But a full recovery may take up to six weeks, according to Oxford University Hospitals. Severe swelling can make any pain and discomfort last a bit longer. Walking on recovering calf muscles can also increase recovery time. If you have to have surgery for a severe pull in your calf muscle, it may take several weeks or months before you fully recover.
Prompt treatment is important for your overall recovery. While it may be difficult to rest your affected leg for a few days, moving around too soon can make the muscle strain worse. About 30 percent of people with muscle injuries end up having repeated injuries. The chances are greater among athletes who continue to play the same sports and people using the same muscles over and over again. Allowing yourself enough recovery time is critical to your calf muscle treatment.
This occurs when your calf muscle protrudes underneath your skin, creating a visible bump. While not necessarily painful, this lump must be treated by a doctor to avoid further muscle injury. Stretching not only helps with recovery of your affected muscles, but it can also help your knee and ankle joints remain stabilized and mobile. Ask your doctor about the following exercises you can try at home during your calf muscle recovery:.
You can help prevent muscle strains and pulled calf muscles by:. Calf pain can result from a number of causes, including overworking the muscle, cramps, and foot conditions. While most cases of calf pain can be…. Leg cramps are sudden, involuntary muscle contractions that commonly affect the calves and hamstrings. They can be caused by fatigue or overuse….
Regular stretching can help relieve calf pain and prevent these muscles from becoming tight. A muscle strain, or pulled muscle, occurs when your muscle is overstretched or torn. This usually occurs as a result of fatigue, overuse, or improper….
We look at what splints are available to effectively stabilize fingers for a number of concerns and needs. A strain refers to an injured muscle or tendon that has partially or completely torn. A calf injury is most often caused during sports where you need to push off with your foot quickly for a sudden burst of speed. The sudden movement can stretch the muscle beyond its normal limits.
This can happen suddenly or over time. Various sports such as rugby, football, tennis, baseball, soccer, dancing and even simple running are impacted by calf muscle strain injuries. Calf strains are common muscle injuries that if not managed appropriately can result in re-injury and prolonged recovery.
The "calf" refers to the muscles on the posterior aspect of the lower leg. It is composed of three muscles: the gastrocnemius, the soleus and the plantaris. It also helps provide flexion at the knee joint.
The gastrocnemius muscle is more susceptible to injury as it is a extends over both the knee and the ankle. These muscles come together to form the achilles tendon and all three muscles insert into the calcaneus.
Typical symptoms for all strains are stiffness, discoloration and bruising around the strained muscle. The calf muscle is made of two major muscles, the two-headed gastrocnemius muscle and the soleus muscle. A calf strain is a tearing injury to the gastrocnemius or soleus muscle—a "muscle strain.
With less severe strains, the muscle remains intact. A calf muscle strain is usually a clear diagnosis, but there are other causes of calf pain that should be considered. Other causes of calf pain include a baker's cyst , leg cramps , and blood clots. Severe calf strains should be evaluated because, in some very rare situations of complete muscle rupture, surgery may be necessary to reattach the torn ends of the muscle.
This is rarely needed, even in patients with Grade III calf strain injuries, since these patients can usually undergo successful nonoperative treatment. If you are unsure if you have a calf strain or your symptoms do not quickly resolve, you should be seen by your healthcare provider. As described above, other conditions can be confused with a calf strain, and these should be considered if your symptoms do not resolve promptly.
Treatment of a calf strain is usually guided by the severity of the injury. Resting a pulled calf muscle is the key to successful treatment. As a general rule of thumb, if you have a calf strain, you can do activities that don't aggravate your injury. You should rest until you are pain-free to allow the injured muscle to heal.
Resting inadequately may prolong your recovery. This video has been medically reviewed by Oluseun Olufade, MD. The following are the common treatments used for calf strains:. The length of time needed for healing a calf strain depends on the severity of the injury. A typical grade I calf strain will heal in seven to 10 days, a grade II injury within about four to six weeks, and a grade III calf strain within about three months.
The most common injury is a grade II calf strain, which takes about six weeks for complete healing. Surgery is generally not necessary for a calf strain injury.
Unlike an Achilles tendon rupture , calf muscle injuries do not completely separate and will heal with noninvasive treatments rather than needing surgery. An Achilles tendon rupture is more likely to need surgical treatment to achieve complete healing. Calf strain injuries are a common injury, especially in middle-aged athletes and weekend warriors.
Symptoms of calf strain are typically severe at first but quickly settle down with proper treatment. Complete healing of a calf muscle injury can take several months, but the vast majority of people are able to return to most activities much sooner. Sports activities often take a few months before resumption. A grade I calf strain is the mildest calf strain, while grade III is severe.
Better not. Running on an injured leg can worsen the injury. A calf strain needs rest to heal. You should avoid running or engaging in other strenuous movements until you no longer experience pain.
Your healthcare provider will let you know when you can start to run again after a calf strain.
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