Downhill technique to avoid injury?
2 watchers
Apr 2015
10:48pm, 14 Apr 2015
3,668 posts
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Winded
I keep getting calf strains, some minor, some major. A lot seem to have come from sections of a run that were down hill. I'm wondering if I should think about technique on down slopes, or maybe it is just a coincidence and I'm blaming the hills when really it is a lack of training or a lack of warm up or not looking after my old injuries by stretching & using The Stick as regularly as I should etc. Any thoughts? |
Apr 2015
10:55pm, 14 Apr 2015
216 posts
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notpete
Is this on or off road? I'd expect a calf strain running *up* hill, not down (I've done that in the past) - downhill running might not be the cause of the problem, but perhaps just where you feel it? |
Apr 2015
11:44pm, 14 Apr 2015
9,998 posts
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Dvorak
Uphills can slaughter my permanently overtight calves; downhills, not really. What is your downhill technique? If you are overstriding, braking on landing and slamming the heels in, then that may be causing problems. A better way, I suggest, is fast feet, quick pickup, short strides and a slight forward lean. May seem unnatural at first, even a bit scary, but stick with it. |
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Apr 2015
7:37am, 15 Apr 2015
3,669 posts
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Winded
Thanks. I'm not sure that I have a downhill technique so overstriding could be the problem. I'll try not to do that. It is on the road, or on fairly even ground anyway. Even just after injury I am normally fine going uphill, flat &down is awkward (I can tell when it is mostly fixed because it stops hurting when I walk down stairs). |
Apr 2015
7:40am, 15 Apr 2015
15,521 posts
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Derby Tup
Are they calf strains or simply tight calves? If they are strains (actually torn muscles) then maybe you're not allowing them to heal properly before running again. A month is needed and its easy to think a torn muscle has repaired when its simply stopped feeling painful
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Apr 2015
7:49am, 15 Apr 2015
3,671 posts
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Winded
The last one probably didn't heal properly. The one before that was on the other leg. The severity varies but is more than a tight calf. Only once has it been really bad but it hurts walking downstairs for a couple of weeks. I give it a week or so beyond that before doing anything. I am biking &swimming a bit except in the couple if days after injury - 10 days of inactivity after the worst one. |
Apr 2015
10:52am, 15 Apr 2015
1,385 posts
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Canute
As others have remarked it is unusual to strain the calf going downhill. However, there would probably be a high risk of calf strain if you landed on your forefoot, especially if you lengthen your stride going downhill. I aim for short, fast strides with 'soft knees', and land mid-foot, or even heel-strike if the hill is steep. If you are not aware of your foot-strike when running, observe how you place your feet as you walk down stairs, and note what foot position exacerbates the calf pain |
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Apr 2015
5:44pm, 15 Apr 2015
3,675 posts
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Winded
Will the position I have pain in will be the same as the position the injury happened in?
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Apr 2015
6:00pm, 16 Apr 2015
9,106 posts
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alpenrose
Maybe it's time to go and have a physio assessment so the problem can be pin-pointed and sorted.
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Apr 2015
7:50am, 17 Apr 2015
3,678 posts
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Winded
Perhaps, but asking Fetxhland seemed like a better idea. Faster, cheaper, possibly better answers. If it continues I'll seek some face to face assistance.
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