Need ideas on how to handle/stop leg pain
 

When I go walking, I walk to a nearby school to walk on their track. The walk over takes me about 14 minutes, I do 8-9 laps and then walk back and that adds up to about an hour. In the past two weeks I've done this about 9 times.

The issue is that by the time I reach the school or get there and do a lap or two, my leg starts hurting. I start to feel a tightening on the outside of my lower left shin, and it starts to sort of burn and hurt. If I sit down for a minute, it will dramatically ease, but will then slowly come back as I walk. If I sit down for more like 5-10 minutes, it will usually go away for the rest of my walk.

Does anyone else deal with this? I have been checked by a doctor and there's no fracture or anything, he said it's just the muscles protesting and that I have to get them used to the exercise - but it just seems nuts that I've walked as much as I have and it's still just as bad as it was the first time. I'm forcing myself to walk a while, then rest so that it at least will ease up, if not stop, but lately by the time I get the left leg to stop hurting, my right leg is starting to tighten now!

I'm so frustrated!

I am a beginner still myself so I dont know expert advice on this, but since I am having the same thing happen I thought I would comment. For me so far with this I have come to realize to just slow down when that pain starts and than speed up once my legs feel better- I am thinking when I slow down I'm giving my muscles the ability to adapt better to the excersize...than i speed up and do intervals of fast/slow walking until the pain stops completly- not sure if its just a warming up thing for me or if its that the endorphins are kicking in making me feel so good i stop noticing it haha
but also I'm wondering if maybe you are trying to do too much to soon?
I wish I could tell you =/ I have come to realize that the LONGER i walk the better I feel in the long run - it just takes a while to push past that.
I hope thats not bad! But lets see what others have to say... =)

I used to have that problem when I first started walking. What helped me is to walk at a slowish/normal pace for about 10 minutes, then stop to stretch real good. After stretching, I can speed things up and continue my walk with no pain. Since the walk to the school is about 14 minutes, maybe stretch as soon as you get there.

Thanks ladies... I think you're both heading me in the right direction - and I'm so glad to know someone else has had this issue and it's not just me!

Yesterday I had to take my dad to the hospital for some tests, and wound up walking around a bit there, more than I normally do in the workday. When I went walking about two hours later, I took it slower and tried to not rush myself, and I actually had a whole walk with no leg pain. It was fantastic.

I've been trying to make myself go slower, but I guess I'm going to have to work harder at it, and be sure to make the time to do plenty of stretching.

thanks again!

Stretch stretch stretch! Before and after you exercise. If you google stretching walking running you should get a bunch of hits specifically for walking/running. It is so important for avoiding injury. For years I ran without stretching... now that I'm getting on in years ;) I don't dare skip it!;)

Usually doctors (specifically orthopedists) will tell you to rest a few weeks to see if something gets better by itself... but that is hard when we are feeling motivated! :)

Are you getting enough calcium and magnesium? Your muscles do need plenty of both, in balance. Lack of magnesium can cause cramping and pain and twitching and such in muscles.