An abrupt tear in either the gastrocnemius or soleus muscle, which make up the calf, is referred to as a calf strain. The greater calf muscle in the gastrocnemius is more frequently injured since it is located closer to the skin’s surface. These injuries typically happen quickly and result in tearing of the muscle fibres when a sudden force is exerted through the muscle that it cannot sustain.
All muscular strain injuries, including those to the calves, can be graded according to their seriousness into one of three categories:
Grade I: consists of a few muscle fibres being torn.
Grade II: a partial muscle injury that involves ripping a greater number of fibres
Grade III: A total rip through the abdominal muscles
The degree of the tear will dictate the amount of recovery time and rehabilitation needed for the injury. While a grade III tear may take up to three months to mend correctly, a grade I tear normally heals within one to two weeks with the least amount of rehabilitation.
Symptoms
A strain typically causes a sudden, intense pain at the site of the tear, along with some localised edoema, soreness, and bruising that may appear relatively quickly. A grade I tear might feel like a pulling ache in the calf when walking, whereas a grade III tear might create a continual throbbing pain that impairs gait. The degree of symptoms is typically indicative of the grade of the tear.
Causes
When a quick force is applied through the muscle, such when accelerating quickly during speed work, jogging up hills, or running on uneven terrain, these injuries typically happen suddenly. Normally, calf strains won’t happen without some predisposing circumstances, such as severe calf tightness, calf weakness or previous injuries, a sudden increase in training load or surfaces, bad footwear, or biomechanical problems at the hip or foot.
Treatment and Prevention
Given that this damage is acute, rapid acute care is crucial. To relieve the immediate symptoms and lessen the inflammation, use ice on the injury site, rest, compression, elevation, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
As soon as the injury arises, get in touch with me so that it can be treated quickly and effectively. Soft tissue massage, calf strengthening exercises, and the correction of biomechanical deficiencies are typically included in treatment and rehabilitation.
The best way to avoid this injury is to foam roll and stretch your calves frequently, especially after workouts, train carefully to avoid acute overload, and make sure to incorporate strength and conditioning activities into your normal training regimen.
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