In the meantime, you can use the following home treatments:
- Ice or cold compresses. Wrap these in a soft cloth and place on your calf for 10 minutes. ...
- Heat pads. Make sure the setting is on low and that you don’t fall asleep with a heating pad on your leg. ...
- Leg wraps. ...
- Prop your leg up above heart level. ...
- Rest for at least a full day. ...
- Take over-the-counter pain medications. ...
What can I do to fix a torn calf muscle?
How are pulled calf muscles treated? Rest: Once you feel calf pain, stop doing physical activity and rest your leg. Don’t push through pain, which can make the problem worse. You might be ... Ice: Put an ice pack or cold compress on your calf muscles for …
How long does a torn calf muscle take to heal?
Jul 20, 2016 · The best way to recover from a torn calf muscle is by protection, rest, ice, compression, and elevation (PRICE). If treated properly, it can take up to three weeks to heal Grade 1 calf pulls, four to six weeks to heal Grade 2 muscle strains, and three to four months to heal Grade 3 tears.
How to heal, protect, and strengthen a strained calf muscle?
Immediate treatment for pulled calf muscles usually includes RICE, which stands for: Rest: Stop running or physical activity to avoid further damaging the calf. Ice: Apply an ice pack or cold compress for 20 minutes every two hours. Don’t apply ice directly to your skin. Compression: Reduce swelling ...
How do you treat a torn calf?
Aug 06, 2019 · The treatment of a torn calf muscle will vary depending on the severity of the injury. The initial treatment of a torn calf muscle consists of rest, ice, heat, and elevation. Some more serious calf muscle tears may require surgery. Identifying a Calf Muscle Tear The first step in treating a muscle tear in the calf is identifying the injury.
How long does it take for a torn calf muscle to heal?
The best way to recover from a torn calf muscle is by protection, rest, ice, compression, and elevation (PRICE). If treated properly, it can take up to three weeks to heal Grade 1 calf pulls, four to six weeks to heal Grade 2 muscle strains, and three to four months to heal Grade 3 tears.Jul 20, 2016
Can you walk on a torn calf muscle?
You can still walk with a mild strain, but it may be uncomfortable. Other signs of a pulled calf muscle include: mild swelling. redness.
Should I see a doctor for a torn calf muscle?
In most cases, people can treat a pulled calf muscle at home with rest, cold and hot packs, compression, and elevation. A person may find over-the-counter pain medications helpful as well. If the injury is severe or the pain does not improve over time, it is best to see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.Nov 15, 2018
How do you know if you have torn your calf muscle?
Signs and symptoms A sudden pain at the back of the leg, particularly at the muscular tendinous junction. Difficulty in contracting the muscle or standing on tiptoe. Pain and swelling or bruising in the calf muscle. Pain on resisted plantar flexion or contracting the muscles against resistance.Jun 29, 2016
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.
Should you wear a boot for a torn calf muscle?
You may have been given a boot, possibly with heel wedges. It is not needed to aid healing but it will improve your symptoms. You may walk on the foot as comfort allows. You will find it easier to walk with crutches in the early stages.
Can you get a blood clot from a torn calf muscle?
In very rare cases, torn calf muscle complications can include: Compartment syndrome, or severe swelling that prevents blood from reaching muscles. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or a blood clot deep in your leg. Superficial thrombophlebitis, or a blood clot in a vein near the surface of your skin.Aug 24, 2021
What is the difference between a calf strain and a tear?
Symptoms. A calf strain usually starts with sudden pain in the back of the lower leg. A pop, snap or tearing sensation may be felt. Occasionally, with a severe tear, it may feel like you have been shot in the back of the leg.Mar 15, 2018
Can you walk with a grade 3 calf strain?
A grade 3 calf strain is a severe injury involving a complete tear to half or all of the calf muscle. Crutches or even a moon boot may be required to enable walking due to severe pain and weakness. Immediate swelling and bruising will be present within 24 hours.Apr 13, 2019
How do I know if my calf pain is serious?
Symptoms that might indicate a more severe condition include:swelling.unusual coolness or pale color in the calf.tingling or numbness in the calf and leg.weakness of the leg.fluid retention.redness, warmth, and tenderness of the calf.
How to treat a torn calf muscle?
In addition, you can also treat your calf injury by: Taking an anti-inflammatory drug, such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Wearing a brace or use crutches. Doing rehabilitating exercises, such as calf stretches and heel lifts.
How to treat a calf injury?
For most cases, make sure you’re following the PRICE treatment. In addition, you can also treat your calf injury by: 1 Taking an anti-inflammatory drug, such as ibuprofen or naproxen 2 Wearing a brace or use crutches 3 Doing rehabilitating exercises, such as calf stretches and heel lifts
Why does my calf tear?
Calf Muscle Tear Explained. Muscle tears or strains are caused by undue pressure that usually occurs during physical activity. This damage results in a partial or full tear of the muscle fibers and attached tendons.
What are the grades of calf strains?
There are three grades of a calf muscle strain: Grade 1 Pull: Damage to a few muscle fibers. Grade 2 Strain: Damage to a larger number of muscle fibers. Grade 3 Tear: Complete tear in the muscle.
How to tell if you pulled a muscle?
Symptoms won’t be recognized until the individual stops the activity that caused the pull. Grade 2 symptoms include immediate pain (especially when stretched or contracted). Bruises may also appear where the muscle was strained, causing the area to be sore to the touch. Grade 3 symptoms include an immediate burning sensation and stabbing pain ...
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What are the symptoms of a torn calf muscle?
Notable symptoms for a strained or torn calf muscle are stiffness, swelling, pain, and bruising. However, depending on the severity of the injury, it can result in more specific symptoms based on grade: Grade 1 symptoms include a cramping sensation, tightness, and slight pain when the calf muscles stretch and contract.
How to treat calf pain?
Rest: Stop running or physical activity to avoid further damaging the calf. Ice: Apply an ice pack or cold compress for 20 minutes every two hours. Don’t apply ice directly to your skin. Compression: Reduce swelling and fluid buildup by applying a compression bandage or wrap to the injured area.
What is pulled calf muscle?
What is a pulled calf muscle? A pulled calf muscle, or a calf muscle strain, occurs when the muscles in your calf — the soleus and gastrocnemius — get overstretched. The calf muscles are in your lower leg behind your shin bone and extend from the base of your thigh down to your heel. They help you flex and bend your foot, ankle and knee.
Why do I have calf strains?
Calf muscle strains usually occur when someone suddenly moves or overstretches their calf after standing still. Quick pivots, jumps or abrupt stops can cause strains. This injury is especially common when your toes get forced upward (toward your body) and your ankle pulls your calf muscles down too quickly.
What happens when you pull your calf?
A pulled calf muscle happens when you overstretch the muscles in the back of your lower leg. It’s a common injury with athletes that do a lot of stop-and-go movements, but it can also affect older, active individuals. Most calf strains heal with rest, ice, compression and elevation. In rare cases, calf muscle tears require surgery.
Can a calf tear cause pain?
A calf strain can cause pain and prevent you from running, jumping and doing other activities. A severely pulled calf muscle can result in partial or complete tears. A torn calf muscle may require surgery. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission.
Identifying a Calf Muscle Tear
The first step in treating a muscle tear in the calf is identifying the injury. Some of the symptoms of a calf muscle tear include:
The Initial Treatment
Anyone who is experiencing the symptoms mentioned above should stop using the leg immediately. Continuing to use the torn muscle will make the injury worse. It will be important to remove stress from the muscle. This is where a brace or a set of crutches can be helpful.
Other Treatment Options
Muscle tears often take several weeks to heal. During this time, the doctor will probably prescribe a physical therapy program. With the help of a trained physical therapist, strength will gradually return to the lower leg.
Sacramento Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Injury Lawyer. A torn calf muscle is a painful injury that may require surgery to repair. If someone you know has gone through surgery to correct an injury following an accident, contact me at (800) 404-5400 or (916) 921-6400 for free, friendly legal advice.
How to treat calf pain?
Wrap the ice pack in a thin towel and hold on the calf area at the back of your leg. Depending on the extent of strain in the calf muscles, you may have to apply the ice pack daily for the first few days to help control pain, swelling, and inflammation.
What does it mean when your calf is torn?
Calf muscle tear. A torn muscle in the calf describes a serious muscle injury that causes muscle tissue in the back of your leg to tear away from tendons. The torn calf muscle may also show signs of bruising in your lower leg behind the knee. A severe tear in the calf muscle may even prevent you from walking at all. 1.
Why does my calf hurt?
Calf muscle injuries can happen when straining tight leg muscles by accelerating fast or suddenly changing direction. Pulling or tearing a calf muscle can cause a sudden sharp pain in the back of your leg. Depending on the extent of injury to your calf muscle, you might have mild to intense pain.
What happens if you tear your calf?
You might even hear your calf muscle “pop” when it tears. This kind of bad calf muscle injury usually results in swelling, bruising, and a lot of pain.
How long does it take for a calf muscle to heal?
A grade 1 calf muscle injury will take between one and 3 weeks to heal. Grade 2 calf muscle injury. A partial tear of the calf muscle results in a moderate, or grade 2 calf muscle injury. Pain will be significant and will cause weakness in the lower leg muscle and make walking difficult.
Where is the calf muscle located?
Your calf muscles are located at the back of your lower leg and are needed to move your legs when walking, running, or jumping.
What is the soleus muscle?
The soleus is a much smaller calf muscle and is located under the gastrocnemius. Both of the muscles in the calves taper at the bottom and join to your Achilles tendon. 1. The function of your calf muscles is to provide mobility to your legs and enable you to freely walk, run, or jump.
How to treat a torn calf?
A professional therapist may use Ultrasound to treat your torn calf. It transmits high-frequency sound waves into the tissue. This encourages blood flow, which facilitates healing of damaged muscle fibres. Ultrasound is particularly useful in the early stages of the injury.
How to tell if calf muscle is hurting?
Symptoms of a calf strain vary significantly depending on how bad your injury is. A mild strain may feel more like an ache during or after exercise. With a more severe strain, you will feel a sudden sharp pain at the back of the lower leg at the time of injury. Calf muscle strains are graded from 1 to 3, with grade 3 being the most severe.
Why do my calf muscles get tight?
Tight calf muscles – over time your muscles may tighten up and parts of the muscle may go into spasm, either from congenital reasons (genetics), or poor footwear. Wearing high heels. If you regularly wear high-heeled shoes this increases the risk of a number of injuries including calf strains.
What is a calf strain?
A Calf strain is simply a tear of one of the muscles which make up the calf muscle group at the back of the lower leg. The calf muscle group consists of the Gastrocnemius and Soleus muscles. The gastrocnemius is the big muscle at the back of the lower leg. The soleus is the smaller of the two and is located lower down and lies underneath ...
How to treat a swollen muscle?
Use a cold therapy and compression wrap to minimise any bleeding within the muscle. Cold therapy can be applied for 10 to 15 minutes every hour initially, reducing frequency as symptoms allow. Do not apply ice directly to the skin as it can cause ice burns. A simple reuseable gel pack with an elastic wrap is ideal.
Where is the soleus located?
The soleus is the smaller of the two and is located lower down and lies underneath the gastrocnemius. Both muscles contract to produce ‘plantar flexion’ at the ankle joint. This is the same movement as standing up onto your tip-toes.
Who designed the Calf Strain Rehabilitation Program?
Our Calf strain rehabilitation program has been designed by England & British Lions Rugby Sports Physiotherapist Phil Pask. It is based on what an elite athlete would do and adapted for people of all ages and abilities.
How to prevent calf tear?
However, like most injuries, there are steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of a calf tear. By introducing a proper routine of warmups, stretches, and recovery techniques , a tear would be less likely to occur and in turn, be less worrisome for you as an athlete. Health & Safety.
How long does it take to heal a calf tear?
The recovery times for calf tears are as follows: Grade I: Anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks following proper physical therapy and treatment. Grade II: Typically, 3 to 6 weeks for full recovery. Physical therapy, strengthening, and treatment need to be heavily utilized.
How to heal a strained muscle?
Whether you’re suffering from a mild strain to a full-blown tear, treatment afterward is key to your recovery. Sources of treatment include: 1 Ice packs or compress: following immediate strain/tear, 10-15 minutes. 2 Heat application: usually used 2 to 3 days after initial injury, can alternate with cold therapy. 3 Compression wraps- used to provide stability and compression to muscle which reduces swelling and inflammation. 4 Elevation- elevating calf above your heart to limit blood flow to the area, reducing painful throbbing. 5 Rest- removing yourself from physical activity that can exacerbate symptoms will help reduce the chance of reinjury and give muscle fibers time to heal and regenerate. 6 Physical therapy- in more severe cases, calf tears need to be rehabilitated with exercises focusing on regaining strength and flexibility of the muscles. 7 Over the counter medications- NSAIDs, paired with physical therapy will help reduce inflammation and swelling of the calf while improving range of motion and recovery. 8 In extreme cases of complete muscle tears, surgery may be an option to repair the muscle and its tissues.
Why is it important to pull back when you are in pain?
If you are feeling pain or discomfort during physical activity, it is important to pull back and even remove yourself entirely to make sure you do not exacerbate your pain and make it worse.
What is the gastrocnemius?
Anatomy and Location. The gastrocnemius consists of two muscles that run along the posterior (back) of the lower leg. These muscles are the lateral (outside) and medial (inside) heads of the gastrocnemius. The calf also consists of the smaller muscles, the soleus, which is a small flat muscle that lies directly beneath the gastrocnemius muscles.
Where do muscle tears occur?
Though muscle tears and strains can occur anywhere on the body, tears within the lower body and lower legs are more frequent while running or endurance training. These muscles include hamstrings, quadriceps, and the smaller muscles; the gastrocnemius, or the calf muscle.
What is the calf muscle?
The calf also consists of the smaller muscles, the soleus, which is a small flat muscle that lies directly beneath the gastrocnemius muscles. There is also a third, maybe lesser-known muscle that completes the calf complex, the plantaris muscle, which lies between the gastrocnemius and soleus. The gastrocnemius and soleus muscles extend down ...