Why Does My Lower Leg Hurt When Running? What Should I Do?

Running calf pain may be caused by lack of exercise, no warm-up, or excessive duration. Relief can be achieved through stretching before running and applying a hot towel externally.

1. Lack of exercise: Some people do not have the habit of regular exercise. Suddenly running for a person who has not exercised before can cause calf muscles to be unable to adapt, leading to calf muscle tension and pain.

2. No warm-up: Before exercise, it is necessary to perform a warm-up, which can help the body enter the state. Running without a warm-up can cause the joints, muscles, and ligaments of the legs to enter a state of high tension immediately, which can easily lead to damage and muscle strain, causing pain. Warming up before running can avoid the continuation of this situation.

3. Excessive duration: The duration of exercise should be determined based on one's physical condition. If the running duration is too long, the body's metabolism may not keep up, and the blood circulation in the legs may be poor, causing muscle metabolites to not be excreted in time, leading to calf soreness and pain. Long running duration can also easily lead to leg cramps and muscle strains, so special attention should be paid.

1. First, it is necessary to determine the cause of calf pain during running. One possibility is that there was no preparatory stretching before running, and the legs became tense instantaneously in a relaxed state, easily causing muscle strain and excessive lactic acid production in the calves, leading to pain. Another possibility is that the shoes are of poor quality, resulting in insufficient buffering force when the heel lands.

2. Afterwards, you can choose to apply a hot towel externally to relieve leg pain, or soak your feet and take a hot bath, which can promote blood circulation and lactic acid decomposition.