Most runners experience lower leg pain when walking or running due to injuries sustained during the running exercise. This post discusses the causes of leg pain after running and ways to relieve pains and soreness for runners.
Exercise is known to improve mental and physical health. Research has shown that regular exercise every week has numerous health benefits that go beyond any pill a doctor can prescribe for you. Running is a form of exercise that can be performed anywhere, it really doesn’t require any special equipment to perform. Just get a comfortable canvas and you are on your way to enjoying breathtaking runs. Studies have shown that regular running helps to prevent some chronic diseases such as Obesity, stroke, diabetes and heart disease.
Running has been known to help people say in shape and a great stress reliever. If you are looking to lose a few pounds and get in shape or relieve yourself of work-induced stress, I suggest you go to for a long run.
People take to running for diverse reasons, for some it’s because they want to lose weight, improve their health, stay in shape, compete in races and even relieve stress. Below are some good reasons you should start running.
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Benefits of Running Daily
Improves your overall health: Running is a great way to stay healthy. it reduces your chances of having a heart disease as it ensures the efficient supply of blood and oxygen throughout the body, Helps keep your cholesterol and blood pressure in check. also is a great way to boost your immune system and help your body fight off diseases.
Get in shape: If you are looking for a way to get rid of some extra pounds, get your running shoes on. Running is a great way to lose weight and get in shape. As a vigorous exercise, it is a great way to burn calories and get in shape.
Great energy booster: Running is a great way to boost your energy level. It increases your bone density and strengthens your joints.
Stress Reliever: Running helps relieves you of stress and make you calm and more relaxed.
Boost Confidence: Once you get running your confidence level begins to grow as you’ll feel better with yourself.
When you push yourself too hard while running you might experience running injuries. The way you move while running and unbalanced running shoes can also lead to sustaining injuries during runs. When these injuries occur it is no surprise that it’s the lower part of the leg that is most affected. When these injuries occur you’ll begin to feel pains on your lower leg sometimes your leg begins to hurt after running a short distance.
Causes of Lower Leg Pain
A lot of questions has been asked about what causes lower leg pain or how to stop the pain while running. It could be really painful when you experience lower leg pain while you are on a run. Most lower leg pain from running is caused by wear and tear of the muscles, overuse, injuries in bones and muscles. Blood clots and poor circulation of blood are sometimes the causes of lower leg pains and what you can do when it happens while running.
- Muscle Cramp: Muscle cramp occurs when the muscles are tired. This happens due to fatigue. It could strike anytime, during a run, in the middle of the day or even in your sleep. It is a sharp excruciating pain that can get worse very quickly.
How to Stop Leg Cramps? To preventing leg cramps when muscle strain hits you when you are on a run it is very helpful to massage the tensed area, makes a good diet program and try to drink a lot of fluids it will help you prevent muscle cramp.
- Muscle strain: Muscle strain or muscle pull occurs when your muscle is overstretched. You may feel a popping sensation when the muscles tear, it is quite painful and limits movement. Muscle strain is a result of fatigue or overuse of a muscle.
It could be treated with the application of Ice to the affected area.
- Shin Splints: This mainly happens to runners with flat feet or feet turned outward. This pain is felt right in front of the calf. The muscles become inflamed along the edge of the shin, it’s so painful you feel the calf pain when walking. Shin splints occur most times when you change your routine workout. Repeatedly performing an exercise on a hard surface causes shin splints.
Rest and stretching exercises are effective in the treatment of shin splints. Application of Ice to affected areas helps relieve the pain.
- Tendinitis: Also known as Achilles tendinitis is a common problem with the lower leg. This is the inflammation of the Achilles tendon which is the large tendon that attaches the calf to the heel. Achilles tendinitis causes pain and stiffness to the muscle when stretched or contracted. If the pain persists it could mean that the tendon is torn. Increase in climbing or speed works are common causes of tendinitis.
Apply Ice to the affected area to get some relief or take some anti-inflammatory if recommended by the doctor.
- Fracture: This is a bone injury. It is a small crack in a bone that causes pain and discomfort. Fracture affects runners in the shin and feet. It is caused by working too hard before your body gets used to a new activity.
Rest is important in the treatment of fracture as stress makes the damage more severe.
Treatment for Leg Pain
Medication should be applied with caution when treating any of these injuries. Most running injuries can be self-medicated but when the pain persists it is important to visit a health practitioner. The following methods can be used to relieve pain and soreness for runners;
- It is essential to get plenty of rest while your injury heals because continuous exercise might make it worse.
- Pains and inflammation can be reduced with the application of Ice.
- Gently massage and stretch the affected area to reduce tension and pain.
- Elevate your foot to reduce swelling.
- Take recommended anti-inflammatory medications and pain relievers to relieve pain and inflammation.
Related: How to Get Rid of Shoe Odor Fast?
Ways of Preventing Lower Leg Pain
Prevention is always better than cure. If you are a runner it is advisable to save yourself from passing through pains and apply caution during workouts. Safety precautions are as follows,
- Create a running plan that is in line with your current fitness and ability.
- Ensure that you warm up and stretch your muscles before running.
- Have a proper diet and eat healthy so as to strengthen your muscles for the run ahead.
- Wear appropriate kit for your runs. Wear breathable clothes and we’ll fit shoes that you feel comfortable during your run.
- Running is one of the fastest ways to lose body water. Do well to drink plenty of water during your run days so you can stay hydrated.
- Start with short distance when starting a running routine so your body gets used to it before going further.
Conclusion
As much as running is good for healthy life it should not be done excessively. Runners should design a routine so as to have a specific schedule and distance to cover on each run so as not to stress their muscles causing them to tear. Appropriate running gear should be worn to protect the runner. It is important to warm up before each runs so as to prep the muscles for the task ahead.
When injuries are sustained it is important to rest the bones and muscles to aid the healing process because stress on the injured leg might worsen the situation.
Thanks for the post. I have often faced this problem myself. It is sometime said you should dip your feet in warm water. So its always little confusing what to use a hot pack or cold pack.