What have I done to my calf/ankle?

[Shnook]

Been trying to be more active over the past few months. About 3 weeks ago I noticed the front of my ankle was sore. Now when I get up in the morning, it hurts for the first few steps and my calf feels tight. Don’t recall injuring myself but must have done something?

I’ve also developed tennis elbow on the same side - feel like I’m falling to bits!

I’ve paused doing any strenuous exercises for now as I’m scared of injuring myself further!

…is it a bit of a jump to wonder if this could be early menopause symptoms? Joints getting a bit weaker???

While it might be made worse by menopause, I'm confident there is much that can be improved with the help of resources around now.

The place to start for me was

www.nutritiousmovement.com/product/simple-steps-to-foot-pain-relief/

Hope you find the help you need

Any suggestions?

…pressed send too soon! I’m experiencing a similar problem so I’m interested in any responses to this.

I would guess you have tendonitis - likely in your anterior tibialis muscle. That can come from having tight calves/ limited ankle mobility ie how well you can dorsiflex/plantar flex your ankle (how well you can get your knee forward over your toes etc). If you google you'll find lots of exercises to stretch your calves and to improve your range of ankle mobility.

Thank you. It sounds similar but I only get pain with the first few steps after getting out of bed, or if I’ve been sat down a long time. Then it goes. I can flex my foot fine. No swelling or anything like that. But it’s been like this for weeks!

Sorry, I mean if I’ve been sat down a long time, the first few steps hurt a bit then I’m fine.

first few steps hurt a bit then I’m fine.

This pretty much confirms that it's tight calves / tendonitis or perhaps the similar plantar fasciitis. Overnight, or when sitting down, your feet relax and the angle between feet and lower legs is much more than 90degress, your toes point slightly compared to when you are standing up.

When you then first put your feet to the ground, the angle reduces, your feet along the ground and your legs at 90 degrees which is quite a stretch.

After a few steps, your foot has stretched (the uncomfortable part) and then you are fine.

Another way to check this, is on waking, to do a few stretches (point and flex each foot, use your toes to write your name in the air, before you put your foot to the ground. If this help, it's more of a sign that stretching is the way forward.

The Katy Bowman reference upthread has lots of other foot exercises which help a lot.

Make sure when you're sitting down your feet are flat or your toes are elevated higher than your heel. People who sit with toes pointed often get tight calfs

Thank you both so much for the advice Ava tips. So do you think as long as I do stretches, it’ll resolve itself? And I’m assuming as long as it doesn’t hurt when I exercise, I’m not doing myself any further harm? I do mostly HIIT exercises - lots of jumping/squatting etc.

as long as I do stretches, it’ll resolve itself

Your best chance will be to do the exercises so that your feet become strong enough to support you. Look at the design of a foot and you will see what a complicated shape it is exactly to provide the support you need over a range of different kinds of surface, allowing you to do all kinds of movement and exercise.

It took me a while to notice that the discomfort had gone away and I stopped doing the stretches (while I wash my teeth, every time I walked up a staircase etc).

Since then, I have noticed it coming back a bit when increasing my walking, or wearing different shoes etc. I recognise what I need to do as soon as I notice it and start the stretches. It goes again pretty quickly if you catch it early. Good luck

Thanks so much, that makes a lot of sense.