Pain in Lower Legs - Any Ideas?

[Guest Mary S.]

I am a new runner who has attempted something like the C25K before (although there was no app for that one). As I was running - even for 90 seconds, I noticed my shoes starting to feel too tight, causing pain in my feet. From there it felt like it spread upward, making the back of my ankles hurt and then my calves and shins.

 

I am overweight, which I know causes stress on the lower body, but the pain starts within the first five minutes of my run and never goes away until I've stopped running. Then it disappears entirely. I'm not sure if it's important, but I have flat feet and bad knees run in my family (I tore my ACL in high school). I got some arches for my shoes, but that hasn't seemed to help.

 

I've tried researching it, and shin splits seems like my best guess, but the most common treatment for that is rest. After two months of not running, I tried again yesterday with the same pain. It's driving me crazy because I'm forced to slow down before I'm even out of breath. Does anyone have any ideas?

[KellyAnn]

Hi there.

Shin splints are in the front of the lower leg. Does the pain start there??? What shoes are you running in? The only thing that I can think of is your shoes. Maybe try walking fast for a few days and build up the muscles in your legs first?? If it is pain check with your Dr about it, especially if it is recurring. I'll do some research today and maybe someone else had had the same issue??

[Guest Mary S.]

It's different pain in different areas. In my shins it's really sharp, while my calves get really tight and crampy. I wear running shoes, but just ones from ShopKo, nothing special. I was planning on going to a store that specializes in running shoes to see if they had any suggestions, but I figured I'd ask in case it was something else easily recognizable. Thanks for your response!

[KellyAnn]

Hey there,  Most times your feet will hurt.  I would look into shoes.  Cheap shoes are not the way to go.  I am i love with Asics, Avia, New Balance, Nike, in that order.  Amazon has great ones for sale, I  buy from there, but I am way out in the country so town is an hour away for me.   I just bought new aerobic shoes for Peak training class tonight.  I buy new shoes twice a year.   Donate my old ones.  I will do some research today!   Have a good one!

[sdbeachgirl]

I agree it's probably your shoes, and I strongly recommend you go to your doctor if you're experiencing recurring pain. The last thing you want to do is injure yourself so much that you can't run for months or need surgery. The next thing I recommend is looking into replacing your shoes with good running shoes, and going to a store that specializes in running is a great place to start. Preferably if they have equipment that can test your stride, how you walk, where you put most of your weight when you stand, etc and recommend the right kind of shoe for you. We have a place called Roadrunner Sports in my city. Look them up online and see if you can find a similar place in your area. Running shoe stores sometimes have an overstock or "second-hand" area so you can get good running shoes on a budget, so check that out also. My favorite running shoes right now are the Asics GEL-Kayanos, and you can usually find a pair on Amazon for under $100 if you time it just right. Don't worry about the numbers (ie GEL-Kayano 19 or 20) - those are just the model year code. 19 is last year and 20 is this year I believe. Good luck and hope you get it all sorted out soon so you can enjoy running pain free!