[tubolard]

I have been walking for a little over a month and a half now and here lately my right calf has started, not hurt like sharp hurt, but hurt like a dull deep at the bone crampy ache. I stop and stretch it out and it is fine for anywhere from half a mile to fine for the rest of my walk.
Any ideas on what causes this? I drink plenty before during and after I walk and it hasn't always done this just the last maybe two weeks. It is only my right calf, never my left, although now I that I said that we will see how long it lasts. I stretch both legs when it happens so they are being stretched the same amount.
I have started doing lunges and squats and more focused leg exercises, maybe that is why it is doing it?

[Alenna 52]

There are so many things it could be. I'm not a doctor but here are some of the possibilities from simple to worst case:

1. Muscle cramp. It could be caused by electrolyte imbalance (not enough sodium or potassium). Some people actually drink too much water.

2. Muscle strain or something pulled or twisted while walking. Sometimes happens if you overstretch or don't warm up before stretching.

3. Foot/leg imbalance. You may have one leg shorter than the other or you may need better shoes to stop or help pronation.

4. Varicose veins. Sometimes they cause a leg or calf to cramp up (I have this problem). Compression socks and pants help with this.

5. Deep venous thrombosis (DVT). This is bad - a blood clot in the leg. Usually it's caused by sitting too much and it hits people with bad circulation. It doesn't sound like what you have, because you have it during exercise and you said it goes away, but if the pain ever gets really bad and your calf swells up, I'd go to a hospital to get it checked out ASAP.

Good luck! I know that whenever I re-start exercising after I've taken time off, I always get various aches and pains - one day a sore hip, the next day pain in my back, then a sore achilles, a bum knee etc etc. It happens a lot especially now that I'm in my 50's.

[alaskanlaughter]

check your shoes!! i get these random pains and aches ONLY when my shoes are on their last leg

it could be a lot of other things like the above poster said, but for me shoes are vitally important!

[ilidawn]

I get those pains at times too. I haven't tried this yet, but someone told me eating bananas can help. I think it was the potassium.

[tubolard]

I saw the doctor today and mentioned it to him. He said to make sure and warm up before exercise (I do) to make sure and stretch before exercise (I do) He is keeping a close eye on me losing weight this time and we have a great rapport so that helps a lot. He said he thought it was the fascia under the muscle and that it would ease up as I got more used to working out. He said he didn't think it was a blood clot (thank God!) because of the lack of swelling, but if it continued he would get an ultrasound of it to see what was up with it. I am going to try swapping my shoes tomorrow and see if that helps out any.