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Lower leg muscle pain/cramp

Jeff7181

Jeff7181

Lifer
Long story short, Krav Maga classes have confirmed that I am woefully out of shape and lack endurance. I've taken up running outdoors as a way to start building up some endurance again.

I've been getting some pain and cramps in my lower leg. It's that medium sized muscle that seems to connect at the front of my ankle/top of my foot and run up my lower leg on the outside of my shin bone and seems to connect to the larger part of my calf muscle.

When I flex my ankle is when the muscle seems to activate. So my assumption is that extending my foot would stretch that muscle, but I don't seem to be able to get a good stretch - ya know, don't get that "ahh, hurts so good" feeling when you stretch a sore muscle.

I've tried extending my foot and rotating my ankle to try to get a different angle to stretch that muscle, but nothing seems to work. When it cramped up on me while walking one time, the only relief I could get was by basically punching the muscle and digging my knuckles into it, which resulted in light bruising the next day so I'd rather not rely on that technique.

Any suggestions on how to stretch that muscle before/after a workout?
 
gradoman said:
Tendonitis?

http://www.physioadvisor.com.au/8183750/tibialis-anterior-tendonitis-tibialis-anterior-t.htm

I'd try to continue with the stretching, maybe you can get a deep tissue massage or roll it out with a foam roller perhaps? The page I linked has some other treatments. I haven't tried doing that, lol.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's tendinitis. It's fine now, I'm just not used to running or much physical activity at all. It was definitely just muscle pain, I just wasn't able to find a way to stretch it out. I'll take a look at your link, thanks.
 
Pump up on water and Potassium. I have terrible leg cramps (mostly lower calfs) and take a liquid Potassium supplement. For right now, stay away from any body- or muscle-building supplements (like creatine,) they will only exasperate the problem.

The foam roller is also a good idea.
 
Do you have a lacrosse ball or something similar? Stand facing right up against a wall, put the lacrosse ball on the muscle and press it against the wall. Move your leg around to find the good spots. This is essentially the same concept as the foam roller but more concentrated.
 
shin splints? If so then it just means one muscle group... either back or front are strong than another and it is bending your leg bone and starting to crack it.
 
are you a low carber? the up dat sodium intake asap, that alone will cure yr cramps. edit. also dont run,( unless somebody is chasing you) is 100% useless for conditioning
 
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papapapapapapapababy said:
are you a low carber? the up dat sodium intake asap, that alone will cure yr cramps. edit. also dont run,( unless somebody is chasing you) is 100% useless for conditioning
Click to expand...

I don't do low carb intentionally... some days I eat very few, but not by design and it probably wouldn't qualify as a low carb diet anyway.

What should I do instead of running to increase my endurance?
 
I am still overweight... not morbidly... I'm 6 feet tall and 205 pounds. Don't know my body fat % but if I had to guess I'd say it's probably around 25% based on the images found online about what various body fat percentages look like.
 
Sounds like a pretty radical method.

Losing the weight isn't that big a deal for me. I know as I build muscle it'll become even easier to lower my body fat percentage.

What I'm looking for mostly right now is increased endurance. I know you say that'll come with weight loss, but I know larger people than me who don't get winded as quickly as I do.
 
Jeff7181 said:
Long story short, Krav Maga classes have confirmed that I am woefully out of shape and lack endurance. I've taken up running outdoors as a way to start building up some endurance again.

I've been getting some pain and cramps in my lower leg. It's that medium sized muscle that seems to connect at the front of my ankle/top of my foot and run up my lower leg on the outside of my shin bone and seems to connect to the larger part of my calf muscle.

When I flex my ankle is when the muscle seems to activate. So my assumption is that extending my foot would stretch that muscle, but I don't seem to be able to get a good stretch - ya know, don't get that "ahh, hurts so good" feeling when you stretch a sore muscle.

I've tried extending my foot and rotating my ankle to try to get a different angle to stretch that muscle, but nothing seems to work. When it cramped up on me while walking one time, the only relief I could get was by basically punching the muscle and digging my knuckles into it, which resulted in light bruising the next day so I'd rather not rely on that technique.

Any suggestions on how to stretch that muscle before/after a workout?
Click to expand...

You have shin splints my friend. Sadly, there's nothing you can do to make them go away. You can massage the muscle with a foam roller, and ice the area.

I'll ask my g/f who is a PT on how you can stretch it. I had them before and all she did for me was massage the shit out of them (which hurt like hell) and said that's all you can really do.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_splints

PS- Do not listen to what the papapawhaterbaby above is saying. He knows nothing and is clearly losing some things with his bad English. Running is absolutely great for conditioning your heart/lungs/legs for endurance. Jump rope also works well and is probably easier/cheaper.
 
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[QUOTE

PS- Do not listen to what the papapawhaterbaby above is saying. He knows nothing and is clearly losing some things with his bad English. Running is absolutely great for conditioning your heart/lungs/legs for endurance. Jump rope also works well and is probably easier/cheaper.[/QUOTE]

i will concede that my english is utter shit, and dont really want to play the evangelist, so i will delete my post. ah, running, runn yr ass of my friend, but know its not good for your health, longevity, heart, musclules or joints, exp if you are overweigth.



edit

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2387606&page=4


z1ggy you should really stop giving advice over the internet....

"I plan on tossing in some HIT on my non hockey days to help burn a few extra cals."


ja- ja. train to "burn calories" thats a good one.
 
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^^ Lol uhhh what? I'm just going to ignore pretty much anything you say, so should everybody else.

Despite the fact your English is terrible, you still can't even attempt to post a coherent thought.
 
z1ggy said:
^^ Lol uhhh what? I'm just going to ignore pretty much anything you say, so should everybody else.

Despite the fact your English is terrible, you still can't even attempt to post a coherent thought.
Click to expand...

ok sorry lets try with pictures then.

you

neoJRinHzIttjAQQYEvJGESjLeiiRhgdhxXF-610xh.jpg


me

69LeKBF.jpg


ignorance is bliss? thake care buddy. (try)
 
z1ggy said:
You have shin splints my friend. Sadly, there's nothing you can do to make them go away. You can massage the muscle with a foam roller, and ice the area.

I'll ask my g/f who is a PT on how you can stretch it. I had them before and all she did for me was massage the shit out of them (which hurt like hell) and said that's all you can really do.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_splints

PS- Do not listen to what the papapawhaterbaby above is saying. He knows nothing and is clearly losing some things with his bad English. Running is absolutely great for conditioning your heart/lungs/legs for endurance. Jump rope also works well and is probably easier/cheaper.
Click to expand...

I was under the impression that the pain felt due to shin splints was felt in the bone, not the muscle. Is that not true?
 
Jeff7181 said:
I was under the impression that the pain felt due to shin splints was felt in the bone, not the muscle. Is that not true?
Click to expand...

It's caused because of things going on with the bone, but it's felt pretty much in the muscle region. Whenever I have had them, I felt them more in my muscle that attaches to that bone, than the bone itself.

In fact I have a mild case of them right now because I just started upping my cardio a bit and I'm using some different muscles in my lower leg area that I haven't used in a few months. Generally, I just rub them and wait for them to go away...
 
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