At the end of March you may remember I got a muscle cramp. If you don’t you can go here and read about it.
I’ve been noticing the last few weeks my right calf has been tight, but more so that when I start running I get a shin splint (only on my right leg). However after 1km it disappears. I’ve been icing it and it’s been ok.
Well apparently not.
Could it be because of my new shoes? I don’t know, I doubt it, but I could have just been putting up with being out of alignment that when I went to the brooks it was like, ok that cramp you had a while back I’m going to creep back up on you.
Anyway, a few days ago I was listening to this podcast of The Smarter Science of Slim where Ashley Borden was the guest speaker. I got a lot out of the podcast, but most of all I got Ashley’s FREE foam roller program.
Yes Free People!
So I’ve been doing the foam rolling. More specifically the one she is doing in the above image, and OMG it hurts, but it hurts so well.
I thought I was over the cramp, but obviously not. And the shin splint – referred pain, cause the real pain, in the calf, exactly where the cramp was.
Gretchen (my foam roller, yes she has a name, long story, if you wanna know I’ll explain the story), how I love to hate you. I think I will be dating her from now until RunMelbourne, which is 21st July, so not that far away now. I also think I will up the magnesium supplement.
Have you ever had a muscle cramp? How did you deal with it?
Do you foam roll?
Calf issues suck, but foam rollers rock. I used a wine bottle until I bought mine (after I realised the wine bottle was a bit too hard and probably bruising me). I am doing the Run Melbourne 10km and like you will be foam rolling my calf every night until them.
Hope your cramps sort themselves out.
I’m so glad I got a foam roller. I’m actually not sure why I got it, but it’s awesome!
I had to have a giggle at the wine bottle, I can see how it would be hard.
Good luck with the 10km, You’ll rock it, and yep I hope the cramp clears up too.
I’ve only just started using a roller myself too. The achillies tendon I pulled, well the tendon runs up the calf, I am using it to work through and stretch it out easier than a standing calf stretch, so far so good!
Sorry about your muscle pull! That is no fun! Hopefully you’ve caught it early enough you can heal it quick with no further problems!!!
I’m so glad that I found the free foam roller workout, cause now I know exactly where the pain is coming from. I will just keep rolling it up, and after RunMelbourne I will get myself a massage.
I hope it doesn’t cause further problems.