I've had this problem for years now, but I only get it from running. It's
very frustrating, because it's very painful, and comes on suddenly and, to
my mind, utterly unpredictably. I have no idea what I do to cause it, or
what I do to prevent it. It comes and goes, with no correlation that I can
see to stretching and strengthening. The only thing that helps is not
running, and, when I do 'have' to run again, to start slowly and on short
distances, and to build gradually. I can also feel the pull coming as I run,
in which case I stop before it actually 'pulls' completely. I do a lot of
running on tread mills....
I've often wondered why classic skiing hasn't caused me this injury. I
think it may have to do with the lack of jarring and sudden pulling you do
get with running. Once I've pulled it from running, I can't do classic
skiing for a few weeks because it's still too sore (and like you, skating is
fine even very soon after I reinjure), but classic skiing has never caused
it.
Ironically, my injury first occurred just after I got orthotics for
plantar facitis, and I've always vaguely blamed them, though with no real
proof.
This injury seems quite common, and is so debilitating (though for me
only for a week or so), that I'm surprised that the doctors and P.T.s I've
seen have so little to say or do about it.
This doesn't help you at all, does it, but maybe this thread can serve
the function of a support group.... As some encouragement, I can tell you
that after 8 years with this problem, it seems to be happening less
frequently.

Onno Oerlemans

"Everett" wrote in message
om...
For the past year I've been battling a recurrent problem -- pulled
soleus/gastrocnemius muscles -- in my lower leg. The problem is
associated only with classic XC; skating doesn't bother or trigger the
problem, probably because it involves a push to the side rather than a
kick back along the axis of the leg. In any case, I had to give up
classic skiing entirely last January.

Thinking that the problem was due to insufficient strength, I spent a
lot of time running, ski striding, hiking, climbing, and biking during
the off season, and I was optimistic going into this season on snow.
But the first time that I tried to put the pedal to the metal the same
injury came back -- worse than ever.

My physiotherapist recommended that I see a foot specialist. I have
used custom orthotics for years, so I thought that I had addressed
that issue, but with nothing to lose, I went to see Terry Makos, the
boot fitter here in Canmore. He said that he's seen a rash of injuries
identical to mine in the last year -- all associated with classic XC
skiing. He has solved many of these problems by inserting heel lifts
into the boots, which effectively shortens the soleus/gastroc muscles.
We tried it an initially things went well. But when I tried a long,
easy ski the other day the injury came right back (I was limping the
next day). Terry and I are still trying to find a solution (more heel
lift), but if we are unsuccessful I'll just have to give up classic
and go with what works -- skating. I mentioned my problem to a friend
who gave up classic skiing a few years back (he only skates now); he
said that he also had similar trouble with classic sking and tried a
heel lift, but that the resulting forward lean of the body caused the
skis to plow, i.e., they didn't glide as well when double poling. I'm
willing to give up a bit of glide if I can just classic without
injury.

My questions for the group a Has anyone else seen this problem? Is
it associated exclusively with classic technique? What solutions
worked to resolve it? Is the glide penalty associated with a heel lift
real?

P.S. My classic boots are Salomon Carbon Pro Classics, but the problem
came on when skiing in my previous bright yellow Salomons, so I don't
think it's an issue with the new boot.

-Everett