for my last 10lb reward I treated myself to a new pair of really good running shoes. I was so excited to use them today. I walked briskly (uphill) for 5 minutes before jogging. 1 Avenue block later, I was doubled over in pain massaging the front of my calves. I couldn’t even lift the front of my foot enough to strike the ground heel first. Even walking, I had to land midfoot. I walked my sorry *** to the halfway point of my route and then had to sit and do 60 rotations on each ankle before I could stand the pain of sitting on my heels to stretch out my lower leg muscles. There is nothing wrong with the back of my calves, just the front. I was able to jog 2 more blocks on the way home- but today’s run basically turned out to be a long limping walk. I’m so disappointed and discouraged. My morning run is usually an invigorating escape, but now its a painful blow to my willpower and confidence.

Is it because I start out going uphill? Even though its a walk? I always stretch first, after a very hot bath.

I don’t get it. I’m so low now.

Sounds like shin splints to me. The only way to make them go away is to strengthen that muscle on the front of your leg. I don't know if it's the right way to do it, but I always had to run through mine and they eventually went away for good. It hurt like crazy, but it worked.

My personal guess would be that it's the new shoes. Even shoes that fit so well that they don't cause blisters, still usually need to be "broken in." Both the shoes and your feet/legs need an "adjustment period" to get used to each other.

You walk slightly differently in every pair of shoe you own. So, even if you have a broken-in pair that you're comfy in - if you go too long without wearing them, your legs or feel may hurt after wearing them (or even your lower back, upper back, or shoulders).

I can't see you and I can't diagnose you (I'm a PTA), but I can offer a couple of suggestions:

Did you stretch before walking? Make sure you stretch the backs AND THE FRONTS of both your legs. To stretch the front, bend your knee and try to touch your foot to your bottom, using your hand to hold your foot pointed. Should be enough.

You may be, especially since you are walking uphill, trying to lift your toes too far off the ground. Once, twice, your body doesn't notice, but do this hundreds of times and your anterior tibialis (the muscle that runs down the front of your calf and dorsiflexes your foot) is going to notice! I would suggest walking on level ground until you're used to the new shoes, so your foot can figure out how far up your toes need to come to clear the ground. Also (I know this sounds dippy, but seriously try it) THINK about not lifting off the ground with your toes.

Also, if you get back to the house and you are sore, first stretch it out a bit, then sit and ice the front of your calves for about 10 minutes. Do NOT put any cold thing (ice, frozen peas, ice pack, whatever) directly on bare skin. Have something like leggings, a dish towel, a gym towel, whatever between you and the cold.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Its definitely the anterior tibialis that is killing me. My calf muscles are extremely strong and well defined, but their flexibility has suffered since I have been a non-driving pedestrian for so many years. I have to stop at the end of each block and pull my foot up to my derriere as you said, then I pull my toes up behind my head to stretch my quads while I'm at it.

But you are totally right, sidhe, that first avenue block that I use to warm up, is a 150 ft incline. Thinking that I am giving my hamstrings and calves an extra warm up, I pull my toes up as high as possible to strike the ground with the tip of the heel of my shoes. I love feeling that stretch from my backside down through my legs. I think that MUST be what is sabotaging me, because I always stretch first and make sure that I am warmed up before I leave. Must be too much too soon for those muscles, combined with the new shoes. Thank you so much.

Thanks for all the advice, guys xx

Glad we could help. I'd suggest getting that posterior chain stretch ANOTHER way!! As I said I can't SEE you, but everything about my training and experience says that's what's doing it. You don't have to land on the back edge of your heel. The anterior tib can dorsiflex your leg that much if it has to, but it's a smaller muscle and it really doesn't want to.

Well, I iced down my legs and did some soft tissue work and I'm just going to have to be smart and take a few days off from jogging and running and just walk around.

I'd say yeah, the uphill part was a bad idea. I've had that happen before. I also don't quite understand pulling your toes up like that. Also not a good idea, IMO.

Jay