Calves ache when walking?

[BumbleGirl]

I'm really freaked out. Today on the way back from taking my son to school, my lower leg muscles started really aching. I had to keep stopping because they ached so much. This has happened before but not as bad as today. The walk is a little up hill and I was fine on the way to school.
Anyway I googled which I shouldn't have and it kept coming up with vascular disease. Surely I wouldn't have this at 25??
I can't think of any other reason why my legs ache sometimes when I am walking :-( If I stretch them out now they still feel a little achey like when you have overdone it on exercise but I haven't lately. Feeling really scared xx

[Mindknot]

There are lots of reasons why your calf muscles might ache - over exercise is one, but also using them after not-using them very much... or badly fitting shoes, wearing any kind of heels, or having worn out heels... Could it also be that you were rushing on the way to school or something, and may have overdone it without realising? Just do some stretches, I very much doubt it would be vascular disease - for one thing it wouldn't just come on suddenly halfway through the day like that...

[LucyR]

I get this too uphill. It is just the stress being put on the legs by having to push gravity uphill and it is worse being overweight.

[MyNameIsTerry]

If the aching is more at the front of the shin and it is persistent then it can be sin w splints which many people suffer from if they do a lot of hard exercise, typically running.

However, muscle strain is by far the most likely reason.

This reaction is quite normal, anyone who works out well tell you how they can be sore after an intense session. It's pretty much the given when you first start exercising until your body adapts after a few weeks.

if it goes after a few days, it's most likely muscle strain.

[BumbleGirl]

Hi thanks for replying everyone. Its not at the front, its at the back of my lower legs that start aching. I can't get vascular disease out of my head. Everywhere online says often the only symptom is aching lower legs when walking and thats what I have. Xx

[MyNameIsTerry]

Its very likely its muscle strain then. Those muscles are used a lot when walking, believe me, I walk miles every day and my calves are like granite nowadays! If you are a walker, your calves develop but your upper legs don't much (well, unless its more hill walking).

Muscle strain can be deep sometimes. Then it takes a bit longer to go.

Why not try some heat and ice packs and see if it goes?

[BumbleGirl]

Thank you. I will try that tomorrow. No chance today as trying to move and work at the same time. I've got 3 flights of stairs in my new block of flats and it was a struggle walking up today because my legs were aching so much. I'm convinced I've got something seriously wrong xxx

[MyNameIsTerry]

Yeah, its going to ache a lot climbing stairs. I do a ton of walking every year and whilst I'm used to it, I still have periods where I get a few days of acheing and the stairs make them ache more. Its the movement when you climb stairs as you push off and the calf muscles do a lot of the work. Coming down should be easier.

I don't know if you've ever been into harder exercise, for instance weight training. The whole aim of that is to cause 'micro tears' in the muscles. This then forces them to repair and the adjust to the new demand by growing. When you start as a newbie, the first few weeks can be a load of muscle strain because the body isn't used to all this sudden extra demand but after that it adjusts so you get less of the deep acheing feeling.

Its all natural though, can you remember 'growing pains'? Think of it a bit like that. They used to think that was due to stretching/growing, whereas now they know there is no evidence of that and simply believe it to be muscle aches due to intense activity during the day. Does that sound familiar?