[Muenchener]

My calves are giving me gyp, in two ways that are probably related.

(1) after climbing. When I first started climbing- long long ago - I got terrible cramp in my feet and calves after climbing, presumably because standing on footholds was completely new to me, but it stopped after a few months. Now I am more than two years into Climbing Career 2.0, but still wake up in the night with calf cramps after evenings at the wall.

(2) whilst running. I've never been a great runner, but I used to do a bit including the odd fell race. Haven't for years. I'm reasonably aerobically fit on the whole - walking up to the starts of mountain rock routes is ok for example, and is actually what I want to be aerobically fit for - but often when I try to go for a run I get a feeling like I've pulled something in my calf. I don't think I'm being overambitious, these are 2-3 mile jogs at a very moderate pace, but my calves seem to disagree.

What to do?

[robertostallioni]

Sie muss mehr Wasser trinken

[griffer]

How old are you?

[Muenchener]

How old are you?

51

[lmarenzi]

My calves often used to hurt when ice climbing and so I started to train them so they wouldn't hurt anymore. It didn't help much.

One day at some climbing seminar I asked Ines Pappert what kind of training she did for her calves and she said nothing, she just keeps her heels down. It worked for me.

On a side note, she never made it onto DFBWGC but I thought she was quite a foxy little number at the time ...

[griffer]

Be careful
people in our age group, that take part in sport and have  a genetic weakness in their calf muscles!, are prone to ruptures of the calf muscle.
I have pulled 2 in the last 2 years, it really hurts.
As a youth I did a lot of sports, squash, fell running, just generally fit! but once I reached a certain age with only a lttle warning ( sore calf muscles from climbing ) I ruptured one big style, then 2 years later with no warning another.
Spoke to a doctor (mate) he confimed that it was potentially a genetic weakness in the calf muscles, lots of squash, badminton players get it. very little I can do about it, the only research he could find was some evidence of maintaining good hydration levels and energy levels, especially at the end of a session, reduces the potential for a tear.
He then said " you are getting old, stop climbing 8b's", i laughed openly in his face

[psychomansam]

Hydrate better during and after exercise, take on electrolytes, don't drink alcohol. Might help

[tomtom]

I often get real bad calf cramps when wearing Dragons - esp when heel hooking etc...

[psychomansam]

Oh yeah, good point. What shoes do you wear? I currently only wear V-miles, because of achilles problems. The stiffer the midsole, the less your calves should be having to work.

[tomtom]

It's the downturniness that seems to bring on the cramps.. Pressing into the instep..

[Muenchener]

Thanks guys.

Hydration: probably. I do find I get thirsty during wall routes sessions, even though I generally remember to take a water bottle and drink between routes. Should probably try to make that "always remember"

Downturn: probably not. I have Boosters for bouldering, but Miura laces for proper routes, and do most of my wall mileage in Sportiva Mantises: stiff, clunky, uncool and fine for standing on plastic blobs.

Running: isn't important to me, maybe I should just give up on it and do other things (bike, hillwalking) for base aerobic fitness.

[Muenchener]

 

Hydrate better during and after exercise, take on electrolytes, don't drink alcohol. Might help

  Tricky. I don't drink much alcohol in general, but I would miss my one or two weissbiers after a wall session.

[webbo]

Are you sure its your calf not your achilles. I read something a while ago regarding older males and running are prone to achilles problems (something to do with it losing its flexablity/elasticity as you get older) I think it may be worse in if you are returning to running after a lay off.

[Muenchener]

Are you sure its your calf not your achilles.

Definitely calf not achilles. It's quite high up in the belly of the muscle. Difficult to describe but kind of a thin vertical cylinder of pain, as if one bundle of fibres in the muscle were strained. Not always in exactly the same place though.

[webbo]

Do you stretch before you run.

[JDobo]

This is purely anecdotal  but I used to suffer from similar cramps as you mentioned in (1) and it was apparently due to a deficiency in ions that are lost though sweat during exercise. Now after taking magnesium and zinc i rarely get them compared to a few times a week.

[SA Chris]

Stop wearing heels.

[tomtom]

Start wearing heels

[JohnM]

Have you tried wearing some kind of compression socks either during or post exercise, maybe combined with a lower leg ice bath?

[jmews]

My calves knot up and lock up at the slightest provocation. I have to stretch all the way down through the heel cord and then up into the belly of the muscle. Long, slow stretches help best. I also find that beasting them on a foam roller, while painful in the short term, really makes a difference.

[Muenchener]

So, today: foam rolling and lots of water drinking. I already take a magnesium tablet at breakfast; maybe switch it to bedtime?

[TobyD]

I get awful calf cramps often, ususally at night after running or climbing, similar to the mid muscle belly pain that you describe. adequate hydration doesn't always seem to have a bearing, if anything, i find fairly moderate alcohol intake stops it happening, rather than exacerbates it.

[JDobo]

Sorry no idea if it would help the cramps by taking the magnesium at night. Personally i don't think it would matter too much on the time of day you take it since magnesium can be stored in the body, so obviously that isn't the solution for you. On a side note how much coffee/caffeine do you have a day?

[boulderingbacon]

the calf stiffness and cramps is probably just caused by the running. if your a a midfoot/forefoot striker you put a lot of shock through the calves which is actually good because its not being transmitted to your spine but this takes quite some time for your muscles to get used to. it took me nearly two years to be able to run as many miles as id like without getting the tightness you describe. a good way to stretch them is stand on a step and drop your heals right down one at a time. (thats not an approved method but certainly works). also just keep the running regular and your body will get used to the abuse.

[Nibile]

I also have some issues with my left calf.
sometimes I get cramps if I have to push very hard on footholds, with toes pointing down. I think it could still be a long term effect of my sciatic nerve compression from last spring, for which I didn't do anything except taking tons of antiinflammatories.
I think that some massage could help.
sorry, I know this is of no use.

[Vitamin K]

Just seen this thread but thought I would share my experience with a similar problem.

My guess is that it is a recurrent calf tear and you are probably not giving it time to heal or not getting treatment.

First up get to a physio and get a diagnosis, secondly get it iced and thirdly sack off your big road shoes if you wear them. I've started running again and used to (touch wood) get these on a depressingly regular basis. Things seem to have changed though and I put it down to early treatment from the physio, not running too fast and switching to lighter shoes with a lower profile.

The only shoes I wear now are Mizuno Wave Harrier 3 and they do the job for most things even a little bit of road if pushed. So far, so good. They don't offer any support but seem to work for me and ensure that you land on the forefoot or at least with a flat foot.

The majority of running I do now is easy and with little fast stuff and now managing to get out 4/5 times a week with some spinning chucked in for good measure. 

[Muenchener]

Thanks for all the tips. I think 'm going to sack off (attempts at) running completely. I feel like it's a basic thing one ought to be able to do to have any reasonable claim to all round fitness, but otherwise it's not important to me and I've never enjoyed it that much.

Will stick to biking & hiking, which seem to be enough to maintain a reasonable level of aerobic fitness - I have a couple of time trials I do every few months on the local hills, steep uphill hikes with a pack (simulating alpine approach marches) and on the one I did last week (640 metres height gain / 66 minutes) I was two minutes slower than last year but with a heavier pack this time. So it seems like I don't *need* running.

The waking up in the night with calf (and - oh joy - since last night now also shin) cramps after climbing is getting to be a major pain though. I'm trying to drink more water, in general and esp. during & after training, and I'm foam rolling & stretching, though not as diligently yet as I should be. Hope this will eventually bring some benefits.

[erm, sam]

I often do some calf stretches just before going to bed in order to stop them mithering me after climbing..
And just now I thought of this, and you..

http://www.mobilitywod.com/2012/04/introducing-the-bone-saw-calf-smash-redux.html

[Muenchener]

I often do some calf stretches just before going to bed in order to stop them mithering me after climbing..
And just now I thought of this, and you..

http://www.mobilitywod.com/2012/04/introducing-the-bone-saw-calf-smash-redux.html

Did you try it? Ouch! (in a good way). Thanks.

[Muenchener]

I often do some calf stretches just before going to bed in order to stop them mithering me after climbing..
And just now I thought of this, and you..

http://www.mobilitywod.com/2012/04/introducing-the-bone-saw-calf-smash-redux.html

Did these yesterday after the wall, and no calf cramps in the night. 

Correlation <> causation, sample size of 1 etc. but ... promising

[erm, sam]

Well, its a good start..