Hey there everyone. Had a question regarding cardio. It's been a week since I've jumped into a routine workout. I do the treadmill about 5x a week and have recently been experiencing pain and tightness in the muscles that are on the sides of my calves (not the big muscle in the back).

I try stretching, massaging, and even rest. It's been about 3 days and still I can't seem to stay on the treadmill for more than 10 minutes.

Is it just extreme soreness that will go in time? Or did I pull something? It's in both legs equally so I figured pulling a muscle would be somewhat improbable.

Hope anyone can shed light on my problem :P

Hey there everyone. Had a question regarding cardio. It's been a week since I've jumped into a routine workout. I do the treadmill about 5x a week and have recently been experiencing pain and tightness in the muscles that are on the sides of my calves (not the big muscle in the back).

I try stretching, massaging, and even rest. It's been about 3 days and still I can't seem to stay on the treadmill for more than 10 minutes.

Is it just extreme soreness that will go in time? Or did I pull something? It's in both legs equally so I figured pulling a muscle would be somewhat improbable.

Hope anyone can shed light on my problem :P

some back pain can radiate in the outer calves. have you ever injured your lower back? the L4L5 area particularly goes to the outer calves in sciatica. could also just be stretching or muscle soreness or maybe the shoes. there are threads about shin splints and multiple shoes that ran in the last few months. best luck.
http://www.chirogeek.com/Sciatica_L5_Dermatome.gif

http://www.chirogeek.com/Sciatica_L4_Dermatome.gif

Do you get this pain and tightness only when you're on the treadmill?
Do you run or walk on the treadmill?
What happens if you walk a long distance outside?
If you change shoes or switch to sandals, does this reduce or stop the problem?
Are you overweight?

No injuries in the lower back.

I did get a new pair of New Balance shoes and had inserts put in due to my high arch in my foot.

I get this pain and tightness only on the treadmill. When I go for long walks I don't experience the pain. I mix it up on the treadmill from running for a few minutes to a fast walk in intervals. When I switch over to sandals, I don't notice a change, and currently I am not overweight.

I started cardio on a treadmill about two months ago after being inactive for the better part of a few years. EVERY session for about 2-3 weeks I had what you describe: an intense burning in the sides of the front of the calf. After a while, it just went away. I could walk maybe 5-10 minutes in the beginning and the pain would start. I always forced myself to finish a 40 minute walk 6 days a week, and after about 2-3 weeks the pain slowly went away.

I used a good bit of incline (5+%) on the treadmill, which made the pain more intense, but could've also been part of the cure.

However, I also had this pain when walking outdoors.

I did get a new pair of New Balance shoes and had inserts put in due to my high arch in my foot.


Are the shoes designed for neutral support, supination, or overpronation?

Could be those muscles are tight....

Try sitting down on the carpet on your knees with your shins underneath you...

Your feet shoud be pointing straight out backwards to the rear (not curled in too much).

If you do it right you'll feel a stretch in the shin/calf muscles.....:)

No injuries in the lower back.

I did get a new pair of New Balance shoes and had inserts put in due to my high arch in my foot.

I get this pain and tightness only on the treadmill. When I go for long walks I don't experience the pain. I mix it up on the treadmill from running for a few minutes to a fast walk in intervals. When I switch over to sandals, I don't notice a change, and currently I am not overweight.
If you only experience this while on the treadmill, there's something going on with your gait during that activity. If you only wear your new shoes for long distances while on the treadmill, they are probably the culprit. Otherwise, I'd recommend trying to do your cardio outside and seeing if you have the same problem (while wearing and not wearing the shoes you wear on the treadmill).