What causes calf pain?

[Simone29]

Every time i ski i have excruciating calf pain that lasts for 2 days. I have slight soreness in the quads too but not as much as the calves. Does anyone know what that could cause this?

Lack of Fitness? (I've never played a sport in my life and i'm out of shape)
Boots? ( I use Saloman Rush 8 and have custom footbeds)
Skis? (I have a ski that's too stiff- Volkl AC3)
Technique?

 

[Bravosarah]

I don't know the answer to your question, but if your pain is caused by cramping try eating a couple of bananas with your breakfast. The potassium in the banana deters leg cramps.

 

[Simone29]

Been eating lots of bananas, its generally just calf soreness from being overworked or something...

Do you use your calves alot while skiing? Or is it primarily only quads?

 

[Robyn]

You absolutely do use your calves during skiing although I tend to have more calf soreness if I do more standing in my boots and skis (ie when I coach).

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Hi Simone, really sorry to hear you've been having this degree of pain! Without having yet spoken to DS, who's a certified fitness trainer, I'll take quick stab at this one and post more later if I get any insight from him.

Indeed, yes, the calves get a heck of a good workout when skiing. Think about how flexed our feet are just when standing in the boots doing nothing! That's stretching the calf muscle right there! Then start further flexing forward in the boot while skiing, and you've got a muscle that's really being worked heavily and stretched. Mine are sore right now - but not painful.

You've about answered a lot of your own questions - without a doubt, any kind of leg workout helps - all year round, not just before/during ski season. A too-stiff ski is definitely contributing to the problem, as you are taxing your legs just trying to flex the ski, much less manage it on terrain. Have you tried to demo a softer ski to see if that alleviates any of this problem?

Definitely try this: do full leg stretches before you start out: hamstring, quad, hip flexor gentle stretches, before you get your skis on. Rotate your feet in both directions before you put your boots on.
Make sure your first run is an easy, gentle warm-up run. THEN, when you stop, do an even lengthier version of these stretches.

Another good calf exercise is to sit in a chair and extend one leg straight: then alternately flex and bend your foot, in a light bouncing motion (less than 12" direction of travel), keeping your leg straight and even with your hips. Flex, bend, flex, bend. Do your calves cramp when you do this exercise? If they do, perhaps there is something more to address than just fitness training. If not, keep doing this daily, 10 reps at a time, a few times a day, to get your calves in better shape for the extension moves they have to endure while skiing.

I'll ask my fitness trainer when I speak to him later and see what he has to say. But, IMHO, your calves shouldn't hurt for this length of time after skiing.

 

[volklgirl]

Boot fit could also contribute to this. Boots with a too small or too high cuff can cramp the lower edge of your calf causeing excruciating pain. A boot with too much forward lean can tax that muscle well beyond the exertions of skiing as well.

I find that moutain biking keeps my calves in pretty good shape over the summer, so skiing is no problem, but the forward lean on my boots is aggressive enough that having to stand around in them (long lift lines, socializing, or clinics) will leave me cramped up and sore for several days. I usually have to click out of my bindings and shift my footing around if I need to stand for more than a minute or 2.

 

[Simone29]

Thanks for all the great advice- My calves don't hurt when i do the stretches mentioned above. I just bought a softer ski, and i do have boots that have narrow culfs.

Eh sometimes I think, maybe i'm just not athletic enough for skiing or any sport. I've never been in sports in my life, and can't even run a mile without stopping, I pretty much can't move my body after i ski. I wonder if i can just start becoming this athletic person by doing the recommended exercises on these boards.

Thanks again for the help

 

[Bravosarah]

I wonder if i can just start becoming this athletic person by doing the recommended exercises on these boards.

Of course you can! Just by skiing you're more of an athlete than you think you are. *voice of Tony Little* You can DO it!!!!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Don't give up, Simone! Are there any fitness centers nearby where you could take some fitness classes? Have you ever done Jazzercise? It's great fun, really gets you in shape, and everyone starts at Square One in ANY fitness class. I've found most fitness classes to be very supportive of newcomers. And it's NEVER TOO LATE to start something like this. Think about it, could make a huge difference in your life and how you feel, not only physically but ABOUT yourself

 

[Jilly]

Another place is Curves for Women. Its a women's only gym with a resistance training circuit that fits into 30 minutes. Check your phone book for that, or the Y, Goodlife. It doesn't have to be expensive, even our local civic recreation centre has classes in all kinds of things from yoga or golf. Long as you're a resident it doesn't cost much.

 

[Simone29]

Funny enough - I have 3 gym memberships - I have always struggled with my weight- and am always trying to lose it- so i've done Bikram Yoga to swimming to lifting to curves to spinning classes to dance lessons-- I just don't do it for more than 2 weeks or however long my diet lasts-- i give up. The only physical activity I have fallen in love with is skiing.

But skiing actually makes me fat too.. somehow i gain 2 pounds on every ski trip. It makes me very hungry and I just chow down. My boyfriend and family even commented on how confused they are about how i gain weight when i go on ski trips.

 

[Pequenita]

Eh sometimes I think, maybe i'm just not athletic enough for skiing or any sport. I've never been in sports in my life, and can't even run a mile without stopping, I pretty much can't move my body after i ski. I wonder if i can just start becoming this athletic person by doing the recommended exercises on these boards.

Here's incentive: If you think skiing is already fun, it will only increase in fun-ness the more fit you become!

 

[Sheena]

My first few times out my calf muscles hurt. Although, after the first weekend the pain goes away.

To help with quad pain, make sure you are in the proper stance... alot of times your quads will ache because you are skiing in the "backseat".

I also used to take a class at the gym called bodybar, which was basically a combination of areobics and weightlifting. We did TONS of squats. After a month of taking that class my quads were REALLY strong.

 

[sleddog]

Alignment of the upper cuff of the boot could also be the cause of calf cramping. My new boots this year were excruciating in the calf until we did that adjustment, which was kind of funny - that's usually the last thing I do when fitting a boot for a customer, but I absolutely could not focus on the foot until we addressed the calf.

 

[RachelV]

Wow, you've gotten a ton of responses here already, but I just wanted to chime in. I had TERRIBLE calf soreness after I got my most recent pair of boots 2 seasons ago after never having had calf problems before. Turns out the problem was that the cuff of my new boots was angled a bit more forward than my old boots, and having my calves stretched that extra bit and then skiing for hours was killing them. I've been stretching my calves daily since and it doesn't bother me anymore. If I get lazy and stop stretching for a few weeks, though, I feel the soreness again.

So you should definitely at least try stretching -- can't hurt. After 2-3 weeks of stretching twice daily I felt *so* much better. I also got heel lifts in my boots ro reduce the amount my calves were stretched.

This is the stretch you want, probably:
https://walking.about.com/od/stretching/ss/warmupstretches_7.htm
Same as the normal calf stretch, but bend your knee.

Good luck! Hope that was helpful.

 

[Kano]

Thanks for all the great advice- My calves don't hurt when i do the stretches mentioned above. I just bought a softer ski, and i do have boots that have narrow culfs.

Eh sometimes I think, maybe i'm just not athletic enough for skiing or any sport. I've never been in sports in my life, and can't even run a mile without stopping, I pretty much can't move my body after i ski. I wonder if i can just start becoming this athletic person by doing the recommended exercises on these boards.

Thanks again for the help

Simone, here's my input, and in this athletic stuff, you and I are sisters, so maybe it will be just what you need:

a NAP!

We ski each weekend, and whenever else we get a chance. When we get home, I put my toys away, gather up a big, huge glass of water, a cozy pair of sweats, and a big, snuggly quilt.

DH puts on some TV show, and I settle in to watch with him.

ALWAYS I nod off to sleep within the hour. DH is jealous.

Yes, I stretch, and SOMETIMES I do the exercises that will make me strong (remember, we're athletic sisters, and regular exercise isn't exactly our thing), but mostly, I nap when we get home from the mountain.

It's easier now than it was when we started skiing, but when I can easily climb up to get the skis down from the roof rack when we get home, I celebrate: it means I'm getting stronger! (the first couple of seasons, it took til around the end of February to get there)

Kano

 

[bklyn]

I found my achilles tendon and calf muscles tended to be very tight and painful during and after skiing due to wearing high heels. They shorten the muscles.

I had to make an effort to stretch them in the off season to get rid of that pain.

 

[SnowHot]

Every time i ski i have excruciating calf pain that lasts for 2 days. I have slight soreness in the quads too but not as much as the calves. Does anyone know what that could cause this?

Lack of Fitness? (I've never played a sport in my life and i'm out of shape)
Boots? ( I use Saloman Rush 8 and have custom footbeds)
Skis? (I have a ski that's too stiff- Volkl AC3)
Technique?

Is this pain new, or has it been happening for a while?
What's different?

When did you get the boots/footbeds?

Here's why I ask.
I got new boots at the beginning of the season last year. Prior to that I had 6 year old boots that had been spanked!! Lots of room
When I had gotten a shell fit and thus got the Dalbello Krypton Storm, I knew the boot fit my foot, but the thermo fitting was different.
The fitter suggested that I go with a tight fit first with no toe wiggle room. I skied the boot three times and had extreme calf cramping and some quad fatigue.

When I went to get the boot reheated with the neoprene toe caps so I had toe wiggle room, yet leaving the rest of my foot snug, I had instant calf relief.

Not sure if this helps, but its my story and it may(or may not) be similar to your calf issue.

 

[SueNJ]

Here's incentive: If you think skiing is already fun, it will only increase in fun-ness the more fit you become!

That's my motivation right there! My first 2 years skiing, I was in decent shape because I was involved with Team in Training as a cycling coach and trained for and did 2 centuries a year. Then I stopped cycling (lost my job, enrolled in college, then found another job which meant I was working full-time and doing coursework) because I didn't have time. The third season skiing was "eh" but last year was downright awful, depressing. I was way out of shape, a lot heavier than I'd been the first 2 years of skiing--not to mention the knee surgery I had in in September 2006, and it hurt like hell to ski. I spent more time pouting in the lodge than I did on skis last year.

I made the decision at the end of ski season last year that it was the last time I'd be out of shape for skiing. I haven't been 100% regular with working out, but I've done enough of it to have prepared me much better for this season, and I'm having fun again.

I do find that each time I ski, I get a little bit stronger. I try to target doing 1 more ski run each time I go (or try to ski 15 to 30 minutes longer than last time).

At the gym, if I'm pressed for time, I'll do some stretching and a 30-minute hill workout on the elliptical machine. I find that kind of workout is kind to my knees, but really gets my heart rate up and gives my legs a run for their money. I alternate upping the resistance to simulate going up the hill with a minute or so of lower-resistance "pedaling" but without holding on, so I work the smaller stabilizing muscles in my legs. Otherwise I'll do that, plus some weight training. It has made a huge difference this year!

Am I tired when I get home? That's an understatement! If I can stay awake during the car ride home, I usually collapse on the sofa once I get home and take all my wet stuff apart to dry. Hey, my body worked hard, and it's tired!

Simone, regarding your calf pain, the first thing I thought of was tight Achilles tendons and calf muscles, because the first few times I skied, mine actually felt bruised they were so sore. Now I stretch 'em every morning and evening while I'm brushing my teeth.

 

[retromaven]

I feel your pain. Literally. I walk regularly, and in summer I swim daily, but due to my other health issues, it's hard for me to do a traditional "work out" (although in my younger years I worked out regularly and even worked at a gym) per se (i.e Curves, Bally's, etc). I am considering taking Pilates or Yoga class, as I need something overall that is low impact, and non weight bearing for my upper body (nerve damage in my upper right quadrant) and I have serious arthritis in my feet, ankles and hands, and I can't over do it, or my condition can get worse.

I knew I wasn't exactly optimally "conditioned" for re-entering skiing, but I love the sport and wanted to participate to the best of my ability. It hasn't been nearly as bad as I thought it would be. My quads, but particularly my calves are also very taxed. The Fischer's require some input, per discussion in the other thread. I can do two or three hours skiing at a clip, then I have to break for a bit. I am sore, and the first couple times my calves really cramped at points, but when I get home I jump into my Jacuzzi and then put arnica gel on, pop an Advil and I am pretty good to go, although I do feel still feel it to some degree the next day.

I ski on the same boots/skis as you for the most part...Solly/Fischer. I think the Sollys have a pretty aggressive forward flex compared to my old boots, so you really have to stretch. I have large calves, and the cuff is a bit narrow. Each time I ski, it's gets better, but I still hurt a bit. I've been doing warm ups and some additional exercise at home to get past the hump, but until that muscle conditioning kicks in, I just expect it. Stay with it and try to take it in small bites. If you can do some mid-week flexibility/stretching/strengthening exercises, you'll get there more quickly. I try to do squats and calf stretches in sets around the house as much as I can. Even if you can't stick to a gym routine, at home stretches and squats should help!

Anyway, I'm right there with you (not quite as bad, but I'm there) so I can totally relate. Don't worry about being "sporty" or "athletic", if you like to ski, just do it. I was very conditioned when I was younger, but due to an autoimmune disorder, I'm not in the shape I once was...and keep my expectations reasonable. Baby steps. A few changes in your conditioning and taking it in small doses will help you feel better and stick with something you like to do! Hope all the great advice here works for you, but I know it always helps to know there are others who can relate and are going through the same conditioning curve (also the boot fit advice is good to check out too).

BEST!!! Hang in there!!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!