As we have discussed some of you in the publications of the challenge to run 5 kilometers, one of the most common problems in novice runners is the pain in the calves or the anterior tibial.

This is a very common pain with two possible causes: on the one hand may be due to increased workload (started making more kilometers we have been doing so far) and the other to a bad running technique. We analyze the two causes and see what we can do for pain to send.

The anterior tibialis is a muscle that starts from various points on the part of the lateral condyle of the tibia (the condyles are the rounded parts of the head of the bone: the lateral condyle is left on the outside of our leg) and The upper part of the outer face of this bone, until inserted in the cuneiform bone of the foot and in the first metatarsals.

Their functions are ankle dorsiflexion (when approaching the back foot to our tibia) and foot inversion . When we run or walk, the anterior tibial muscle helps stabilize the ankle when the foot lands on the floor with the heel and lifts our foot in the take-off phase.

Anterior tibial pain due to increased workload

One of the most common causes, especially when we start running or when we start to train for a race with a relevant mileage. Spend just walk in our day to day to start running, or drastically increase the workload in a short time can take its toll in the form of pain in the anterior tibial.

How can we solve it? First of all, taking us a break and lowering the number of weekly kilometers we do. We can not forget the specific stretches to the anterior tibial and applying ice regularly in the area to refer pain and, if it occurs, inflammation.

Pain in the anterior tibial due to poor stroke technique

Perhaps the most common cause of pain in the anterior tibial when we started running it a technique poor career. We need to be aware that running is not only putting one foot before the other, knowing the running technique right is vital not only for kilometers and kilometers and run faster and faster, but to ensure that we run without injury (and for many years).

We ‘ll talk at length about the technique career in a post about it because of our challenge to run 5 kilometers, so here we go to the essentials: the landing on the heel when we’re starting to run.

When we walk, the heel is the first part of the foot that treads the ground after the flight phase; however, this is not (or should not) be well in the race, when the ideal is landing on the midfoot.

Do you remember we said a moment ago that one of the functions of our anterior tibial muscle is the ankle dorsiflexion ? It is the same movement that we do to be able to land with the heel (we raise the tip of the foot upwards not to fall with the flat foot) and what can cause us an overload and the consequent pain in this muscle.

Stop talonear is not easy: at first we have to be very aware of how we fall on the ground after the flight phase, thinking about it every stride, but once you’ve internalized occur only and will have improved our technique race.

Remember that if there is pain that does not go away no matter how much we stretch or a lot to improve our technique, it is important that we go to a physical therapist to assess our situation. They are the professionals who can best help us in this regard.