NFT: Any runners out there - leg issues - calf

Will ve a pure guess. I will say that a player I coached once had compartment syndrome or something like that. He had to he very cautious with how he ran.

But, go see a doctor.

Usually about 8 weeks. Pulled mine once and tried to return to running after 5-weeks. A mile out it re-injured. Time and stretching worked for me.

It may be other issues beyond your calves that may be leading to the tightness.
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I just restarted running outside and my calfs are always tight/sore. I have hip problems and get runners knee real bad, so it could have something I do with your hips as well, so try stretching not only your calves but your hips as well.

do not stretch the muscle so much as that can further create a tear. You want to get a softball and foam roller and use those to get deep into the tissue, maybe even use a lacrosse ball. Calf raises and light stretching. Also work on the hamstrings and quads as tightness there can effect the calf. Good luck and within 1 month you will see a massive improvment

Happened to me se4veral times over the years. Could go 3 miles but anything more- wham1 then I was out5 another 3 weeks minimum.
What I've learned:
1. Get your gait addressed. alot of times the heel isn't stable in the shoe, wobbles somewhat putting under stress on the gastrocnemous muscle (lower calf). A shoe that has a tighter heel tends to fix
2. give it appropriate time off-minimum 3-4 weeks even if it feels good.
3. It might actually be your hamstring-especially the piriformis- a short,tight muscle in your hip. When it's irritiated, the hammies get irritated, and they stretch all the way down to -you guessed it- your calf. The piriformis can be massaged and stretched by putting a tennis ball in the fossa of your hip(right behind the proximal femur when your hip is externally rotated and flexed-like sitting indian cross legged with 1 leg). Hurts like a sumbitch the first time you roll around on it but markedly improves flexion, and strength by that little trick 2-3 X week.

Anyway, some things I've learned . Good luck

All good points. How old are you anyway? If nothing else works you may want to consider therapy. I had a groin issue a little more then a year ago that put me on the shelf for six to seven months. When the discomfort or injury occurred I wasn't sure what it was and if it was just a passing thing. It got so bad I couldn't run for sure. It hurt to close my legs and the discomfort when I sat down was alarming. So I went to see a specialist and he sent me for therapy and I'm happy to say I'm prepping for a my next half marathon.

But you don't need to run. Diet, a brisk walk is all you need to do. If you run, pull something you will be on the shelf. And guess what, you will eat shit when you are not doing something. Just take it slow and put in 5-6 miles of brisk walk and you will be fine. 85% of weight loss is diet.

...how is it during the run? I am in the same boat as you except I get the pain in my achilles and knees. During a run, my adrenaline gets me through but man am I sore.

Carl is right - if it is just to stay in shape, a brisk walk might be the way. Now I am the biggest skeptic in the world. I have a fitbit. If I go for a walk for about an hour I am in "fat burn" zone but a run, "in cardio". I still can't get it in my head that I need to be dripping in perspiration to lose weight, burn fat. 2 years ago, at 40 I was in great shape running with no issue. I cracked my ribs in a karate class and running was difficult, skipped a lot and put a lot of weight on. I am a big guy so carrying two hundred and ?? pounds on 42 year old legs can also add to pain.

All good points but maybe he just really likes to run and is frustrated by the fact his calf is giving him a problem. I know as a dedicated runner it can be very frustrating when you want to and can't. And it can be down right demoralizing when you are on the edge of being able to but you have this situation that prevents you from doing it.

1st thing is that, if you've been spending 15 minutes stretching before your runs, double it. And go your stairs, let your toes and forefeet perch and let your heels hand off the edge of the riser longer and longer, gradually increasing the time (note: if you have achilles issues, this might exacerbate).

1st things first, though: adequate time off to heal the muscles

Be more stretching. If your normal amount of stretching session hasn't helped (barring that it's actually a decent one), more stretching may do more harm or be a total waste of time if the problem stems from something else. There are cases where overstretching also causes tightness since your muscle does have to remain relatively elastic for it to function properly.

I second others who have recommended for you to examine the way you move since it may identify an imbalance in your muscles leading to your calves doing more work than it should which may be causing the tightness.