leg pain

[dan]

Wonder if you can identify what afflication has hit my legs...On the treadmill the other day, my lower legs (calf muscles mainly) suddenly felt really tight and 'bunched' up. Similarly, today running back from the pool my legs began to fell heavy and then tightened up. I ran through it and it faded after 30 seconds but kept coming back at about 1 minute intervals getting so painful I had to stop. So what's the deal anyone?? I've run for miles regularly and never had this before and now twice in a week. Aah! Does it sound like cramp? How can I combat it?

[El Prez]

Cold? If you had been in a nice warm pool and then gone out in shorts, or thin tracksuit you could end up cramping your muscles. The other option is to stop your ballet class!

[Beasta]

Sounds like a good case of Cramp to me. Make sure you stretch your calfs all the time,,,,all the time...

[North Sea Tigress]

Get the Doc to check it out, it could be the start of compartment syndrome. This is where the actual muscle fibres get too bulky for the sheath which encloses them. V. painful. Have you increased your training recently? They do calm down with rest and anti inflammatories, but in extreme cases they require a surgical fix.

NST

[dan]

dont think my calfs are big enough to be stretching the sheath(!). Must be a case of the cramp then, better sort out my warm-ups! Also, i've heard the likelihood of getting cramp increases if you have a cold?...Which may explain it further...Ah well, thanks for the help.

[flatlander]

compartment syndrome in the calf is something i have never heard of after extensive research. I had to get a surgical fix, anterior of the shins, both legs. no problems since. out-patient procedure.

[El Prez]

An Argentinian Prop had his calves surgically reduced due to the same problem. This may be another opening for my surgical skills!

[tony dean]

I think my willy might have this "compartment syndrome" thingy............Its been very swollen and sore recently...

[El Prez]

If you will walk around with the lights off, accidents will happen. If you check you have probably got two black eyes and a nasty bruise on your chin, as by all accounts your protruberance isn't likely to warn you of impending collisions!

[Beasta]

Kieron Dyer who plays for Newcastle had something very similar in his calves