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Is it ok to run with shin splints / cramped calves? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world to c/running@lemmy.world

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All my life I've been a trained avid runner until the last few years I do it whenever I feel like it which is increasingly rarely. I'm 50 years old now. So suddenly I run 8 miles after not having run for months, and my aging body is like, "You're hereby punished for your months of laziness! Enjoy these shin splints & frozen painful calves!" And it takes literally 7 days for the pain to go away. How the heck am I supposed to keep running if I'm crippled for 7 days after every run??

Edit: https://leminal.space/post/29335042 I guess I should read & learn from this.

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[–] LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Both heads of my calf muscle feel like solid iron, solid marble,solid steel, hard as a rock and the most painful thing is walking down stairs or starting to walk after I've been sitting still for a while. I honestly don't even know why I mentioned shin splints, it's not shin splints, I was just using a term that is probably more understandable and relatable to anyone, but it's actually my calves that scream in pain.

Yes I think you're right, strained or pulled muscles from overtraining, suddenly running 8 miles after being sedentary for a while is kinda not a great idea especially being 50 years old. but it's freaking me out cuz I've never been old before 😢 I used to be able to jump right back into running no matter how long I'd rested and it was so easy, but I guess those days are over. Aging is no joke.

[–] Ilandar@lemmy.today 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Yeah I get the same if I run too far after a period of inactivity. You'll be able to run daily eventually, it will just take a while for all those muscles to build up their strength and get used to being used again and unfortunately the only comfortable way to do that is by starting with much shorter runs. I went for a run last week after a few months off (precautionary due to knee scare) and pushed it too hard, navigating the stairs has been a pain (literally)!

[–] LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Thank you, update: I've been going light on the running, like I stopped at a quarter mile the first time (even though I wanted to go TEN), and then I stopped at one mile the next time, and my calves are a little bit sore but not incapacitated like before, and I am on the up and up again. Thank you for your advice.

[–] Ilandar@lemmy.today 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

You're welcome, I should go for a post-Christmas run myself!

[–] LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

Wonderful, yes! Go out there and enjoy it 😊