are recommended a course:
- Anti-inflammatory pills.
- Pain medications.
- Vitamins, in particular those containing calcium.
- Means that normalize blood flow.
In 90% of cases, drug treatment is prescribed for 7 to 10 days. In the absence of improvement, doctors select another course, often with stronger drugs.
Gymnastics
With pain symptoms in the calf area, the performance of gymnastic exercises effectively helps. They are prescribed by the attending physicians and carried out under their supervision.
Basically, patients are advised to do:
- "A bike". For this exercise, you need to lie on your back, raise your legs, and then make circular movements with them, in appearance resembling pedaling on a bicycle.
- Standing on tiptoes.
Required:
- stand up straight so that the socks and heels are together;
- put your hands on your waist;
- rise on tiptoes for three minutes, and then go down.
Keep your legs high for 1.5 - 2 minutes. For this control, you need to lie on your back, and put your legs, extended at the knees, on the wall.
In other words, you need to keep your legs upright in the air.
- Walk on your heels. You need to put your hands on your waist, and then walk exclusively on your heels for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Perform smooth swinging legs in different directions.
The duration of one lesson and also the regularity of the gymnastics performed is determined by the doctor.
Diet
In case of pain in the calves, a person is also advised to monitor their diet.
Doctors advise:
Eat more calcium-rich foods.
These include:
- natural yogurt;
- cottage cheese;
- fish and stuff.
There are steamed or boiled dishes.
Fried and smoked food prevents the normal elimination of excess salts from the body, negatively affects blood circulation and leads to puffiness.
- Refuse pickles and alcohol.
- There are fruits, especially seasonal ones.
- Drink more regular still water.
You should also include in the diet protein foods, in particular, chicken, eggs, beef, and more.
Folk remedies
For pain in games, folk remedies help well.
However, it is allowed to resort to them if:
- This method of treatment was approved by the doctor.
- The person has not been diagnosed with serious pathologies requiring surgery or hospital treatment.
- There are no, even indirect, contraindications to folk methods.
The most popular folk remedies for pain in the calves are:
Mint baths.
For cooking you need:
- pour water into a deep basin, the temperature of which is 39 - 40 degrees;
- pour 5 - 6 grams of mint leaves into the water;
This amount goes for one liter of water.
- lower your knee-deep legs into the prepared water.
It takes 15 minutes to hold your legs, and then wipe them with a towel and immediately go to bed.
Rubbing aloe
To prepare the product you need:
- take 5 grams of eucalyptus oil and 5 milliliters of aloe juice;
- mix all;
- heat in a water bath;
- rub gently into the disturbed area.
Rub in should be done twice a day and for 4 - 5 days.
Ice wiping
This requires:
- take 5 - 6 ice cubes;
- put them in a clean cloth or towel;
- wrap the bundle;
- do rubbing in a circular motion for 3 to 4 minutes.
Ice reduces pain and relieves the feeling of stiffness in the feet.
Salty compresses
It is necessary:
- dilute two tablespoons of salt in 250 milliliters of warm water;
- take a clean cloth and moisten it in the prepared solution;
- squeeze out a little;
- apply to the affected area and leave for 5 - 10 minutes.
At the end of the procedure, it is not recommended to wash your feet for 1.5 - 2 hours. Performing such compresses is required every day until the pain syndrome is relieved.
Preventive measures
The implementation of preventive measures helps to reduce the likelihood of pain in games and, as a result of various pathologies.
In this matter, doctors recommended:
- Don't wear uncomfortable shoes, especially heels.
- Before going to bed, gently massage the legs below the knees with your hands for 1.5 - 2 minutes.
- Make special baths twice a week, for example, add herbs to warm water and keep your feet in the resulting infusion for 10-15 minutes.
- Try to walk 15 - 20 minutes or more a day.
- Do not sit for more than two hours in a row.
- Walk and take a contrast shower every day.
- Avoid gaining extra pounds.
- Always monitor your diet.
- Wear compression socks or stockings.
The duration of wearing special socks or stockings is determined by the attending physician, for example, it may be recommended to wear them only at night or in the evening for 2 - 3 hours.
- Sleep 8 hours a day.
It is also important not to delay and visit a doctor as soon as a person begins to experience pain and discomfort in the legs. Timely identified causes that provoke this condition, as well as the therapy begun, will allow you to get rid of such problems in a short time and lead a normal life.
A person can encounter pain in the calf for many reasons, this is mainly observed in pathologies of the spine, diseases of the arteries and veins, as well as after exhausting physical exertion.
In any case, it is only a doctor who can determine exactly what triggered this condition, and most importantly, an effective method of treatment can be prescribed. Otherwise, there is a chance to significantly harm health and lead to even greater complications that will require surgical intervention.
Blitz - tips:
- never self-medicate, even if the pain syndrome occurs occasionally and is not acute;
- if there is no improvement after the course of therapy, then you should visit the doctor again;
- always try to adhere to preventive measures and not exhaust yourself with physical activity.
