Calf Pain and Running

Calf pain related to running can have many different causes. Commonly they include:

• Shoe type – inappropriate shoe selection can make a big difference to calf pain. The right shoes can help to position your foot in the correct alignment, helping to unload your calves and making their job a little easier.
• Shoe age – Do you remember when you purchased those shoes? Or is it too long ago to remember? Your shoes are supposed to last between 800-1000km. Keep in mind that a 100kg runner will flatten a shoe faster than a 50kg runner. Check the mid-sole of the shoe for compression lines.
• Muscle tightness – Stretches should be done after every run or exercise routine, no excuses.
• Running technique and muscle imbalances – This is best assessed by your physio to determine if you are inappropriately loading your calf muscles.

If you are struggling with recurrent calf tears or tension issues, book in with one of our physios to get to the cause of the problem.