I have been trying to up my exercise but have found this past year that anytime I even WALK uphill, even at a slight incline, my calves tighten up so much that I can barely walk. It’s pretty bad pain. I have talked to some runner friends of mine and they have no idea why this is happening. Stretching the calves beforehand doesn’t seem to help at all. I am a T 1.5 LADA and now that autoimmune disease is in the picture, I can’t help but wonder if this might be related to something other than being out of condition. Thoughts and suggetions?
Are they just getting tight, or are they cramping? If its just the tightness, then i have no advice for you, but if they are cramps,then it could be caused by many things. Make sure you are well-hydrated before exercising (just don’t drink right before exercising, because that could cause stomach cramps. Cramps could also be caused by a lack of potassium or other electrolytes (salt) . I know that bananas are high in potassium, and there are plenty of lower carb sports drinks that still taste good.
Are you wearing a good fit walking /running shoe ? My favourite brand is New Balance 850 …Running shoes have a life span of 500 km -800 km ( one mile is the equivalent of 1.6 km ) depending how evenly/unevenly they have worn down .
Hope you get this resolved …pain like that is no fun .
You may find that elevated blood sugars messes with your electrolytes. Also, if you have made marked changes in your diet or insulin dosing, you may have experienced disruptions in your electrolytes and glycogen levels. Follow the suggestions from TimmyMac and see if that helps (alto I would substitute greens like spinach for potassium).
Thanks for the suggestions. I do not think the calves are cramping. They just start to hurt and feel very short. They are contracting it seems, but I don’t know if it’s a cramp – none of the usual ways of getting a cramp to go away work. They just feel like they shorten up and turn to stone. It’s not so much the searing pain of a cramp as it is a painful tightening that makes me almost unable to walk. Once I get onto level ground it works itself out pretty quickly. Grrrrr.