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I've been gradually coming back from ITBS over 18 months and am nearly back to my previous mileage (15/week) but over shorter runs. Recently I've being doing some longer runs up to half-marathon distance, and getting really sore calf muscles.

The odd thing is that it seems to be isolated to the soleus. Any clues as to what might be the cause? Seems to me like soreness in one very specific place would suggest an issue with form? So what does the soleus do that the gastrocnemius doesn't (in running terms ideally)?

aucuparia
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  • I'm not really looking for a diagnosis over the internet (perish the thought!) so edited to make it a bit more general... – aucuparia Jul 04 '17 at 06:25
  • Unfortunately it could be any number of things, there really isn't a way to tell. Could be old/broken down shoes, an imbalance from compensating for the ITBS, undiagnosed stress fracture causing referred pain, etc etc. – JohnP Jul 10 '17 at 17:32

2 Answers2

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Soleus Function

  • The soleus assists the gastroc and other muscles in the posterior leg during the gait cycle lifting the heel off the ground during propulsion.

  • It stabilizes the ankle - preventing it from flexing as it decelerates forward momentum of the tibia.

  • The muscle also has a very strong force turing the foot outward or supination, which stabilizes the outside of the foot to the ground.

  • Its action also helps the knee. When the tibia is moving forward it stops excessive movement so that the knee joint can be extended.

Soleus Injuries

Injuries to the soleus are relatively rare. Because of its attachment to the tibia, the soleus is most often implicated in shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome).

As the foot rolls in during shock absorption, the soleus helps to prevent the foot from excessively pronating. The muscle may pull excessively on the bone causing inflammation at the muscle-bone junction.

Accessory soleal muscles have also been implicated in tarsal tunnel syndrome. The muscle can extend more distally into the inner portion of the ankle. It would take up space into the tarsal tunnel and during activity and fill with blood, causing compression of the posterior tibial nerve.

Treatment

Acute Injuries
Treatment for acute injuries of the soleus include:

  • Rest by placing the foot in a plantarflexed or pointing down posture.

  • Ice can be applied over a sock or a towel on the back part of the leg to lessen the pain and swelling.

  • Compression in the form of an ace bandage will also help to lessen some of the swelling in the region.

  • Any shoe that has a small wedge that keeps the heel higher than the ball of the foot will also minimize stress to the region.

Chronic Injuries
Chronic cases of problems with the soleus are usually associated with medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints).

Treatment for chronic injuries of the soleus include:

  • Activity modification and changes in the running surfaces.

  • Shoes with more support and a lift to lessen the stress to the soleus and prevent the foot from pronating.

  • Orthotics to prevent excess pronation and excessive stress to the soleus.

  • Anti-inflammatories to reduce inflammation.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22578743
http://www.southfloridasportsmedicine.com

Mike-DHSc
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You may want to consider switching shoes. Running is basically managing overuse injuries; that's the upper limit that keeps you from just going out and doing 20 miles of speedwork every day.

I found that switching shoes was enough to change some dynamics enough to give certain injuries a break and allow me to keep knocking out miles. It's not a magic bullet, but it can alleviate some issues and give you some cross reference.

When you switch shoes, make a big switch. If you run in minimals, use trail runners. If you're in trail runners, try some Nike Free 3.0's or something of that ilk.

If it's coming on during your run, it's not DOMS, the keyword in DOMS being "delayed" and that time period usually being 24-48 hours. No one is going to diagnose you via the Internet, but trying a different shoe seems pretty reasonable to me.

Eric
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