Sore Calf Question

TariOronar

Barefooters
May 13, 2015
5
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I've read a lot on potential injuries and how to avoid them, and one of the things I've read in several places was that sore calves is a sign of overstriding. I was wondering though, could it also just be a symptom of bending your knees while running? I'm reading Barefoot Running Step by Step, so after reading "bend your knees" several times, I decided that perhaps I should try bending my knees. :) But when I do so, even just standing, I feel my calves engage, so it seems that running like that is going to make them a bit sore, at least at first until they get used to being used. Am I completely off on this?
 
in my experience, the "sore calves" thing is just an issue of using muscles more than they used to be. i mean, obviously, if they're ripped in half or something stupid, then there is a major problem. but, starting out walking/running barefoot is likely to a) be increasing your overall activity level and b) be using muscles with different loads and frequencies than they are used to. additionally, presumably you do more than just run your 3/4 of a mile according to the transition plan and then lay down for the other 23 hours and 50 minutes while someone drops grapes into your mouth. thus, you're still using your legs and feet even though you're not going out of your way to train them.

so yeah, you may have some sort of sore calves for a while which could range from days to weeks to months even if you had pretty strong calves to begin with. it is just a different sort of thing than they were previously used to. and then when those get strong, there will be some tiny muscle in your knee that decides it needs to get stronger and you'll be like, "what?!?!?" for five days and it will disappear, never to be seen again.

when i started, i found that my feet, of course, were not used to the full time stress and would let me know that they had been well exercised. i tend to run in the early afternoon, so when i would wake up in the morning after running, i would think, "it ain't gonna happen today." but then magically, right when running time came around, they would feel better and want to go out. it was always almost exactly 23 hours after the previous beat-down session for the feet that they would decide they were happy again.

so basically, don't freak out, you'll probably be fine, and you won't know if it is an overstriding or bend-your-knees thing until your calves have adjusted to the basic loading part.
 
You'll build up to it, and your calves will stop being tight. Feel free to also ask this question in our Ask the Docs forum.
 
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You'll build up to it, and your calves will stop being tight. Feel free to also ask this question in our Ask the Docs forum.


+1

Look at the calves of people who run bf. Look at the calves of people who run in highly cushioned shoes. There are some people with big calves who run in big shoes. However, look back again at the calves of people who run bf (or very minimal). I used to run in very cushioned shoes. Lots of miles some years. My legs looked good, but the calves never really had all that much definition. Then again, my knees hurt.

I see a difference.
 
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I agree with all of the above.

Sore calves due to overstriding sounds contradictory to me. In shoes I was an overstrider and heel striker - they usually go together. I was barely using my calves. They were tiny and with no definition. Ever since going barefoot and adopting a more forefoot landing instead of heel, my calves have really struggled. In fact its been almost 4 years and they are still the week point and tend to be tight most of the time. I roll them on a piece of pvc pipe and that helps. I think my problem is I keep pushing myself faster and further all the time, so they are always trying to catch up. They certainly aren't huge but the definition is finally coming out.

Just make sure your not 'pushing off' too hard with each step that will overload the calves too.
 
I've read a lot on potential injuries and how to avoid them, and one of the things I've read in several places was that sore calves is a sign of overstriding. I was wondering though, could it also just be a symptom of bending your knees while running? I'm reading Barefoot Running Step by Step, so after reading "bend your knees" several times, I decided that perhaps I should try bending my knees. :) But when I do so, even just standing, I feel my calves engage, so it seems that running like that is going to make them a bit sore, at least at first until they get used to being used. Am I completely off on this?



One thing I just realized has not yet been mentioned, however. I see some people doing a very exaggerated forefoot stride sometimes (in minimal shoes), in which their heels don't ever touch the ground. I can imagine that as being very tough on calves after a while.
So I guess look out for that.
 
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I'm sure that once your brain begins to rewire itself and understand how to land on the ground without shoes your calf issues will vanish.
I always find it fascinating to look at the footprints on the beach when I'm running. I can tell by the print when people are running and when they are walking barefoot and usually you see the imprints from the toes as they dig in and propel off using the calf.
When I look back at the prints I leave behind there is hardly a mark, just an overall slight compression of the sand (this is of course on damp sand). The way you get a print like that is by lifting the foot off the ground slightly so it can swing back while the other is just gently catching you, on a bent knee.
The calf is bearing the load in as it is stretching rather than contracting, eccentric loading. It can make the calves sore at first but once it is learned it is so easy.
I hardly ever have calf strain these days, usually I hurt my back at the gym and end up with referred pain that sometimes fools me.

Neil
 
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some muscles in the calves work with the toes : flexor hallucis longus and flexor digitorum longus :
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Gray439.png
so, we never used them because because we never used our toes, because of shoes
as we never used achille tendon because of chair and high heels

so it takes time to rebuild these things

also, overworking with toes may lead to sore calves, so
"lift your feet" as KB Saxton says often : http://barefootrunning.com/?page_id=109#Lift-Feet
 
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Roller! I use one called "the SticK" that does a great job for me. Your calves might still be a bit sore as they develop, but working them with a roller lets you know clearly just exactly where the catches are and lets you ease them with regular attention.

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Allow your heels to complexly hit the ground. I end to run on the forward part of my foot and had to really concentrate on this. It has helped.
"kiss" the ground, right?