It has been just over one year since my last calf muscle injury. The blog post I made on the subject is the #1 post for my humble blog, as it pops up as a search result thanks to Google. As regular readers (I have at least 2) may know, I surf quite a bit - working 5 minutes away from the beach lets me use my lunch hour to get some water time in.While I love surfing, it doesn't do much to stretch out or strengthen my lower body (however, it is very good for the upper body). So, I decided to look around for an adult soccer league to join that would be good exercise for my legs. Luckily, I found a men's over-35 team in Carlsbad that needed a few players, so I signed up.
About 2 weeks ago, I suited up in shin guards and cleats, and went down to a local field to try and get my feet on the ball a bit. I have coached youth soccer for the last 4 years, and look forward to actually playing again.
You can probably guess what happened next... After a workout on Tuesday, my right lower calf muscle felt a little tweaked, but not too bad - just a bit uncomfortable. On Thursday, I laced up and went to jog across the field and back to warm up a bit before stretching, and on the return leg the tweak cranked up a lot, and I had to stop and limp back.
It didn't feel like my previous two incidents, so I think that I did not tear the muscle - maybe just strained it or something like that. I limped for about 24 hours, and then started looking at how to stretch out the calf muscles to try and prevent this in the future.
I have stretched in the past, but I have never focused on the calf muscles. Instead, I'd work the quads, hammys, and groin. I realized that I had been neglecting my calves - pretty stupid of me (especially after two injuries).
Maybe neglecting is the wrong word... I have never been shown how to stretch out the calf, in all the sports I have played and gym classes taken through school and even in college. So, with the theory of "knowing your enemy" in mind, I first did some reading up on the calf muscle, which is actually a pair of muscles: the gastrocnemius and soleus. The article even mentions torn calf muscles, the 'pop' that so many of us feel, and the conditions that triggered it in my cases: sudden acceleration and changes in direction.
Next, I did a search on stretches focusing on the pair of calf muscles, and found these: gastrocnemius stretch and soleus stretch. Since I found these videos, I've been doing both stretches for 90 seconds on each leg, and I do believe that my lower legs are feeling better. I'm not back to 100% yet, but I can make my way around the pitch if I take care to avoid sudden acceleration and changes in direction. I hope to be back up to 95% before the first game of our season, which starts on September 5th.
If you have hurt your calf, please be careful to not stretch it out prematurely. A bad tear can take a long time to heal, so when you start trying to stretch, let common sense be your guide. Stretch slowly and gently, avoiding bouncing. Any pain should be a sign that you are doing too much too fast.
To keep the rest of your lower body in shape, I found that biking was fairly low impact for my most recent injury, so long as I didn't stand up and pedal (pushing on the front portion of the foot as you do to begin a sprint).
If you know of any other good stretches, or want to talk about your calf injury, please feel free to comment below!
Thanks for all the information. Last night I felt as I was playing indoor soccer that a unhappy fan threw a golf ball from close proximity into my leg. So much I stopped in the middle of playing and looked towards the stands. Come to find out when I put pressure on my right leg I was in horrible pain. The doctor appt is tomorrow, but from the information you have provided it appears my worst fear is true. Thanks for all the helpful information on the injury and the links to the video's for stretching. Wish me luck at the Doc hopefully it is just a minimal strain (after 17 years of playing and 3 years of coaching, I was very excited to start my 2 year old in soccer in NOvember and this my crush my excitment!)
ReplyDeleteYou know, I didn't realize how common this injury was until like everybody else, I started googling "torn calf muscle" and of course was led here. Reading everybody else's stories was really informative. My injury began with a morning 3.5 mile walk and straight on to a game of volleyball (no stretches!), took a quick step back and heard "Pop". I knew my bone didn't snap but couldn't figure out what happened until I tried to take a step. I hobbled to the house with the aid of my husband and daughter and once the nausea passed we went straight to the ER. Same diagnosis as everybody else here...torn calf muscle. Five days later, I'm trying to google how long I have to put up with a hobble walk using my heel only - I got around horribly on crutches. I was more dangerous with crutches! I will try the stretches your site suggests when I get to a point I can handle them. Thanks again for the information.
ReplyDeleteAnon and Sherri -
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your rehabilitation - take it easy and don't go too fast. That is probably the best advice I can give you, and it isn't easy.
As for me, I continue to have issues... My right calf muscle felt a bit tweaked during the first 15 minutes of playing our first game, so I came out and took it easy, only playing another 10 minutes near the end of the game.
2 weeks ago, I also managed to tear my left hamstring when me left foot's cleat stuck in the grass and my leg over extended. I now have some pretty good bruising on the inside upper-to-mid portion of my left thigh.
I am taking it fairly easy this week, and am unsure if I will play on the game on Friday. If I skip it, I can get 3 weeks of rest (due to a bye the following week), but our team is short-handed for this week's game. Ug.
No guesses as to how I came across this article. Yesterday, I refereed a game of soccer and today, I can hardly walk. For the past 3 years, I have been suffering acute lower back pain, shoulder, hip and hamstring pain. I am now convinced that the root cause are my calves.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was 30, I "popped" both my calves in the space of about 2 months. With the first one, I distinctly remember looking at the linesman to see if he had thrown a rock at me because that was exactly what it felt like. Like with all my years of soccer injuries, I rested up for a bit and returned to playing. By 33, I had given up football due to the constant hamstring and groin pulls I was having. I continued with 5 aside and at 36, I kept on having major hamstring and groin strains. My QL muscle gave way in my lower back and I had pain in my shoulder and all along the route of the sciatic nerve. The whole of one side of my body was out of alignment. I have stopped sport altogether now. I have tried so hard to get to the bottom of the problem and every care professional I went to couldn't help me. I did hours and hours of exercise, pilates (which I thoroughly recommend) and stretches which all made me feel better but never solved the problem. Perhaps I didn't point them in the right direction but to me, my calf strains were just one of many general sport related injuries and it never occured to me that the injuries to my calves would come back to haunt me in the way it has so many years later.
After my run out yesterday, I felt like I was walking round with a couple of bricks attached to my legs but all my other symptoms had eased. It is early days but I will now start to work on my calves and try out your stretches, massage and strength work and see what happens. Thanks for the tips.
Phil
Phil,
ReplyDeleteI sincerely hope you are able to figure out what is going on, and that your condition improves ASAP.
I took a soccer ball to the left jaw about 2 weeks ago, and can now barely chew. I think the jaw dislocated / hyper-extended, and now the TMJ area is out of whack for the next 4-6 weeks.
At least I can still play ball!
does anyone have pain behind the knee with a torn calf muscle?
ReplyDeletewhat types of phycial therapy exercises help?
ReplyDeleteNo pain behind the knee for me - the pain is usually either deep in the upper calf muscle or lower down, near the achilles tendon.
ReplyDeleteAs far as PT is concerned, once it has healed, gentle stretches (like those I mention in the above post) will help.
Mine's been about 2 months now since the original "tear".....I was going to get an MRI this past week, but my doctor said he couldn't really do anything if indeed it was a tear...so I didn't want to spend the few hundred dollars for it. I don't know what to do...I have good days and really bad days. Often my right calf just feels really really tight. I was still exercising on it before.....but I decided 4 days ago I should go light. But I need to do some sort of exercise.....not sure what to do. Wish my doctor would just tell me, but maybe he doesn't know much about it. He said I could go see an orthopedist if i wanted....should I?? Will an orthopedist know how to take care of this?
ReplyDeleteT.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI have found all the posts about torn calf muscles really helpful. I tore my right gastrocnemius about 2 1/2 weeks ago getting out of the way of car (the car just drove off...). I turned 90 degrees right on my right leg but my foot didn't. I didn't feel anything initially until I tried to walk. I hopped to my GP the next day who confirmed what I had done - she just said let it heal. Over the next week the whole of my lower leg swelled up, I had some bruising around the ankle due to pooling of blood and a real dull ache in the middle of the muscle. The swelling would go down at night but return when I got out of bed - it felt like the muscle was going to explode! I was on paracetamol and iboprophen for a few days. After about 10 days the swelling started to go down and I went to a physiotherapist who used ultrasound and gave me stretching exercises - another session today. Now, the muscle is still tight but I am walking 90% normally and without pain. Each day there is an improvement. I continue to do the exercises. My feeling is that my leg will completely recover, but take some time. I am 45 and I don't want to do this again! I am not a sporting type but I do like walking and cycling.
This site is such a tonic, so informative, it's a relief to hear how common this type of injury is and what tips there are to aid the recovery process. I tore my calf muscle 5 days ago whilst doing some very dodgy moves on a nightclub dancefloor. I'm 39 and really should have known better!! My symptoms were pretty classic, felt like somebody had thrown a cricket ball with some force at my lower leg, i, like a lot of others, immediately turned round to shout at the culprit and found nobody there. This was followed by searing pain in my calf and left me unable to put any weight on that foot. Next morning my calf had almost doubled in size and felt pretty hot to touch. I could walk but only if i stood on tiptoes on that leg. Five days later it seems the reverse has happened, i can now put my foot flat to the floor but raising on tiptoes is a killer, my limp is conspicuous and the bruising above my ankle quite spectacular! I'm off to the docs tomorrow as i'm definitely not fit to work yet (i'm airline cabin crew) and will need a certificate. Just wondered if anyone can say how long it took before they could walk properly again? I'm no athlete but my job is fairly physical and i just want some idea when i'll be able to start earning again!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. I'm 46 and "popped" my calf muscle playing Badminton. Was well warmed up after playing a couple of games, just felt like something hit me in the back of the calf. No swelling or brusing thankfully, but 3 weeks later and I am still on crutches and unable to drive. The hospital put me in a removable cast and each day I am improving, but it is very slow, I can now put a little weight on my toes, but unable to support any weight with my foot flat.
ReplyDeleteMostly I'm pain free unless I try to use it.
Hi - I thought I would give an update to my post of Nov 10. It is now 7 weeks on and the residual swelling that I was getting at the end of the day a week or so ago has almost completely gone (I was walking around Annecy in France end Nov and I got lower leg swelling down to but not including the ankle by the end of the day - but it went down during the night). The symptoms I have left now are 1) very slight pulling in one spot when walking after sitting - but this is gradually fading, 2) tenderness in touching parts of the calf muscle - but not too much, and 3) a really odd feeling on squatting - a sort of numbness - but even that is going. I've had a few physio sessions and he reckons that it will be 3 months before all the symptoms are completely gone - based on the current progress. Now it is about 95% right. It is an exponentially rising curve a bit like charging a capacitor from a battery via a resistor! I have not tried running yet but I will be getting my bike out over Christmas. It has brought this home to me - I am not as young and supple as I was!! It is also amasing just how the body repairs itself - if you give it the right conditions and be patient.
ReplyDeleteHi I was on a cruise and took my first golf lesson. My pain did not start right away it started a day later. A week later went to the doc and he said it was a strain calf. Two days later the pooling of blood started from right below the knee all the way down through my whole foot both sides of my leg.He said I tore my calf muscle. Its been a month can anyone tell me how long it takes for the swelling to go away? it has not gone down at all. Im just wondering if this swelling is permanant.
ReplyDeleteso its been 9 months after i tore my calf muscle coming down a flight of stairs and fell down 2 steps HARD. up until yesterday almost pain free. i had pain slightly above the calf muscle that caused a lot of pain for months. last week i was thinking, i was basically pain free and then..... yesterday, i started to feel pain again slightly above the calf muscle for no reason.
ReplyDeleteAbout a month ago, i strained my calf in a krav maga class - that's israeli martial arts and i was kicking. Same kick i have done hundreds of times before, so not sure if i didn't warm up enough or did something wrong. Felt a pop sensation and could not put any weight on that leg at all. I was basically disabled for weeks afterwards! In the first week, I would get terrible spasms and the muscles would just seem to lock up. No swelling but some small bruises showed up 6 days later! I stayed on two crutches for 24 days, single crutches for another 5 days, and am now finally off crutches altogether. So by any standard, it was a pretty severe strain. Doc told me recovery would take 4 to 6 weeks - but I did not realize just getting to walking would take 4 weeks! So may be he underestimated the severity because it did not look that bad (when I saw him, bruises had no appeared yet and there was no swelling). Usually spasms and inability to walk means grade 3 strain, but it looked more like a grade 2 strain, but either way it was pretty serious.
ReplyDeleteI am a 37 yr old female, in pretty good shape - used to be a runner but was doing krav maga and yoga 3-4 times a week for last few months. Now in week 5 after injury, I can walk around, albeit slowly, but can't take very big steps when walking. I can walk up the stairs easily but have to practice the motion of going down the stairs very slowly. I started practicing standing on the injured leg a few days ago - to build up strength and improve balance. I can stand on my other leg for a long time and do all kinds of yoga poses, but right now - just 2 seconds on the injured leg and I start losing balance. I just started doing seated toe raises - can't do standing toe raises yet. My injured calf muscle looks a lot smaller than my other calf - I have had very muscular calves for many years.
I am hoping within another 2 weeks I will be close to normal in terms of day to day activities, but I suspect it will be longer before I can resume sports. Clearly, my injured calf lost a lot of its strength. I started doing gentle stretches the second week of the injury, which was very helpful - range of motion seems to be fine. Although I suspect my case is more serious than most, my advice for anyone who has a calf strain would be as follows:
1. Use bath salts. I've heard epsom salts do wonders. I used Ahava's honey bath salts on my calf almost every night for the first month and it significantly relaxed the muscles and helped it heal. For example, one week after the injury, I tried walking three steps with both crutches and I had two painful spasms. After I used the bath salts that night, next morning I could walk almost a hundred steps without any spasms - it was like a miracle. If I had known that, I would have used those salts the second night and not waited a week - and probably would have shaved a week off my recovery at the beginning.
2. Get a neoporene calf compression support asap. Once i got that and started wearing it, I could do a lot more. For example, without my calf support, I could walk around but slowly and carefully. With the calf compression on, I can actually dance around (small but relatively quick steps). It supports the calf muscle during activities - and the sooner you can get your calf to do activities safely, the sooner the muscles will get stronger, get used to normal movements and rehabilitate. I got the calf support at end of week 3 - if I had gotten it earlier, probably could have prevented some of the muscle loss.
3. Take your time and give the muscles a lot of rest at the beginning, but start getting active (that means moving around and doing daily things, not running and jumping) as soon as possible. You should not return to sports until your injured calf can do all the things your other calf can - not just when it feels better. Work with a physiotherapist if you can. I also found a lot of online info helpful.
Anyway, hope this helps anyone else going through a recovery!
All that U went throu..Looks almost like it was me..I had almost the same symptons. I am on my 9 week of recovery, there si only one thing I am concern, I feel my calf muscle like a small finger, and is thight or hard, when I massage it I feel it, If I compared how soft if my other calf..anything U know about it..It wont be ok to start running now..? carloirala@hotmail.com
DeleteI can't believe I'm actually writing in this blog. I'm on day 2 of a calf strain. Yesterday, 7pm. playing short center field at a softball game, ball was hit.. not even towards ME, but I react and try to cover someone and all of a sudden I was very confused, I thought the center fielder threw the ball at my calf! I turn around asking what was going on, but she looked agt me like I was nuts! Finally, I said, I think something is wrong. Everyone thought it was just a charlie horse or cramp. My calf immediately swelled and I could not move my foot at all.. let alone walk. I have it now wrapped, raised and on ice. All these stories are actually scaring me knowing the length of recovery time I have to endure. I have an appt. on Monday w/a doctor the walk-in referred me to. Not sure if this makes a difference, but I am a 39 yr old female, who runs about 2.5 miles 3x a week. Anyway... I'm just happy this blog is here. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI think my injury happened just like I have read many today. I am early 40's, didn't stretch out as well as should have for a slow-pitch softball game, and when I suddenly went to run from the batter's box, I heard a pop and felt pain in my left calf...then basically had to hop off the field on my right foot. Interestingly, this website was my first hit- even the professional batters get injured! http://www.thedisabledlist.com/how-to-treat-torn-calf-muscle-albert-pujols
ReplyDeleteI couldn't walk for almost 20 hrs. I did R.I.C.E. because my DH made me! When the blood pooled in my ankle... I started searching online. I will see my doctor in a few days. See if they set me up with some physical therapy. I want to get fit... and learn to stretch out well...
Hi -- I wrote back on July 11th... about the strained calf. I'm going on almost a full 2 weeks now and I still can't really walk without a BAD LIMP. My foot is pointed outward. I'm supposed to be going on vacation next Friday and getting nervous I won't be able to go. (Hershey, PA)How will I ever walk around the park? I'm thinking my injury was a high 2.. b/c my calf and ankles have severe bruising. Wish I can post a pic! :)
ReplyDeleteany thoughts.. please let me know. thank you!
Well here it is I have cramped and pulled the calf many times, but nothing like this.
ReplyDeleteBackground I am a 39 yr old, active male. I ran 5K races last summer, but fractured my right navicular early into training this spring. I curl all winter. Last Tuesday I pulled my right calf and it was stiff, I finished the game, and stretched and worked out the stiffness, Friday morning I had a short run(foot rehab) and 20 mins of leg and hip stretches. Friday night I stretched and ran 50 yards of 'Kick Butt' running to warm up. made one lateral movement a felt like I was hit by a ball. I immediately tightened and the next play I fielded the ball and the pain was tremendous. I finished the game and applied RICE. 5 days later and the yellow blue tint of my lower leg is ugly.
Update to earlier posting:
ReplyDeleteHi, I posted on July 7th about my calf strain from a krav maga martial arts class. Just wanted to give everyone an update.
So july 26th today - now week 7 since my injury. My calf has improved a lot. Now i can walk easily without crutches, and walk pretty fast too. Took my dog for a 40 min brisk walk this morning. A week ago, i started walking on the treadmill almost daily - my physiotherapist always gets me on a treadmill just to check if my gait is proper, and I finally got myself access to a gym. Anyway, i started the week at walking 1.3 miles per hour - the speed of a normal person of my height should be 2.3 miles per hr, so i was very slow! After a week of doing this every day, i am now doing 3.3 miles per hour - much faster than the avg speed and my initial speed just days ago. So the daily workouts to activate the calf muscle in a controlled, steady setting really has helped a lot - i would recommend anyone else to do that. If you have a gym, take advantage of it - i did not initially, so I could not do this in the first few weeks. But if you do it, do it safely and don't overdo it!. I usually do a stationary bike for about 8 mins to warm up the muscles, and then get on the treadmill for 20 mins. The biking is the warm up routine my physiotherapist makes me do, so i figure that's the right approach. Of course I would like to run 8 to 10 min miles, but hey - you have to crawl before you walk, and walk before you run!
I can't do complete toe raises yet but I am about half way there. My calf is still stiff sometimes in the morning - but less so if I sleep with it on a pillow (i.e keep it elevated). As of today, any time i get on a treadmill or do a lot of walking, I still wear some kind of calf compression (the neoprene support or something lighter). I am hoping in another week or so, i won't feel like i need to wear a compression item any more, and that the muscles will be strong enough to support these activities on their own. My balance has improved as well - I can now stand on the injured leg for may be 10 seconds or more a a time. I can also walk down the stairs normally. But I still can't run down the stairs, jump up and down, go jogging, do jumping jacks etc. - so its not ready for resuming sports activities. But the good news is, slowly and surely, life is returning to normal.
So all of you out there nursing a calf strain, just hang in there - it takes time and patience, but it will get better! In the mean time, get some kind of calf support (its amazing what a simple neoprene calf support can do), and keep moving even if slowly just so your muscles stay active and don't atrophy - otherwise, without use, they tend to disappear pretty fast!
after a year, i can finally say i am calf pain free. although, once in a while - it still feels a little weak. i had no idea until reading this blog, how often and how bad calf muscle injuries can be. the doctor said these injuries take time. i should have gone for THERAPY but did not.
ReplyDeleteI to blow out my calf and even have a dent in it this will be two weeks today it seems to be getting better i can walk but the black and blue is still there i was playing basket ball know im rideing the bike my ? IS HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THE DENT IN THE CALF AND WILL IT GO AWAY WITH TIME thank every one foe the blog i have got good info
ReplyDeleteDuring my indoor game last night my calf muscle felt as if it had "balled" up. Immediately had to hobble off the field.
ReplyDeleteIs this just a pulled muscle or something more serious.
No noticeable bruising or "bulged" muscle.
Thx
First of all, thank you ever so much for this blog! I live very close to you, in Vista. For several years now I have had an off and on problem with a knot occurring in my right calf muscle, they usually take weeks to work out. I'm a hiker and rockclimber. I also have chondromalcia patella in both knees and I am still working my way back to backpacking slowly but surely since I screwed up my left knee royally three years ago. I've always hiked through the pain of anything, hiking means that much to me. Anyway while hiking down to Blacks Beach from Torrey Pines Tuesday, (almost three weeks ago), and coming to Flat Rock, I jumped up the cliffs, then I did nothing more than a simple leap from one rock to another. When my right foot hit the rock I heard a sharp crack and the pain was immediate! I yelled out right away, bent over and grabbed my calf. Somehow I managed to climb the rest of the way around the small cliff screaming obscenities the entire way. Once I hit the sand, I opened my 1st Aid Kit, consumed 4 aleve with a shot from my flask, rubbed my calf liberally with a stick of Icy Hot and wrapped it. Then being the diehard idiot that I am, I hiked the rest of the way to Blacks, my need for a nude day being great. Laying my calf gently in the hot sand felt wonderful. So did soaking it in the cold sea. I did both all day long. I went to urgent care the next day where with an ultra sound they confirmed my fears. It was indeed torn, the gastrocnemius muscle. Then they told me not to hike or rockclimb for 4 to 6 weeks. I told them as a ASM I intended to camp the coming weekend, they shook their heads and advised me to stay off of my feet. Well, I didn't hike or rockclimb anyway. But as grubmaster I was on my feet cooking or cleaning a lot. By Saturday afternoon my leg was swollen and lightly blue, my foot and ankle was even more swollen and purple. I tried to stay off of my feet even more. But by the time I came home I found that I had almost cut off circulation with the swelling and had to go back to urgent care as my foot was cold and I could not find the pulse in it. This time I let them prescribe me vicodin and crutches. For almost two weeks I stayed at home, quietly dying a small death for the inactivity. Finally I couldn't stand it anymore and went back to Blacks, this time I used the cliff trail to avoid the two mile hike. I went very very slowly as it still hurt some despite all the aleve, (I don't like using narcotics and gave those up in less than a week). But I was only slightly sore afterwards. My calf musle feels very very tight and still makes me walk funny. This thing cannot possibly heal soon enough as far as I'm concerned. Not hiking is killing me.
ReplyDeleteThree weeks ago I accidently hit my inter right calf muscle on a sharp coner of a table. I immmediately felt severe pain and by the time I walked out of the room I had a hard time walking. I didn't think too much about it and went to bed. By morning my calf and foot were twice the size of the other one. I can only tell you it was the worst pain I have ever had in my life. I applied ice and by the afternoon I went to the Doctor. They took an ultra sound of my leg and found a tear in the inside of my calf about three inches long. It was the same spot I had hit it on the table. The bleedng was bad and my foot was turning black and blue already. I was on a blood thinner due to a recient blood clot that went into my lung from knee surgery. Not my year. Anyway it's been three weeks and I still can't walk without crutches and the swelling hasn't gone down in my calf. I have tried hot and cold and elevation with not much results. I have another Dr's appointment tomorrow. Hope there is some kind of relief. If you get one of these injuries hang on it's bad news. Thanks Mark
ReplyDeleteMichael 35 from Australia here. 8 days ago on a skateboarding pub crawl i was pushing along and felt a couple of little tears in my left calf. Because I'd had a few, I ignored it and pushed off again only to feel the "pop" and go straight down like I had been shot. I couldn't walk and the pain was considerable. Straight onto crutches and saw the physio 2 days later who said I had a grade 3 soleus tear but shouldn't require surgery. He got me doing theraband pumps and towel stretches straight away and has predicted a 6-8 week recovery. Well, after 8 days, i still cannot put the tiniest bit of weight on my left leg and there is a complete band of yellow bruising from the calf to my ankle which has only just came out. My leg is stiffer and more sore than when I did it. I'm not confident that this will be healed in 5-7 weeks. The hardest thing for me is I have just started the summer holiday period and I also am a newly sponsored mountain bike racer. I have to accept that my holidays are a waste and all the hard training I have done on the bike will now be wasted as the season starts in 4 weeks. I will endeavour to update this post weekly and if anyone can shed any light on a similar experience, I'd love to hear it.
ReplyDeleteMichael 36 from Australia - update 36 days.
ReplyDeleteThanks to Alan for this forum too. Well, after 18 days, the injury had not improved 1 bit. My leg was more sore, swollen and stiff than ever. I was referred for an ultrasound for DVT and obviously the calf tear. (Medical system in Australia is a joke unless you are bleeding to death. 60 day wait for these tests but luckily my sister worked for the imaging company and got me in). No DVT but an extensive tear to my soleus and small tear to proximal achilles tendon. After seeing 5 Doctors and 3 physios, I was told by a very experienced physio that regardless of the pain, I needed to start moving my leg and putting weight on it immediately or something simple like this, could turn into a life term disability from the muscle shortening too much. With the use of a dorsiwedge boot, 1 rubber sole insert and 4 x 12mm heel wedges, I started little semi-weight bearing steps with the aid of the crutches. Every 2nd day I removed a wedge until by day 25, I got rid of the crutches and can now limp around. My injured calf has lost 2 inches in size, has little flexibility and absolutely no power in it whatsoever. I am doing daily physio/rehab and there is a small improvement each day. I am hoping I will be 100% in about 4 weeks.
after 1 1/2 years of pain - my calf muscle did heel but after reading the internet - the problem looks like its with my mensicus.... not sure what to do there
ReplyDeleteGymnast from Maryland, USA
ReplyDeleteDecember: Three inch tear to soleus & cracked fibula (doc & my research all say it's common to crack fib with soleus tear). Had MRI & x-rays to confirm. Started Physical Therapy immediately, which included ice packs, electrical stim; ultrasound sound (my research shows not proven to really help but feels good) & a leg brace at night/day as needed Crutches for 2 weeks. A lot of tubing exercises, balance exercises, stationary bicycling with therapist massaging. After 5 weeks I'm healed but am quite a bit slower in running. Will continue to do Physical Therapy and Exercises, including wobble board. Main exercise is getting my balance back. You'd be surprised how a torn soleus affects your balance. Try standing on that leg with eyes shut! With daily practice over last couple of weeks I'm back on the balance beam without worries!
Good Luck to all & remember not overlook your balance!
hello, i posted back on october 11th, 2009. thought i'd let everyone know that after my gastronemic tear in september 09, i did heal up just fine, by november as a matter of fact. i obviously got lucky and had a small tear. i still get that stupid little knot occasionally, but i take it easier on those weeks.
ReplyDeleteI am 52 years old and have been playing basketball twice a week now for about 2 years here in San Diego. I was trying to keep up with some young guys in their 20's last night. I actually strectched ptretty good before playing because I've been having some problems with shin splints. Anyway, about 2 hours into our games I lunged for a bad pass and it felt like someone kicked me in my right calf. I went down and knew I was out for the night. The guys I play with asked me if I could move my foot and stand up. I was able to do both so they said I'd be alright and I hobbled off the court. I am not in any pain and am able to walk gingerly in my right leg, so I guess I have a minor Class II tear and will be sidelined for at least a month. I will do the RICE therapy and not do any strenuous exercise until the pain is gone. I hope that works.
ReplyDeleteLike many others I've found everyone's postings very useful and informative. I "popped" my calf while on vacation at the beach. I took off to chase my 3yr daughter and thought someone had thrown a stone and hit me in the lower leg. Immediately I dropped to the sand and thought I'd ruptured my achilles but thankfully could move my ankle and feel it intact. I soon realised it was my calf that I'd damaged and immediately went bak to the house to RICE it. Having played rugby seriously for almost 20yrs I'd never really RICEd injuries properly before but for this injury without doubt this was critical to my rehab and certainly reduced the swelling, discomfort etc. I was also convinced to see a Dr straight away which again was very worthwhile. He put my leg into a split to ensure it was immobilsed for a few days (he'd torn his a few years previously so was speaking from experience). After 3-4 days (and a 24hr flight home after getting Dr to confirm there was no clotting risk) the pain had substantially reduced and I dispenced with the split and crutches and very gradually started some movement and very gentle sretching. After another 2 days (once the swelling stared to reduce) I started doing some very easy spin biking and was amased how it made it feel better and improved the ability to stretch/increase movement. Each day I continued the regime and now after almost 4 weeks I've been able to jog very gently although the calf is certainly tight so off to get a massage tomorrow. Overall, although my injury was probably a grade 2 and not as bad as some of the injuries posted, the key for me I believe was movement early and hence circulation back to aid the healing. Given that I have always stretched a lot and are very active (run approx 60-70km per week) it did come as a surprise but I'm sure within a couple of weeks of light exercise and re-stenghtening I'll be back to my normal routine. The last piece of advice is that if you do some stationary biking as mentioned, you feel a lot better in that you're doing some form of exercise and the weeks went by pretty quickly. Thanks again to everyones postings. Hope my experience helps someone and speedy recoveries to all!
ReplyDeleteHi there!
ReplyDeletePopped my calf muscle 3 days ago, during a parents against kids relay race on the beach. Just a short little sprint, a sudden "pop" and pain, not able to put any weight on the injured leg. My gosh it made me feel old! I never used to have to warm up to do a little run!
Anyways, I initially thought I would need treatment because it was so painful and I had never experienced anything like it before, but I used arnica, both tablets and cream and when I got home I put on a tight sock and one high heel shoe. Yes, it looks soooo ridiculous hobbling around with just one high heel shoe, but it has allowed me to walk without having to stretch the calf muscle. Keeping the heel up and the knee always slightly bent helped a lot, it seems it has allowed whatever popped in there to heal and only 3 days later I feel that it is much better!
SO happy I found this site! I'm a 42 year old Mom. I was kickboxing with my trainer about 2 weeks ago, in my series of 5 left kicks, I felt a snap in my calf. I grabbed my calf and knew it was not good. My trainer had me sit down. Instant swelling on my left calf, and PAIN! They elevated my leg, applied ice and I called my husband to pick me up from the gym. We went to Urgent care, they took x-rays, no break. He said it was a calf tear, prescribed anti-inflammitory and pain meds. I couldn't put weight on it at all. I called to get an appointment with my daughter's Ortho doc, she needed knee surgery a few years back from playing club soccer. I got in to see him 6 days later. He took one look and said, yep....calf tear. I still had alot of swelling and bruising was starting to set in. He put me in a boot to help me get around the house, along with the crutches I was already using at home. I couldn't put my foot flat in the boot, so he put 2 heel lifts in. He ordered physical therapy 3 times a week. I start in a few days. I still can't put much weight on my foot. I did too much moving around yesterday with the boot and now I'm paying for it today. I talked to a friend from the gym that also tore her calf muscle just 8 weeks before I did. She said to be patient and don't rush recovery. She is just coming back to classes at the gym..more boxing than kickboxing..she still has some pain and stiffness. She did physical therapy 3 times a week for 4 weeks and now 2 times a week. I'm going to purchase a calf compression/support sock this weekend, heard it helps. Still icing my calf with elevation..I do have alot of bruising along the back of my calf, mainly the left side, which is where I tore it. I will check in once I get some physical therapy under my belt. I know this injury takes time...it's a bummer...Christmas is just 1 week away and I can't get around much. Happy HEALING!
ReplyDeleteMary
A familiar story, coaching my son's football team(soccer) and after giving them a lecture about warming up properly. We had a training exercise, I thought one of boys had booted me in the back of the leg, then I felt a pop. Bang down I went and leg puffed up immediately. I actually finished the sesion and then went home and applied R.I.C.E. I had a leg about twice the normal size and bruising or blood pooling around the tear and my ankle. At work a couple of days later I follishly tried to move a desk to unplug my PC, bingo a double pop from the same calf. This time I went straight to the docs. Grade 3 tear and pretty sore. I spent Xmas and new year on the sofa. It's now week six and I'm back at work and remarkably been to the gym twice and used the bicycle exerciser. I've been told it is now weakened and to be VERY careful in the future. I'm 50 but lead a very active life
ReplyDeleteok,so, i'm 56 and in pretty good shape, i've had some soreness in my right calf at the beginning of my aerobics workout, which I have done for nearly 30 years, and feel this pop in my right calf. I wanna die, cuz know what this means-no workouts for a while. I slid to the floor and just sat there cursing. i hobbled, walking on my heel with my toes pointing to the wall to reduce the pain. Now, I'm sitting on the couch with heat applied to my leg. Does anyone know how longit'll be before I can get back to working out? at my age it doesn't take long for the pounds to start addin up, I can't not excersize. HELP11!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm 49 years old and was doing some work on my girlfriends property. Behind her house, the hillside slopes downward towards the fence line and I was setting a fence post. When I was done, I wanted to see how fast I could get back up the hill. (Maybe its a guy thing... I don't know.) Anyway, I was running back up the hill when I felt a pop in my right calf, followed by a pain like I've never felt before. I immediately hobbled to a stop while looking behind me to see what in the world just hit me in the leg! It felt like someone hit me in my right calf with a baseball bat. At the same time I was wondering if it was possible for a rattlesnake to to bite me while I was in full stride. It took me a few moments to process what had happened and to realize that something had gone terribly wrong with my muscle. Was at the hospital within the hour and told, torn calf. Did ice for first 48 hours and then went to heat. It's been over a week and not feeling much better. Have gone back to alternating ice and heat because of more swelling. Not having a good time.
ReplyDeleteIt's been almost three weeks now since I injured my leg. I was jumping round and just heard it 'pop'. After the first week or so, really struggling to even put weight down there was a big improvement about3-4 days ago, but now I think I have overdone it as I'm back to how it was originally. Its very sore, feels like cramp and I'm really struggling, even with the heel instep and crutches. I have physio again tomorrow so will see what she says but I'm in so much pain now.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed at the number of similar stories, and thankful to have found them. I am a 47 year old female. I was hitting tennis balls against the backboard, and had not stretched properly. I heard and felt the pop in the back of left calf, and went down. I was unable to bear any weight on it. I Did the RICE treatment for the first 3 days until I could get in to see the ortho. To my amazement, when he pressed against my calf and flexed my foot, I felt no pain. He told me to use the crutches for two weeks, and do foot circles to help. At the two week mark, I was still unable to walk without the aid of the crutches. Today will mark the beginning of week 3. I have been able to limp, or walk without the left leg ever being in front of the right leg for about 3 days now; however I have gone back to using crutches today, as after walking a few hundred yards from the car to the tennis courts (this time as a spectator to my high school son's match) and sitting on the bleachers, my leg began to feel so tight that I could barely walk again. It felt as if I stood up the muscle would again pop. I have also noticed while at work, sitting at my desk, the leg tightens up and feels cold as compared with my right leg. I would love to know if anyone else has experience this. I hadn't seen it mentioned in any of the blog posts I read. I also experienced the pain behind the knee, epecially when first trying to get out of bed in the morning.
ReplyDeleteThe doctor did not do an MRI, speak of physical therapy or anything other than using a stationary bike when I felt up to it and walking in a swimming pool. I'm assuming, from all that I have read, that is a stage 3 tear. I guess I expected I'd be back to normal (at least as far as walking is concerned). Should I want an MRI, or is this just a wasting of money? How long has it taken to return to walking normally?
Thanks for the information!
I partially tore my calf muscle 9 months ago. This was a devastating injury at the time. I am a very active 37 year old female, and I had never had a major injury before. I regularly take step aerobics classes, do weight training/strength training, and ballet. I’ve always had strong calf muscles and worried about the possibility of tearing my Achilles tendon (common in ballet dancers), but I didn’t even consider the chance of a calf injury. I was in the middle of a step aerobics class when my calf tore. It had been feeling slightly tight prior, which was unusual, but it didn’t seem like a big deal at the time. I had stopped briefly to stretch it a couple of times during the class. Then, all of a sudden, I felt the pop and a rush of pain. It hadn’t been during a particularly explosive motion, which surprised me until I read a lot of the other entries on this blog. It sounds like I may have had more warning than most people. Mostly, I’m writing to let everyone know what I’ve learned that was most helpful for me. Within a day, I started “stretching.” My first stretches consisted at feeble attempts to simply straighten my leg. Within several days, I got to the point that I could fully straighten my leg, but probably without really putting much weight on it. As time went on, I began to move my heel slightly behind the other foot during the stretches. I opted not to see a doctor or physical therapist. I felt like it would just cost me a lot of money to find out what I already knew. So, my self-prescribed therapy involved this stretching and gentle exercise through attempting to walk. I tried using crutches for the first day, but found they were just another encumbrance and didn’t help me get around much faster. In hindsight, I think the immediate walking exercise was really helpful in my recovery, although I had to walk slowly and with a bad limp for a while. I really thought I might never be able to completely walk normally again, much less exercise. It took maybe a month or more before I felt like I was able to walk without a slight hitch in my stride. I did get back to some weight lifting within a week and a half and back to some gentle step aerobics within 3-4 weeks. I started aerobics using just the bench, with no risers. I later graduated to one set and then back to two sets of risers, but it was a long time before I started to add any sort of bounce in my motions. Although I now see that I recovered from my injury pretty quickly, at the time, I was really depressed and felt like I would never get back to normal. So, everyone, take heart- it gets better eventually with some gentle stretching and exercise. I also figured out that I needed to stretch my calf in several ways. My usual stretch used to be hanging my heel off the back of a step. Now I also do the same stretch with a slightly bent knee to stretch my Achilles. I also stretch by standing on the floor with one knee bent and the other leg straight behind me while really leaning forward, torso as diagonal as possible. Repeat this stretch with the back leg slightly bent to stretch the Achilles. Another great stretch is placing one foot about a foot’s length behind the other and bending both knees. With these stretches combined, you should be able to stretch all parts of the calves. I had predicted that it might be a year before I felt 100% recovered from my torn calf, but I’m starting to think I might be there already. I actually couldn’t remember which calf I had injured the other day, which would have seemed unthinkable 6 months ago. Best wishes to anyone who has just been injured. I hope some of my comments are helpful to you. This blog was a life-saver for me.
ReplyDeleteEveryones comments are soo helpful!!! I am 38 year old female and have been taking TweKwonDo since 2005 but since March i have been weight training 3days a wk but just this Sept started training 5days and cardio everyday but sunday. im training for a Spring fitness competition. Last night i was at TaeKwonDo and in the middle of partner drills felt like someone had wipped a hard ball at the back of my rt calf and i actually looked behind me to see where the ball had gone even tho i knew NO ONE would do that, and my 2nd thought was did someone punch me? But that was totally absurd thought. My mind did not connect that it happened within my body not outside... i tried to take a step and instant limp. So i limped off the mat, and an instructor went and got me ice right away so i sat down and elevated it immediately. I was SOOO upset and frustrated... my 1st thought was i could still train my upper body... then all i could think about was recovery time and how it would set me back... i was supposed to test for my nxt level black belt nxt wk wed... Anyway i had it looked at by an ER Dr. they wrapped it and gav me Ibuprofen and im not one to poppin pills but im taking them anyway. I am trying to get my mind focused on relaxing and not pushing myself but not babying myself either i have crutches but im slowly gimpin and walkin inbtwn instead of using them for everything. I just THANK GOD it wasnt a tendon!!! i will take everyones advice and TAKE IT SLOW and not try to rush recovery.THANK YOU TO ALL WHO POSTED over the past4yrs it makes me feel like im not alone and i will recover!
ReplyDeleteI had this happen to me also, I wasn't able to let it heal properly (stationed on a Ship) and now my calf looks deformed, especially if I flex it. I can ride a bike (don't really use just your calf) fine but if I swim I feel something weird in my leg and it starts to hurt/cramp up. I've tried running on it but it feels like it is going to give out any second. The bad thing is that this injury happened over a year ago and I'm still dealing with it. Any ideas???
ReplyDeleteI tore my calf muscle skiing about 4 weeks ago.It looks to me like a mid to upper grade 2. I now have full range of motion but still can't put much weight on my toes. It feels ok in the morning but swells up through out the day and by the time I go to bed I can hardly walk. Does anyone know how long it takes for the swelling to go away?
ReplyDeleteI slipped over at work in january felt rip in calf was put in plaster for 5 weeks and on crutches i calasped on the 3rd week was rushed to hospital they thought i had blood clot had all tests no blood clot was found to be the pain they re plastered it after that.two weeks later re-moved cast for ultra sound they found leg was swollen like balloon was on crutches for further 3 weeks light weight baring then a cane and lots of physio and stretching excercises i go for walks which now is helping hoping to return to work soon has this happened to any one else.
ReplyDeleteHere is my story, I just had my 42nd birthday. No stamina or abilities due to several injuries. Last May 7, 2011 I had just driven down to FL from TN with my husband to visit my mother. I was there for less than an hour when I tripped in her kitchen. I fell onto the tile floor face first - dislocating my right shoulder and shattering my prox humerus. Had to have emergency ORIF surgery followed by months of therapy etc. Totally lost all of my stamina. When I was finally starting to feel normal - by Nov 2011, I tore my MCL. Knee had been sore for a month, and it just popped. Getting into bed no less. I stepped up on a little step I use to get into bed, and my MCL poppled. Next day I head to the only ortho in Memphis who will see me on such short notice. I had no idea he only worked Fridays from 1-3 pm. Wish I had known....anyway, he examined my knee by simply feeling it and took some xrays. He said it was a sprain and gave me the leg immobilizer. Never even said to ice or elevate it. He was HORRIBLE. No meds, no instructions but for a $1000.00 Bledsoe brace. He never took the MRI. I was fitted for the big immobilizer on a Friday when we realized that they never set it to full extension. I had to go back on Monday because the thing was supposed to be locked straight. The brace guy locks the thing while I'm sitting on this little stool. He tells me to get up by pulling myself up by grabbing the table. Mind you, I have a plate with 9 screws in my arm and it's only been 6 months with multiple fractures. So that basically screwed up my shoulder which already had a big subluxation. I thought I might have herniated another disc (have two herniated discs) because my back hurt like a SOB. Anyway, I went back for 4 visits and by the very end of December I was put into a small sport brace. Thought I was getting better. I had such a crappy year that we decided to take a cruise. I really felt like I needed a vacation. I went with my husband, mom and stepdad. Ready for this? A week before the trip to FL, I was walking into a room and heard the loudest two pops in my knee - felt them too. It was really bad and that night I could hardly bend my knee. I did some online research and felt like it had to be a torn meniscus. I tried to go see the ortho, but no..he only works one day a week for two hours. Nobody else would see me. I did the RICE and it seemed better in time for the cruise. Ready for this part duex? Second day on the ship..wearing knee brace...slipped on water spilled on the tile buffet floor. Went down just like before when I shattered my arm. I couldn't get up but had to have mother and husband literally pull and push me as nobody else would help. Knees super sore and bruised. Arm seemed okay but I realize now that something might be off because it makes a sound when I lay on it and I can feel something shift. Nope, that isn't the end of the story. So, I get home from the cruise at the end of February just wishing for some downtime without injury. Skip to today - March 23. I am simply WALKING in my living room. WALKING when I feel something painful at the back of my right knee (this is the bad leg). I take one more step and feel a pop i.e. something feels like it has 'let go'. I can barely walk at first. Make it to the 'lift chair' that I purchased to recover from the torn MCL. I knew as soon as I felt the pop, that something was wrong. I am not calling the previous Ortho. I have stories to tell about him but that is another thread....I made an appt on Monday with a new ortho. She is busy, of course, until Wed so I have to see the PA. Today is Fri and I have an appt on Mon. I feel 90% sure it is a torn calf muscle because the symptoms present textbook to what I've read online. I really need a break. Apparently I hurt myself at home and on vacation - just standing, walking or getting into bed. No sports stories here, just a pathetic loser who can't function! Name is Elaine by the way.
ReplyDeleteElaine again, I need to correct my story - What I mean to say was that today while walking in my living room, I felt a pain on the back of my right calf ---not knee--- followed by the pop sensation. Duh, right?
DeleteThis is almost embarassing, but I think I tore my left calf muscle riding and falling off a mechanical bull. 54 year old, fit for my age. I didn't feel the pain at first because we were in New Orleans on Bourbon Street. I was trying to stay on by digging in my heals and gripping with my calf. That was in November. Only slight swelling and bruising on the upper portion of the shin. I suffered through it for a couple of weeks, but then I was in such pain I finally went to my family doctor. He did a doppler test (normal), an x-ray (normal) and prescribed anti-inflammatory and pain medication, and after a few weeks of taking it easy, it felt much better and I felt I was healed. Now in April, the pain is back but not as severe. I think I was on my way to recovery but did a little too much too soon. Should I just continue to take it easy, or would it be worthwhile at this point to see a specialist?
ReplyDeleteMan this blog is great! U guys r my peeps! 37yr old female, tore my calf throwng groin strikes in krav maga (&no, I am not the same lady from before! Weird, huh?) I was a big time runner before I began training in krav & trained for & ran a marathon with no injuries or damage to my body. I thought I was invincible! So when I planted my foot behind me to prepare for the kick I was just mortifiied when I heard AND FELT the "pop". As I watched it swell & felt my muscle fibers tie themselves into a knot, I threw out a string of obscenities that would wrap around the earth...TWICE. Not because it hurt (& oh boy, did it ever), but I knew what it meant & I was immediately devistated! MRI & ortho dr concur that I have a grade 3 tear & will need 6wks to heal. The doc told me to ride the stationary bike. That worked out well , but I am frustrated that I am showing NO progress since my injury 7 days ago. WHY??? How long will it take for my "Barbie" shaped foot (toes pointed downward) to stand straight??? Help!
DeleteWell one guess how I arrived here!! I have torn my calf muscle only yesterday (June 2012) and it was agony!! How did I do it? Well I was walking across the road when some stupid person came too fast so I had to step up a gear it was that or get run over!! I suddenly felt a major pain in the back of my leg as if I had been hit, then felt a terrible popping sensation and at the same time I heard it as well, I have never felt or experienced anything like it before.
DeleteSo went to hospital and diagnosed torn calf muscle and damaged tendon. They have given me pain relief and crutches so now I am hobbling around as if I am 100!!
(I am actually 48 but don't feel it today!!) I can't put my foot flat on the floor but I can place my toes on the floor so with the aid of the crutches I can just about move around.
I was wondering I have read thru the exercise of hands on wall and stretching your bad leg but I can't do that it hurts too much so question how long until I try again as I don't want to cause it more grief and me more pain!!
Am I attempting this a bit too early with it only being yesterday that I did it?
If someone could answer this I would be very grateful ~ help!!
I guess it's my turn to tell my torn calf story. Geez! I had no idea about this potential issue otherwise I would have been more careful and at least tried to stretch or warm up. I'm 42 yrs old and I guess I over estimated the shape I'm in. I go the gym almost daily, I used to run 28 miles a week but a few years ago had to stop that due to plantar-fascitius (sp?) so instead I use the elipitical for about 6-7 miles at a time and do lift weights as well. Three days ago I decided to cut the grass and my front yard is a pretty steep hill so I pushed the mower up once and when I was coming back down I felt a snap and immediately felt like I had a nasty charlie horse so I hobbled off the hill and thought it would go away in a few minutes but I knew this was much more serious. After a few cuss words, I went to get a drink of water and assess what had happened. I knew I pulled my calf but I went ahead and finished my yard work for the rest of the day, dragging my sore leg behind. I know, stupid! I had not heard of RICE before so it was not until the next day that I started putting ice on it, I used IcyHot the first day to due nothing. Yesterday I went & got a compression wrap so my calf is not as swollen but still pretty swollen. I do not have any bruising and the pain is very dull providing I do not walk on it. I can put my whole foot down without issue. The calf is very sensitive to the touch. I guess I'm in for a long, tedious journey with this healing process after reading everyone's posts. There goes my summer I guess. It's funny though it seems everyone of the posts I read it seems like we are all pretty active folks and you would think the likely hood of this happening to us would be reduced. I guess the takaway is we are not kids anymore and simple tasks can sideline us. I now understand old people much better. Good luck and hope you all heal fast!
ReplyDeleteInterestingly enough, I am dealing with plantar fasciitis (both feet) right now, myself, anon! I have always had very flat feet, but it hasn't been a problem until recently.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I have am no longer jogging during the week, and I bough orthopedic inserts for my soccer cleats which has alleviated a lot of the pain. I'm still playing soccer once a week, and am now surfing during my lunches which has helped my ankles as well.
I dont play football or anything, I just tripped in a dip in a pavement and I've torn my calf muscle :/ I know you have to do r.I.c.e ( rest ice elevation etc) but im not sure how long it would take to heal... Also im currently on crutches, should I be going for an xray? .....
ReplyDeleteI am a 32 year old ballet dancer.During rehearsal i felt something wrong with calf muscle . The doctor told me i have a grade 1 rupture of gaestrocnemius.It's been 5 days and next sutarday I have a performance.........will I be able to fully use my muscle without pain?
ReplyDeleteI'm on my third-day of my injury, and bored to death with my limited mobility. I pulled a muscle while playing badminton. I just hit the shuttle with a jumping smash and on my descent I felt my right calf muscle locked into a high position (like a cramp), and my toes are pointing down. I tried to adjust my position so I could land with my left leg bearing my weight but I ended up going down on my knee.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was a cramp, and we ended the night thinking I had a very bad one. So I went home limp and has been doing the RICE protocol since day 1. Luckily, I can now bear my weight (knees bent) by my second day but could only do baby steps - couldn't stretch my right leg to push off. Generally, I have no pain except when I forget that I shouldn't straighten my leg or point my toes toward my shin, then I feel that terrible pain.
I haven't seen a doctor, because of the symptoms I have since to indicate a grade 2 medial gastrocnemius strain. And all the posts I've seen on the Internet, they we're told to just do RICE.
I'm male, 39yo, moderately active and slightly overweight. I play 2-3x a week, and looking back at my last game, I think I may not have warmed up properly earlier, although the injury already happened on my second game.
I hate being in the Metro over the holidays but now I'm stucked. Arghh. Looking back to getting this over in the next 4-6 weeks.
Hi, i tore my calf falling whilst skiing. It was the third day into a week's holiday so very frustrating. i rice' d for a day and did manage gentle skiing for a couple of days of hours on the last two days. It was easier to ski than walk. Since returning home I have been stretching and swimming, i have been amazed at how well the muscle heals compared to ligaments. Six weeks on I am training for a cycling holiday and have started using cleats. I noticed yesterday the torn muscle is now much larger than the other one. It doesn't hurt although its stiff sometimes in the morning. It look a bit strange! Not sure what to do now as I don't want it getting too much bigger. I am going to move the cletes back to reduce the load on the calf and see what happens. Im in the London 100 in August so need those cletes.
ReplyDeleteSo today in Physical Education, we were playing kickball. I had experienced muse soreness earlier in the day and had ignored it, but I slid into home and a sharp pain occurred in the back of my lower leg. I had to sit out for the rest of class because I was limping. Did I tear my calf?
ReplyDelete30 years old, tore my calf at the end of day 2 on a 2.5 day ski trip out west. I'm 30, I ski terrain parks and backcountry. I onow I wasn't properly hydrated, but the force of my fall was enough to make me think my leg was going to break in two. I made every mistake imaginable in the following days, but upon flying back to Boston, I took a trip to the ER. Boot, advil, and RICE. I flew out to Puerto Rico that morning hoping to rest my leg for the week. The next morining I felt good, so walked up the stairs, and cruised a golf cart around all day. Big mistake. Iced for a few days and crutched around. I ended up aggrivating it slipping. I booted the whole trip back to Boston, and have been icing and elevating for the past 48 hours. I've seen no bruising at all 1.5 weeks out, but did have some ankle swelling a day after aggrivating my tear. Gameplan is simply to use my boot/crutches anytime i'm out of bed or off the couch. After reading this blog, I realize how important it is to stay off of my calf completely. I'll update progress, as I'm hoping to get back on the slopes.
ReplyDeleteJust a note to thank everyone for their stories.
ReplyDeleteI too recently (2 weeks ago) tore my left calf muscle playing tennis after being well warmed up. Heard the pop, collapsed to the ground. After 5 minutes motionless, could walk home with an extreme limp - foot out in front, turned out, torso leaning back. I didn't have much swelling and no bruising. Oddly enough, after two weeks, my shin is sore in the morning, but otherwise no pain unless I try to take a step heel first.
I will do the stretches that were suggested in Alan's original article above, and probably try cycling. Looks like it's time to stop hobbling around and time to start rehabilitating. I also found a neat video where the guy suggested walking backwards and eventually jogging backwards for warm up. It kinda contradicts the wall stretching suggestions...I think I'll blend the two approaches and do what works for me. http://sock-doc.com/no-stretching-calves-for-runners/
Update: Got the results of the Ultrasound and it's a 3.5 X 6.2 X 0.8 cm tear of the Gastrocnemius muscle.
DeleteRecommended rehab is NOT to do stretches, but to strengthen through exercise and resuming normal activities as much as possible.
Bottom line: I feel a lot better in the last few days just from trying to resume normal activities. Will be starting physio in a couple days.
Final update:
ReplyDeleteI went to Physio once a week for a couple months and the recommendation from them is to YES do stretches and work to strengthen the calf.
So - in the end my conclusion is this:
1) Get diagnosed properly (closure came for me when it was confirmed to be a tear)
2) Do something to rehabilitate it - either exercises on your own or physio or massage or ...
3) Get second opinions (as there is a lot of advice out there) and listen to your body.
Drink lots of water. Keeping yourself hydrated at all times is the key to preventing dehydration-induced calf muscle cramps.
ReplyDeleteCalf Strain
Lifelong sports guy here. 1st strain @38- ran a 10K pretty hard pace, about 3/4 of the way through my calf was burning bad... I just figured I was working hard. Finished fine but felt like I had overworked my calves and stretching felt iffy. Never felt that before. Next morning bee-bopping down the steps feeling spry, and POP! Immediate. I did the home remedy stuff, RICE, stretching, thought I was back after a month or so. No. Aggravated it a couple more times over the next few years, once on the beach playing kickball in the soft sand. I then injured my other calf. Now both feel like they're only about 70% back and always feel like they could 'go' at any minute. Even aggravated it trying to get back to jogging... dang.
ReplyDeleteMy 1st was at about age 38, now I'm 46 and have injured both a few times, none as bad as that first one though. FUN!