Leg Pain on Side by Calf When Walking or jogging/Tests??

Updated on February 26, 2013
K.C. asks from Boise, ID
5 answers

Hi. So I have a doctors Appt tomorrow, however wanted to ask just to see if anyone has gone through this and has helpful info/advise. For years now when I walk at a fast pace or jog the side of my leg hurts to point I have to stop. If you put your arms at your side and straight down legs, the part of leg on the outside between knee and ankle is what hurts. It feels like someone punched me and I have a massive charlie horse cramp that is extremely painful. My leg also where it hurts feels super tight pretty much rock hard. I have tried stretching, different running shoes, starting off slow, walking or jogging through it and nothing helps. No matter what, for years now if I walk fast, or jog, its not long before I have this pain. The only that that helps is to completely stop, and if I start back up its right there. I dont have this problem in other leg and never have. I am not tired when it starts, and could walk and or jog for way longer, however it hurts so bad I dont. I looked online and found something that sounds exactly like me. This guy posted exact thing as I am experiencing. He had walked/jogged on treadmills, school tracks, bought insoles for shoes, new running shoes from running store, ran/walked through pain, stretched, nothing helped. He finally called doctor and after doing tests to rule out things like torn muscles, and stress fractures, they did a test called "compartment syndrome pressure test" and turns out thats what was causing his pain.So, has anyone had this procedure done? If you did truly have it, what was done to help? Has anyone had symptoms that I have mentioned and have it be something else? If so what helped? I go to doctor tomorrow and want to bring up anything that might help. Also, I am a SAHM now so I dont get nearly as much excercise as I used to when I worked, however when I was working my last job for 10 years, my job was very physically active. I would for 8 hours walk all day every day through several building that were connected for a large company delivering packages. Most was done with a cart filled with boxes and such, but also throughout day I would deliver pallets that we would have to pull. So I was extremely active walking 12 plus miles a day, lifting and pulling. I still hurt back then. So, any info would be great! I would love to be able to walk or jog till I was tired, not till my leg kills me, and that's nor very long, it comes on very fast after walking fast or jogging.

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So What Happened?

So I just got done at doctor. There is something wrong, and I go to hospital Friday Morning for a 2 hour ultrasound and tests done to look at my veins, and artery to see if that is problem. If so it would be called claudication, and then I would go to a vascular doctor to see how to fix. If all looks fine this Friday then I go to a podiatrist to look at "spinal claudacation", either way something is wrong. I hope for the best, either way could result in surgery to fix. Fingers crossed that it will be more simple to fix, but happy I am on the road to fix so that I can walk/jog without the pain. Oh also the pain in on outside of my leg, so its not the shin splints doctor said, its either a vascular thing with my artery or blood clots in back. Thanks so much for responses

More Answers

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

I have heard of vascular issues which could be what you are describing. The compartmentalism thing I actually have heard of. It does not sound like shin splints to me. Those are not on the outside of your leg, in my experience. You could go to a runner's forum and search around. All manner of strange ailments are discussed on them. Try Runners World and look under the discussion boards. Good luck.

Oh, ti specifically answer, no, I haven't had what you describe, myself.

ETA: http://forums.runnersworld.com/forums/injury-prevention/i...

Updated

I have heard of vascular issues which could be what you are describing. The compartmentalism thing I actually have heard of. It does not sound like shin splints to me. Those are not on the outside of your leg, in my experience. You could go to a runner's forum and search around. All manner of strange ailments are discussed on them. Try Runners World and look under the discussion boards. Good luck.

Oh, ti specifically answer, no, I haven't had what you describe, myself.

1 mom found this helpful

M.M.

answers from Chicago on

It sounds like shin splints to me, which ultimately results from the muscle pulling away from the bone.
There are many ways to resolve it, but it sounds like you're intermittent with walking/jogging. That may be 1/2 the problem.

I used to have them. The quick and simple resolution was to wrap my shins with an Ace bandage (moderate pressure) at the pain site...a suggestion courtesy of my physical therapist. Essentially, that held the muscle to the bone and prevented it from pulling away.

That also served to train the muscle to strenthen in it's proper position, rather than what it was doing. After a couple of months of doing that during my regular workouts, the problem disappeared.

1 mom found this helpful

G.W.

answers from Dallas on

That kind of sounds like shin splints to me too. When I started running a few years ago, I had them right away. I think what finally helped me was just slowly training my legs to get used to it plus very good shoes. Look up shin splints on webmd and see if the illustrations and symptoms sound like what you have...that's how I knew what mine were

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M.P.

answers from Raleigh on

I second shin splints. I've had them before and they are quite painful. Give it some rest and ibuprofen. Also, try walking on softer surfaces such as a grass or turf, and not asphalt or concrete.

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E.S.

answers from Jacksonville on

I don't know what it sounds like, but it doesn't sound like shin splints. If you do think it's shin splints, that's usually caused because you are leaning too far forward. Try to walk or run upright and see if it helps.

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