varicose veins - Health + Injury

Linda Clark

31/12/2002 at 15:12

I am running the London Marathon and I
am well on course with my training, but
I have varicose veins in both legs, and
I am getting increasing sharp shooting
pains in the lower leg area. This is
most painful when I stop running. Does
anybody have similar problems, and how
you overcome this?

XFR Bear

31/12/2002 at 17:02

Front or rear of the legs Linda?

Linda Clark

01/01/2003 at 09:21

At the rear. When I stop running I get burning pains at the back in my lower calf. I've been running since August, and wonder whether I have been running too much, have the wrong shoes or my veins are having an affect? I just don't know what to do! and I'm worried about the marathon.

XFR Bear

01/01/2003 at 10:06

I wouldn't like to advise really, it might be something to do with the shoes (do you have a pair from a specialist running shop?) or it could be something else.

If it was on the shins I was going to suggest that it might be shin splints, but it isn't.

If you haven't got the shoes then you really do need them (they need replacing every 400 miles or so), if you're okay on that front then I think I'd try the GP first to see if it might be the veins. If you still get no joy, then think about a physio.

Linda Clark

01/01/2003 at 15:06

Iain

Thanks for the advice, I'm off to 'Sweatshop' tomorrow with my old shoes, to get their advice, and go from there. I just hope I can get it right for the marathon.

Cheers!!

XFR Bear

01/01/2003 at 17:18

Sweatshop are good in my experience, and don't forget to ask for 10% discount if you belong to a running club (take your membership card!).

If the worse comes to the worse for the marathon then unless you've got a gold bond place you can always defer to next year on the "Ill or injured" thing. Hopefully it won't come to that.

Linda Clark

06/01/2003 at 10:32

Iain

Just to let you know that I bought some new Nike trainers from Sweatshop that the guy recommended for my feet. He said my old ones were knackered and useless. Had 5 days rest and then ran for 1 1/2 hours on Saturday. Feel OK, so I'm delighted. Off in the sunshine today for 40 minutes. Thanks for your advice.

Lin

XFR Bear

06/01/2003 at 11:10

Fantastic news Lin - thanks for letting me know.

Gavin031

14/02/2003 at 22:23

I am training for my first marathon (London) and I also get tightness in both calves when I run. I am 32. My left is not too bad and bearable but my right is really bad especially towards the end of a long run. I have a large varicose vein in that leg exactly where the pain manifests itself. Does the vein cause the pain and if so is there anything I can do about it. I can force myself to run through it but I don't want to cause any damage. Thanks in advance for any help.

XFR Bear

14/02/2003 at 22:49

Gavin - must confess I know practically zero about varicose veins, my comments to Linda were based solely on general running stuff and I just got lucky. I'd suggest going to your GP or getting advice from some sort of medical professional.

We'd love you to add a comment! Please login or take half a minute to register as a free member