Soleus issues not a newbie to minimal

Hi All,

As my post title states I am not a newbie to minimal running. I have been doing so for over 2 years. I run in the merrel trail glove. My problem is that just recently my soleus muscles have been cramping after about 10 miles, then after running theget so tight and extremely painfull. The pain seems to last for the rest of the day but funniliy they dont hurt that much the next day.

I havent changed anything in my style or distance etc so quite stumped.

Anyone had similar issues?

Many thanks

I too run in the merrell trail glove

silly question have you been stretching enough afterwards?

just thought, sometimes calf pain can be referred pain related to problems with gluteus muscles

worth a tennis ball massage to see if you can find something, or it could be IT band related so foam roller time (i had something similar, not a cramping, but a wierd shooting nerve pain down into the side of my calf that turned out to be IT band related and went with foam roller treatment)

I know you have not changed your style or distance but sometimes just the accumulative effects over time can flare something up, or adhesions can form. If you can afford a sports massage that might help?

purely all suggestions of course

I do stretch a lot after running, but when stretching my soleus now it is extremely tight.

Anybody know what muscle soreness imediatly after running means but then its ok in the morning?

It sounds like normal lactic acid build up, perhaps your workout intensity has changed thus getting nearer your LT threshold. Are you running faster, more intense runs? how are your runs distributed? (eg do you do easy runs, tempo runs, intervals etc)

I must admit my fitness has increased a lot over the last 3 months and I am running faster. I normally do a couple of 5 milers and a 10 or 15 each week. The 5's are generally quicker. All of my running is on the trails.

It sounds like progressive muscle tightness giving rise to some local inflammation which flares up during and immediately post running.  Being a physio I would recommend a week of intense stretching i.e. 4 x a day for about 2-3 mins each side. A heel drop off the edge of a step is great for soleus stretch.  rest your lower calves on a hot water bottle. Towards the end of the week start something called eccentiric loading exercises. ..Again off the edge of a step, say your doing the right side first. You slowly control your heel down from a tip toe position to a heel dip position. Do this 5 times 4 x daily. The important thing is that you dont then contract your soleus to go back up to ur tip toes but use the other leg lift your body to allow you to place your right foot back in the starting position. A week of regular antiinflammatories e.g. ibuprofen would do no harm either. I hope this makes sense! Also although you say your soleus are tight, if your calves are tight right near the knee where they insert this can have a knock on effect to the soleus.