Tips on lessening calf discomfort running with 'barefoot' shoes

[TraumaRN]

So despite being an RN, I practically never post in here, but I figured you guys may actually know more than me on this one.

So basically I have wicked nasty shin splints. Always have, even when I ran track in high school. I ran my first warrior dash over the summer and managed to avoid shin splints for most of my training with normal running shoes, but after running the warrior dash, the next week I wanted to just rip my tibias out and be done with it the pain was so severe.

Fast forward to now. A month ago I bought Merrell Barefoot Trail Glove shoes. I've read up on running barefoot style can help reduce shin splints and so far it has. I've actually taken to wearing my barefoot shoes everywhere, because they are actually comfortable and to build up feet to this new striking pattern.

However....now I get such BRUTAL posterior gastrocnemius pain. I'm training for Warrior Dash again and a Tough Mudder, so any of you that run barefoot style does the extreme muscle cramping/pain post-run go away as you build your calf muscles? Cuz damn. Also I don't work out at a gym is there any particular exercise and/or stretching you'd recommend to help with further calf muscle strengthening?

 

[RagingBITCH]

How many miles a week are you logging in these new shoes? Did you go full bore from your old shoes to the new ones? It sounds like you did a little bit too abrupt of a change.

As someone who has been out for 6 months this year due an injury on both legs (partly caused by Vibrams, but it's not fair to just say running in them was the sole cause - high MPW + other activities lead to the degeneration and weakening of the tendon) - if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It sounds like it's helping with your shin splints but causing other issues - have you tried a fore/mid-foot strike in your old shoes to see if that alleviates the pain?

Shin splints have been theorized as having many different causes, but there isn't one concrete root cause. Everything from weak calf muscles, tight calf muscles, actual micro stress fractures, tight hamstrings, etc are all blamed for it. Generally speaking, the recommendations I've seen for resolving it have centered around stretching of the calves and hammys. Anything further than that, go see a PT to see what weaknesses in the kinetic chain are causing issues.

 

[Megatomic]

TraumaRN, I don't wear those specific shoes, I wear NB MT1010s. The best advice I've seen in regards to going minimal is to do just what you did, and just wear them when you walk around to get your feet and legs used to not having the lift in the heel from wearing regular shoes. And then when you start running start small and work up.

I, however, being a total numbskull, did none of that. My first run in my MT1010s was a 9 mile trail run. The next weekend was 14 miles. 2 months later I did a trail marathon in them. What helped me is that I was wearing next to minimal road shoes for months before I made this move and my wear pattern showed definite forefoot planting. I think that helped me a lot. I did have some tightness and general soreness in my soleus and gastrocnemius and that did go away with persistence and training.

Some exercises I do for my legs to help with the mileage, lack of support, and the pounding is toe raises for my feet and calves and some stuff for my hips/ITB/pififormis. I don't know the names of those exercises, I got them from Trail Runner Magazine a few months back.

 

[TraumaRN]

How many miles a week are you logging in these new shoes? Did you go full bore from your old shoes to the new ones? It sounds like you did a little bit too abrupt of a change.

As someone who has been out for 6 months this year due an injury on both legs (partly caused by Vibrams, but it's not fair to just say running in them was the sole cause - high MPW + other activities lead to the degeneration and weakening of the tendon) - if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It sounds like it's helping with your shin splints but causing other issues - have you tried a fore/mid-foot strike in your old shoes to see if that alleviates the pain?

Shin splints have been theorized as having many different causes, but there isn't one concrete root cause. Everything from weak calf muscles, tight calf muscles, actual micro stress fractures, tight hamstrings, etc are all blamed for it. Generally speaking, the recommendations I've seen for resolving it have centered around stretching of the calves and hammys. Anything further than that, go see a PT to see what weaknesses in the kinetic chain are causing issues.

I tried to go slow, definitely did not go full bore at all. I've had the shoes 3 weeks now and only this week did I start running. I've been running just about a mile each time(4x a week) followed by stretching and push ups/sit ups/calisthenics. I don't want to go more than because I want to build my calves slowly and the race isn't until June so I've got plenty of time.

I'm just hoping this is transient and once my calf muscles build up I'll be better.

 

[xaeniac]

The only thing is time. It took me a vast amount of time. I had such calf tightness that it was just insane. It took me months -not month/weeks. notice that months is plural

 

[Pantlegz]

It just takes time, when I was running I think I did 2-3 weeks of just walking then added running 1/4 mile increments each week along with walking before and after until I was up to about a mile or so every few days. Use a foam roller or PVC pipe on your calves to reduce tension after running.