How Do You Know if You Have Pulled a Calf Muscle

March 13, 2022 Post a Comment

Calf Strains: Anatomy

What is a calf strain and how can information technology happen?

A strain refers to an injured muscle or tendon that has partially or completely torn. A calf injury is near often caused during sports where you need to button off with your pes apace for a sudden burst of speed. The sudden movement tin stretch the muscle beyond its normal limits. This can happen all of a sudden or over time. Various sports such as rugby, football, tennis, baseball, soccer, dancing and even simple running are impacted past calf muscle strain injuries. Dogie strains are mutual muscle injuries that if non managed appropriately can result in re-injury and prolonged recovery.

The calf muscles:

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.

• Gastrocnemius muscle: Main function is plantar flexion of the ankle joint in conjunction with the soleus and the plantaris which provides the propelling force seen when walking. Information technology too helps provide flexion at the articulatio genus. The gastrocnemius musculus is more susceptible to injury as information technology is a extends over both the human knee and the ankle.

• Soleus musculus: Main office is stabilizing the tibia on the calcaneus limiting forward sway while helping the gastrocnemius with plantar flexion.

• Plantaris musculus: Acts with the gastrocnemius and the soleus as both a flexor of the knee and a plantar-flexor of the talocrural joint.

These muscles come up together to form the achilles tendon and all 3 muscles insert into the calcaneus.

How can a calf strain present?

Patients may experience pain depending on which musculus has being strained:

Gastrocnemius strain: Can present equally a sudden abrupt pain or trigger-happy sensation at the back of the lower leg. Patients often report an audible or palpable "popular" in the medial aspect of the posterior calf and tenderness to affect at the point of injury. Swelling and bruising may appear within hours or days of the injury. During test stretching of the muscle and resisted plantarflexion will reproduce pain.
Soleus strain: Tend to be less dramatic in clinical presentation and more subacute when compared to injuries of the gastrocnemius. This injury causes hurting when activating the calf musculus. On test stretching the Achilles tendon, walking on tip-toe or applying pressure at the calf muscle aggravates pain.
Plantaris strain: Injury to the plantaris muscle can present with similar clinical features as those of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscle. Depending on the extent of the injury, the individual may be able to continue exercising although they will have some discomfort and/or tightness during or after activity.

Typical symptoms for all strains are stiffness, discoloration and bruising around the strained musculus.

Grading of strains:

Muscle strains are graded from I to III, with grade Three beingness the virtually severe.

Grade I: Partial stretch or tearing of a few muscle fibers. The muscle is mildly tender and painful, merely maintains its normal strength. Leg employ is non limited, and walking is normal. Average time to return to sports activities is 10 - 12 days.
Grade II: Moderate stretch or tearing of musculus fibers. The muscle is tender with pain and loss of forcefulness. Sometimes bruising will occur. Leg use is limited and limping when walking is common. Average fourth dimension to return to sports activities is 16 - 21 days.
Grade III: Severe tear of the musculus fibers. This tin can include a consummate muscle tear. Bruising and swelling develops within hours of injury. Sometimes a "paring" is noticeable beneath the skin where the musculus is torn. Leg apply is extremely difficult and putting weight on the leg is very painful. On exam a positive Thomson'south test may reveal an Achilles tendon rupture. Average time to return to sports activities is up to six months if the injury requires surgery.

At the physician's office:

A doctor can diagnose a pulled calf muscle by carrying out a physical examination, during which they will bank check for swelling, bruising, and redness. They may also ask the person to describe any contempo changes to their regular physical activeness routine.

Many doctors use Ultrasound imaging to determine the extent of damage and X-rays to asses for fractures or calcifications. They may also use imaging techniques such as MRIs to gather soft tissue detail and assess the severity of the injury.

What is the handling?

Treatment depends on the severity of the muscle strain. The following treatments may provide symptom relief:

Ice and oestrus therapy: People can employ a cold compress to reduce inflammation and relieve muscle pain during the first 2 days. After ii or 3 days, y'all can try alternating cold with heat. (Do not go to sleep with a heating pad on your skin.)
Wraps and bandages: Wrapping the injured calf in an rubberband bandage or compression sock tin help prevent swelling and inflammation.
Elevation of the injured leg: Endeavour to continue it above the level of your heart. This will help reduce swelling.
Over-the-counter (OTC) hurting relievers: People can take a pain reliever, such equally ibuprofen or naproxen to relieve hurting and reduce inflammation.
Physical Therapy/Practice: Some patients reply well to certain exercises.The goals of physical therapy are to ameliorate strength, function, and stability.
Surgery: Well-nigh calf strains will not require surgery and tend to recover well with physical therapy.

Physical Therapy Exercises:

Concrete therapists treat people with dogie strains past reducing pain, restoring muscle strength, restoring muscle flexibility, and increasing recovery speed. Some exercises that aim to strength these muscles are:

Chair stretches: Sitting in a stable chair, bend and straighten the knee of your afflicted leg.
Wall stretches: Face a wall and put your arms out and so your easily are firmly against the wall at shoulder level. Straighten your affected leg with your heel pressed firmly into the ground. Then pace your other leg forrad then it's at a ninety-caste angle. Repeat the process equally often as you feel comfortable throughout the twenty-four hour period.
Floor stretches: Sit on the floor with your afflicted leg straight. Flex your human foot and set your heel firmly into the floor. Gently press your toes towards you for 5 seconds in this position.
Standing stretches. Grip the back of a sturdy chair and lift yourself on the balls of your feet for 5 seconds. Patient can echo this exercise up to twice a day.

What is the recovery and prognosis?

Recovery and prognosis will depend on the extent of the injury. In the less severe cases it normally 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 have up to six weeks. In the example that the injury requires surgery the recovery period may extend up to six months to a full year. About people who take a pulled calf musculus will not need surgery.

Promt treatment is important for your overall recovery. While it may be hard to balance your afflicted leg for a few days, moving effectually besides before long tin can make the muscle strain worse. There'southward also a hazard for a recurring calf muscle strain within one to two weeks of the initial injury. Assuasive yourself plenty recovery time is disquisitional to your calf musculus treatment.

Once you've had a pulled calf musculus, you're at much greater hazard for getting another strain of this type in the future. Y'all tin help forestall muscle strains and pulled calf muscles by: