How long does it take to recover from a calf tear?
Nov 17, 2021 · The most important first step in rehabbing calf strains is to differentiate which muscle is injured, as management will be slightly different. Once that is established, it is also beneficial to ascertain the severity of the injury.
How do I rehabilitate a calf strain?
Oct 15, 2018 · Initial (Acute Phase) Treatment. Immediately after the injury (first 24-72 hours) treatment should include: Relative rest. Limit the use of the injured calf, by limiting standing and walking and possibly using crutches if needed. Ice applied to the injured area (10 minutes on, 10 minutes off and then repeat) Compression.
What are the treatment options for a calf muscle tear?
Aug 02, 2021 · When Should I Start Rehab After Calf Strain? There’s a three to five-day recovery time for a first-degree injury. A Moderate degree is achieved when you have reached the second degree. Even though this type of injury requires further reconstruction of muscles, there is still the most significant tear.
Can you play with a torn calf muscle?
Nov 13, 2018 · Grade 2 Calf Strain Recovery Time – Approximately 4 to 8 Weeks: Grade two calf muscle tears result in partial tearing of your muscle fibres. Full recovery normally takes several weeks with good rehabilitation.
When can I start stretching after calf strain?
Your calf muscle needs time to heal before any extra force is applied to it. Never stretch when there is still pain or inflammation in your calf. Once the pain and inflammation subside, rather than stretching, a safer option would be to start with gentle range of movement activities of your foot, ankle and knee.Nov 25, 2021
How long after a calf tear can you walk?
You can usually resume cross-training from 2-3 weeks post-injury but keep it pain-free and avoid impact and resistance work. From 3-4 weeks after calf injury the scar tissue will usually have developed enough to handle a little more load, at this stage you may benefit from starting static calf stretches if comfortable.Sep 30, 2012
How do you rehab a calf muscle?
0:262:22Calf Strain Rehabilitation Exercises - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipCan be done against a wall on a step or anything similar as long as you can feel a gentle pull orMoreCan be done against a wall on a step or anything similar as long as you can feel a gentle pull or stretch in the muscle. This is done by performing the same stretches.
Why is my calf tear not healing?
0:585:44Why is My Calf Strain not Healing? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhy is my calf strain not healing. And by far the most common reason has been because they've justMoreWhy is my calf strain not healing. And by far the most common reason has been because they've just not strengthened it to a high enough level to be able to do their sports.
How long should you stay off a torn calf muscle?
In the less severe cases it usually takes up to three days for a pulled calf muscle to start feeling better. In the most severe cases that don't require surgery a full recovery may take up to six weeks. In the case that the injury requires surgery the recovery period may extend up to six months to a full year.
How do I run again after a calf strain?
Some tips for returning to run post calf injury:Avoid long slow continuous running initially, especially for soleus injuries as they don't like long periods of time on feet.Run throughs of 60-80m distances are best for building early running capacity, using passive rest between reps and sets.More items...•Jul 15, 2021
Can I cycle with a calf strain?
Symptoms you have damaged your calf muscles If you injure your calf muscle it is important to stop cycling and not to put any weight on your leg. As soon as you can, rest and cool the area with an ice pack or cold water.Mar 9, 2018
Is walking good for calf strain?
For the first few days, reduce the amount of walking you do. Gently move your ankle regularly to avoid stiffness. Avoid forceful and strenuous activity such as running and jumping until you can walk without it causing any pain.
How long does it take to heal a calf injury?
The recovery time for a mild calf injury is a few days to a week. You may only have to take special care to treat the injury in the first day or two. So long as you don't reinjure the area by resuming vigorous physical activity too soon, your body will take care of the rest.
How to prevent calf muscle injury?
How to Prevent a Torn Calf Muscle 1 Warm up and stretch for at least 5 minutes before engaging in exercise or sport, and set aside time for a cool-down period of stretching to prevent cramping. 2 Use a chair stretch to loosen up your hamstrings. It's important to stretch your whole leg and body before working out, as every bit of the body is connected to the rest, and tension in one area could cause an injury in another. 3 Wall stretches allow you to focus on loosening up the back of the leg from heel to hip. 4 The floor or supine stretch helps condition your leg muscles for the prevention of injury. 5 A standing calf stretch is not only targeted for calf strength but can also be easily done just about anywhere throughout the day. 6 Supplement with amino acids to help support muscle recovery and repair with a full host of the building blocks of new protein synthesis.
What is pulled calf muscle?
Pulled calf muscle: Another name for a calf muscle strain, a pulled calf muscle is caused by "pulling" or overstretching the muscle beyond its natural limits. Calf muscle tear: Any strain involves some measure of tearing, but the more serious ones are partial or complete tears that may require surgery to fix.
What muscle is used to flex the ankle and knee?
The calf is attached via the Achilles tendon to the heel of the foot. The calf muscle allows us to flex the ankle and the knee, and to run, jump, and rise to our tippy toes. It's an integral part of daily movement.
What causes calf pain?
Here's a breakdown of the different soft tissue injuries that could be causing calf pain. Calf muscle strain: Straining the calf muscle involves a tearing of the calf muscle fibers. Muscle strains can exist along a spectrum from mild cases of light pain and soreness to severe cases of complete tear. Pulled calf muscle: Another name ...
What does it mean when your calf is pulled?
A milder pulled calf injury may come with symptoms like redness, bruising, mild swelling, and an inability to stand up on the ball of your foot. Depending on the severity of the injury, these types of sprains can usually be treated at home with RICE and other healing aids. RICE stands for:
How to prevent calf cramps?
Here are some stretches and strengthening exercises you can use to help minimize the risk of calf injury and hopefully prevent future sprains and injuries. Warm up and stretch for at least 5 minutes before engaging in exercise or sport, and set aside time for a cool-down period of stretching to prevent cramping.
How long does it take to recover from a calf strain?
Calf strains have a good prognosis and people often make a full recovery! Generally speaking, strains can vary in recovery times from a couple of weeks up to several months if there is a more significant injury . The first step after this injury is to ensure you receive a proper diagnosis, as the calf muscle is actually ‘3 muscles in one’, and therefore, you must establish which one of these muscles has been insulted. From there, a physical therapist can help you optimize your recovery with appropriate exercise and activity modification. If you’re looking for a program to teach you how to rehab calf strains immediately, check out our calf rehab program!
What type of muscle fibers are used in calf strain rehab?
Progressing to plyometric based movements is vital for calf strain rehab, especially for the gastrocnemius, as this muscle has abundant type II muscle fibers, which are utilized for power-based movements such as jumping or sprinting! Read more about plyometric exercise progressions HERE!
What is the calf injury?
In the text titled Sports Injuries by Dreddie and David, the authors described that the calf injury was first described in the year 1883 as it was associated with the sport of tennis, thus receiving the name ‘ten nis leg’. This particular injury is in relation to the gastrocnemius muscle, with a common mechanism of injury of knee extension (straight knee position) and ankle dorsiflexion. The gastrocnemius is particularly more susceptible to strains due to it crossing 2 joints. In addition, in contrast to the soleus muscle that is more of an ‘endurance’ muscle, the gastrocnemius has an abundance of type II muscle fibers (fast-twitch), which are utilized specifically for speed and power-based activity. Muscle strains are more likely to occur in these types of muscles that are fast-twitch and cross multiple joints.
How to tell if soleus is straining?
Common signs and symptoms of a soleus strain include: Non-specific, gradual onset of a ‘dull ache’ sensation behind the lower leg closer to the Achilles tendon. Pain with resisted plantarflexion (pushing down with foot) while the knee is bent. Pain that becomes worse with activity and subsides with rest.
What is the difference between gastrocnemius and soleus?
What is unique about the gastrocnemius in contrast to the soleus is that it is a 2-joint muscle, as it crosses both the knee joint as well as the ankle joint. This is similar to the rectus femoris at our hip, which acts as a hip flexor and knee extender.
What muscle is the calf muscle?
The ‘calf muscle’ is actually a complex of 3 muscles, which includes the gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris. These muscles each travel down the back of the lower leg and join the Achilles tendon, which then inserts onto our calcaneus (heel bone). The gastrocnemius muscle has two heads: a medial head and lateral head, ...
What is a graded calf strain?
Most calf strains are graded level I through III, with I being a mild strain and level III being complete tearing of the muscle. Most calf strains can be treated conservatively, but with some grade III injuries, these may need to be managed surgically.
How to heal a strained calf muscle?
Reducing pain and symptoms may be achieved by off loading the strained calf musculature through rest, taping techniques, and appropriate soft tissue massage techniques. While somewhat lacking scientific evidence for soft tissue recovery modalities such as dry needling or western acupuncture can be popular amongst runners and may also be useful.
How long does it take for calf pain to start after running?
Marathoners may often have onset of calf pain within the first 24hours after their long run or even after a race. A runner that cannot continue to run and pulls up limping at the time of injury is likely to have incurred a greater grade injury than the runner who feels a ‘pull’ and is able to run on.
What are the muscles in the back of the leg?
The muscles at the back of the leg are comprised of a superficial and a deep group of muscles. The superficial group is comprised of: the soleus and gastrocnemius (pictured above) and also the lesser referenced and lesser sized plantaris muscle. The deep group of calf musculature is comprised of: tibialis posterior.
What muscle is the calf muscle?
Calf muscle anatomy. A calf muscle strain can occur to either of the two primary ‘calf muscles’; the soleus or the gastrocnemius (see anatomy images below): (i) soleus muscle. (ii) Gastrocnemius (medial and lateral heads) The muscles at the back of the leg are comprised of a superficial and a deep group of muscles.
What are the three intramuscular structures of the soleus muscle?
and the popliteus muscle. Of note anatomically is that within the soleus muscle there are three intramuscular tendinous structures: medial and lateral aponeuroses, and a distal central tendon, shown below: Soleus intramuscular tendons: (1) medial and lateral aponeuroses, (2) central tendon.
Why does my calf hurt when I run?
The runner will typically report an acute onset of pain in the region of the calf brought on by activity, often times jumping or accelerating when running. For runners the injury more frequently arises during faster interval training, racing, or high-speed tempo runs.
Where does the majority of running force propulsion come from?
Greater than 50% of running force propulsion is generated from ‘below the knee’ plantar flexor musculature. Given the force developed by the calf it is understandable that the calf can be a potential site of muscular injury for a runner.
How long does it take to recover from a calf injury?
The timeframe for this varies from around 1-4 weeks depending on the injury and the individual. When you do return to running avoid hill training and speed work initially as this places a greater stress on the calf muscle. Moderately severe calf injuries need to be treated with a little more caution.
How to treat a calf injury?
Treatment of a calf injury depends largely on severity (timescales detailed below are approximate and may vary considerably between individuals) but I follow these principles of treatment for calf injuries; Maintain calf flexibility and strength where possible but exercise within pain limits.
What are the symptoms of a calf injury?
Symptoms of DVT include pain, swelling and tenderness in the calf often accompanied by warmth and redness of the skin. Unfortunately these are often common symptoms after a calf injury even without DVT.
What are the muscles of the calf?
Later pieces will examine non-traumatic calf pain and rehab of strength and flexibility. The calf is made up of 2 large muscles – gastrocnemius and soleus and a smaller muscle called plantaris. Gastrocnemius is the more superficial of the muscles with soleus sitting beneath it.
Why does my calf hurt when I run?
The calf is usually injured with sudden movements that dorsiflex the ankle (bend it up) while weightbearing. With the gastroc this often happens with the knee straight as the muscle is then stretched over 2 joints. Activities like rapid lunges (common during racquet sports) or acceleration to sprint when running are common causes of calf injury. It may also occur when the muscle is fatigued after distance running.
How long should I hold my gastroc and soleus muscles?
In which case stretch both the gastroc and soleus muscles, using the techniques above and holding for around 30 seconds for 3-5 reps. You can often progress strength work at this point, if comfortable try single leg calf raises on your weaker side.
How long does it take for a calf to bleed?
This might include going up or down stairs, moving the ankle or pressure on the calf area. The first 2-3 days are likely to involve bleeding within the muscle and significant swelling. In these acute stages you’ll need to be more attentive to rest, elevation and ice and I wouldn’t recommend cross training.
How long does it take to heal a calf tear?
Significant improvement can be expected within the first two weeks, but full recovery can take up to 6-8 weeks. It may take many more months to regain muscle strength in the calf. Occasionally, excessive scarring will form in the location of the tear.
How to heal a calf muscle tear?
In most instances, initial treatment includes activity modification (limiting muscle-loading activities), wearing a boot ( Cam Walker ), and using crutches. As the muscle tear heals, physical therapy exercises are utilized to regain full range of motion and muscular strength. Significant improvement can be expected within the first two weeks, but full recovery can take up to 6-8 weeks. It may take many more months to regain muscle strength in the calf. Occasionally, excessive scarring will form in the location of the tear. This can cause chronic pain in the area, or render it more likely for future tearing as the fibrotic scar tissue absorbs forces differently than regular healthy muscle tissue.
What is a calf tear?
Calf (Gastrocnemius) muscle tears commonly occur in middle-aged recreational athletes while performing actions that require forceful contraction of the calf muscle (ex: basketball, hill running, tennis, etc.). Calf muscle tears have similar symptoms and occur by a similar mechanism to Achilles tendon ruptures.
How to treat a calf injury?
Immediately after the injury (first 24-72 hours) treatment should include: 1 Relative rest. Limit the use of the injured calf, by limiting standing and walking and possibly using crutches if needed. 2 Ice applied to the injured area (10 minutes on, 10 minutes off and then repeat) 3 Compression. Light compression with a wrap may be helpful 4 Elevation. Elevate the leg at, or slightly above, the level of the heart. For example, by lying on a bed with the foot propped up by a couple pillows. 5 Gentle foot and ankle range of motion (ROM) exercises can be carried out as long as the motion is relatively pain-free 6 Immobilize the ankle in a neutral position. Studies have shown an increased rate of healing with the ankle braced in a neutral position (ex. foot at a right angle to the lower leg). Your physician may recommend placing your leg in a splint (soft cast) or boot to achieve this position. A splint or boot also serves to protect the injury. In some cases a half inch heel lift to relax the tension behind the calf is appealing to some patients.
What is the tear on the inside of the calf?
Patients with calf muscle tears usually describe a sudden, sharp pain on the inside aspect of the calf.
How long should calf strength and flexibility last?
Calf strengthening and calf stretching should continue for several months.
Where does the Gastrocnemius tear occur?
If we consider classic Achilles tendon rupture the lower end of Achilles tendon injury, the typical Gastrocnemius tear or calf muscle tear happens to the other or higher end of Achilles tendon. The typical location of this injury is where the muscle belly attaches to the fascia (musculotendinous junctions) of the Achilles tendon.
How long does it take to recover from calf tears?
Full recovery normally takes several weeks with good rehabilitation. Return to high load or high-speed sport should be guided by your physiotherapist to prevent an unnecessary retear, which is reasonably common in moderate calf tears.
How long does it take to heal a grade 1 calf strain?
Grade 1 Calf Strain Recovery Time – Approximately 1 to 3 Weeks: Grade one calf muscle tears are a result of mild overstretching resulting in some small micro tears in the calf muscle fibres. Symptoms are normally quite disabling for the first two to three days. In most cases, your recovery will take approximately one to two weeks if you do all ...
How to treat a calf strain?
Here’s something that no one else talks about. If you don’t follow a guided recovery program and continue to train on your injured calf, you can transform your injury from mild to severe, very quickly. In other words: 1 If you have a grade 1 calf strain, you can push it into grade 2 status. 2 If you have a grade 2 strain, you can push it into grade 3 status. 3 If you have a grade 3 strain you won’t be able to run, but if you do, you could do lifelong damage.
How long does it take to raise a calf?
Now before you freak out about this requirement, keep this thought in mind. It takes about 3 minutes to do 30 calf raises, and it isn’t very taxing physically or psychologically.
How to train a calf?
In my case, I’ve created a basic training rule that I follow religiously. Until your calves are super strong, you aren’t allowed to train 2 days in a row. Once every second day is the absolute most that you can allow for. In fact, when you start your come back, one very slow run every 3-4 days is a good guideline for the first 2 weeks .
What happens if you go balls to the wall?
You must take this message to heart. If you go balls to the wall during your first 4 weeks back, you could very easily re-injure your calf. By significantly reducing your speed, you will decrease the total force applied to your calves and decrease the risk of injury.
Can you push a calf into grade 2?
In other words: If you have a grade 1 calf strain, you can push it into grade 2 status. If you have a grade 2 strain, you can push it into grade 3 status.
What causes calf muscle pain?
calf strain is caused by a tearing of part of the gastrocnemius or soleus muscle from the top of the Achilles tendon. A sudden sharp pain at the back of the leg when running, sprinting or lunging is how the injury presents and occurs. Usually there is tenderness on the calf muscle; especially on the inner side. You may think you've just been hit in the leg. Often, there is an audible "pop," and you may turn around to see what has just hit you. There is a sudden pain at the back of the leg, you may have difficulty in contracting the muscle or standing on tiptoe, and there may be pain, swelling or bruising in the calf muscle. This injury is common in running sports that require quick acceleration of changes in direction. Calf strain is also referred to as "Tennis Leg," because it is so common among tennis players. It usually occurs in people between the ages of 30 – 45.
What is the time line for rehabilitation?
The ‘time line’ that is illustrated in the following rehabilitation program is typical after grade 2 and 3 injuries. After a grade 1 injury, rehabilitation can usually begin at phase three.
Which muscle is the calf muscle?
The calf muscles consist of the Gastrocnemius, which is the big muscle at the back of the lower leg, and the Soleus muscle, which is a smaller muscle lower down in the leg and under the Gastrocnemius. Either of these two muscles can be strained (torn).
How to heal calf muscle?
Heat packs, on the other hand, should be applied much later to help the muscle fibres relax and regenerate. Heat also soothes pain and aid recovery. Stretch - For mild calf strain, stretches can help to promote recovery. This stimulates blood flow, releasing tension and preventing the build-up of scar tissue.
How to help a calf that is injured?
Many upper body exercises can be performed whilst sitting down to alleviate any pressure on your injured calf. Swimming or water exercises – the buoyancy of the water helps to support your weight allowing you to exercise without putting as much strain or pressure on your muscles and joints as you do when running.
Why do you wear insoles with arch supports?
Wearing insoles with arch supports can correct the posture of your feet and make you less likely to strain your calf muscles. Many insoles also have shock absorbers in the heel to prevent stress from being transmitted up your legs. If necessary, arch supports can be custom made.
Why does my calf hurt when I run?
Why does calf strain occur? Calf strain among runners is extremely common and often occurs as a result of over-exertion when running or from not warming up muscles properly before a run. In particular, starting to run too soon after an injury causes the most severe and lasting injuries.
How to get rid of calf pain?
If all seems well then try a hilly walk as this works the calf muscles harder. If the muscles feel strong and pain-free, you could contemplate running. Warm-up by walking for at least 5 minutes then start by running half the distance you normally would at a gentle pace and see how your leg feels.
How long should I walk to test my calf?
A good rule of thumb, however, is to begin by walking for 30-60 minutes to test the calf. If all seems well then try a hilly walk as this works the calf muscles harder.
How long does it take to run after a muscle strain?
More severe cases of muscle strain will require more care and attention. It can take 4-12 weeks before you are fit to run again. As with minor strains, you should only begin to run once your leg is completely pain free.
