Professional athletes and amateur beginners often encounter injuries such as calf strains. This muscle helps a person maintain vertical balance, bend the knee joint and feet.
All motor activity of a person is connected with this muscle, whether he runs, walks, jumps or squats. That is why she is injured so often during sports exercises. Muscle strain sometimes occurs during active recreation: skiing, mountaineering, hiking. The fibers of the muscle itself can tear partially or completely (which is rare), this is called a sprain. It also means a rupture of the ligaments that serve to connect the calf muscle to the heel bone.
The calf muscles have the ability to remain under tension for a long time and withstand significant loads. They are very elastic: they instantly stretch and immediately contract. But despite these qualities, they are too vulnerable and often experience stretch marks. The symptoms of this appear in different ways, depending on the extent of the injury:
Almost always, a sprain is accompanied by hematomas and swelling of the lower leg. This happens because the internal blood vessels of the muscle are damaged.
There are several causes of muscle strains. This may be excessive muscle tension. For example, a person decided to perform several exercises related to stretching, but did not first stretch the muscle. It was overstretched and sprained due to its strong contraction. The same can happen when pushing off a horizontal surface, and if you land incorrectly after a jump, or simply when you fall.
If there is a significant load on the calf muscle over a long period, it may become overstrained. A strong blow to the ankle joint also leads to stretching of muscle tissue, tendons and ligaments.
Treatment for such an injury depends directly on how severe it is. If the sprain is not severe, it will go away within 5 days if you do not load the calf muscle. After complete recovery, training can continue. But the load should be minimal, and the calf muscle must be warmed up before doing this.
If micro-tears of fibers occur in a small amount, then conservative treatment is carried out for about half a month. And for partial tears in the calf, treatment requires at least 2 months. A complete rupture requires surgery, after which the recovery process begins, which lasts up to six months.
As soon as an injury occurs, it is necessary to provide complete rest to the sore leg.
To numb the site of injury and prevent hematomas from developing, you should apply something cold to it for about 20 minutes.
This could be ice, a bottle of very cold water, or food from the freezer. You can avoid possible swelling by using an elastic bandage. But you cannot wrap it very tightly, as oxygen starvation of the muscle tissue will occur.
If the stretching of the leg muscles leads to a complete rupture, then you should immediately go to the hospital. Before this, it is advisable to apply a splint to the leg. The doctor will conduct an examination using X-rays and MRI, based on the results of which he will determine the course of treatment.
If a sprain occurs in a child, then you should not independently recognize the severity of the injury, but it is better to immediately go to the doctor. The specialist will diagnose the severity and prescribe treatment.
If you maintain motor activity, that is, with a moderate injury, you can help yourself in the following way:
Full training begins after complete recovery of the calf muscle.
There is no way to protect yourself from calf strains, but you can try to avoid them. To do this, it is recommended to follow a number of simple rules:
Heeled shoes keep the calf muscles toned, helping to prepare them for more serious loads, so women are recommended to wear just such shoes.
If injury cannot be avoided, steaming can relieve pain in the calf muscles. A sauna or just a hot bath has an immediate calming effect. Ready-made pharmaceutical products have an excellent effect: warming gels and ointments.
A very light exercise can help with painful symptoms. Alternately rise on your toes and lower on your heels. At first it will be quite painful, but after 5-6 repetitions it will become much easier. Massaging the leg muscles works well against pain. You can do it yourself.
A muscle strain is a traumatic injury to muscle fibers or the joint between muscle and tendon. A muscle sprain occurs when there is excessive tension in the muscles or ligaments, or when the muscles are overstrained as a result of loads higher than those allowed for the body.
Muscle strains can occur even in everyday situations - heavy physical work, inept lifting of weights, or being in an unusual or uncomfortable position for a long time can cause muscle problems. Most people pull their back or neck muscles when they try to lift something heavy without bending their knees and keeping their back straight. The muscles in your legs can be pulled if you strain too much while running, walking, jumping, or squatting with a heavy dumbbell without warming up first. In this case, the muscles of the back of the lower leg (calf) are most often stretched. Usually such injuries are accompanied by convulsions.
But muscles are especially often injured when performing various physical exercises and sports. A muscle strain occurs either as a result of too strong muscle contraction, for example, during unexpected sudden movements, or due to abnormal muscle function, such as a sudden change in the direction of the load on the muscle. Muscle strains can occur when performing stretching or flexibility exercises, especially with a partner. Often, muscle strain can occur during a sharp transition from one direction of movement to the opposite, during sudden movements in general, and also if the movements of body parts are uncoordinated. Accidental collisions and falls can also cause a muscle strain .
Factors contributing to muscle strain are a poorly developed muscle corset, as well as low daily physical activity of a person. Very often, muscle strain occurs due to intense physical activity, disproportionate to capabilities, as well as when the load is placed on unstretched, unheated muscles. Proper warm-up, “warming up” the muscles before performing physical work, reduces the likelihood of a sprain.
Muscle strains and microtears are accompanied by the development of painful muscle spasms. Soreness indicates damage, so you should stop exercising as soon as you feel pain.
When a muscle is pulled, there is usually pain, swelling, or swelling in the injured area. Hematomas may appear. Pain from a muscle strain can be either mild or very severe, significantly limiting physical activity. If the back muscle is strained, then any additional load - turning or bending - leads to increased pain. Rest, on the contrary, helps reduce pain. As the muscle strain wears off, small scars may appear, so the muscle may not be as flexible or strong after the injury. Often damage to the back muscles is accompanied by the development of swelling of the lumbar region and the appearance of bruises. If the muscle cannot be contracted, consult a doctor; this may be a sign of a tear or rupture of the muscle.
Muscle strains are classified into three levels of severity:
Treatment for a muscle strain can take anywhere from a few days to several months, depending on the extent of the damage. It is worth noting that muscle strains —especially back muscles—are often accompanied by ligament sprains. In this case, the recovery period may be delayed.
Provide rest to the injured muscle. When a muscle is strained, physical exertion and sudden movements should be avoided (complete absence of load on the damaged area is mandatory for 48 hours).
At first it’s cold. If you strain a muscle, apply ice to the injured muscle as soon as possible (for at least 20 minutes) and then apply ice every 4 hours for 48 hours to reduce pain and swelling. Pre-packaged ice packs, cubes wrapped in a damp towel, or even bags of frozen vegetables (like green peas) will work. However, you should not apply ice directly to the skin; it should be protected with a towel or wipes.
Fixation of the injured limb. If bruising occurs, it is necessary to apply an elastic bandage to the damaged area and place the limb in an elevated position to prevent the increase in tissue swelling.
If necessary, when stretching a muscle, you can use medications (analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs)
After 48 hours, the injured area will benefit from warmth. You can use warm compresses and hot baths. that is very effective and convenient at this stage of treatment for muscle strain . Read more >>>
Thanks to its unique properties, the NANOPLAST forte medical plaster not only relieves inflammation, but also has an analgesic effect, improves blood circulation in the injured area, and accelerates the resorption of hematomas. The course of treatment for a muscle strain usually lasts from 3 to 9 days.
In the case of a mild muscle strain, the healing process takes several days (usually no more than 3-5 days). For more severe sprains, and especially muscle tears, the treatment process will take a longer time (1-6 weeks). In this case, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), usually in tablet form, are used for anti-inflammatory treatment of soft tissue injuries. And here NANOPLAST forte can provide significant help - its use allows you to reduce the dosage and duration of NSAID use. Long-term course use of NANOPLAST forte is possible. Consult a specialist.
After pain and swelling have passed, restorative physical therapy is necessary.
Everyone knows: movement is life, and sport is health and beauty. But it is also indisputable that the more active the lifestyle, the greater the risk of injury. To ensure that physical activity and physical activity are not harmful, you need to know your body, be able to listen to it and, of course, treat it correctly if injury could not be avoided.
In this article we will talk about such a common injury as a sprained calf muscle and how to properly treat this injury.
The biceps gastrocnemius muscle is the most powerful and functionally significant muscle in the human body, which, with the soleus muscle lying underneath it, forms the triceps surae muscle.
The gastrocnemius muscle consists of two fleshy bundles of fibers (lateral and medial heads), which originate from the epicondyles of the femur and end with the transition, together with the soleus muscle of the leg, into the common Achilles tendon, attached to the calcaneus. With the help of the calf muscles, a person maintains vertical balance of the entire body, as well as its balance during movement, flexes the lower leg at the knee joint and flexes (adducts) the foot.
The calf muscle is involved in all types of vertical movement (walking, running, jumping, squats), therefore in almost all sports, from karate, volleyball and tennis to figure skating, aerobics and bodybuilding, as well as in many types of outdoor activities (hiking, mountaineering) , rock climbing, skiing) success and achievements depend on her health and strength.
But, despite the fact that the calf muscle is able to withstand prolonged tension and heavy loads, and also has high elasticity and the ability to stretch significantly and quickly and then contract, it is very vulnerable and is most often susceptible to such injury. As well as sprained ligaments in the arm and leg.
A calf muscle strain is a partial (in rare cases complete) tear of the fibers of the muscle itself or the denser connective tissue ligaments connecting it to the Achilles tendon.
1 The given range of motion is greater than the natural elasticity of the ligaments or muscle fiber. Simply put, a muscle ligament is damaged as a result of excessive tension on it. For example, in case of a fall, an unsuccessful landing after a jump or a push from the ground, when performing stretching exercises without first warming up the muscles (warm-up).
2 Sudden physical stress on a poorly warmed calf muscle. In this case, fiber rupture occurs as a result of very strong muscle contraction.
3 Prolonged intense stress on the muscle, leading to fatigue and overstrain of the muscle fiber.
4 A strong blow to the shin, leading to open or closed damage to muscle tissue, ligaments, tendons.
With a minor muscle strain, the only symptom is aching pain, which is slightly intensified by straining the lower leg and pushing the foot off the ground. A beginner often experiences such sensations after his first workout. This pain is even considered useful, since micro-tears that arise in small areas of the muscle fiber heal quickly enough, and the muscle itself becomes more resilient and stronger.
If the sprain in the leg (calf muscle) is more serious, then immediately after injury, acute pain occurs, reminiscent of a direct blow to the shin and intensifies as the damage to the muscle tissue spreads, for example, when repeating the exercise. It is difficult for a person who has received this injury to stand on tiptoes and bend (extend) the foot.
With more severe injuries (tendon rupture, complete rupture of ligaments or muscles), a characteristic crack or click can be heard, and contractility completely disappears (it is impossible to stand on your leg or bring your foot in).
Often, when the ligaments of the calf muscle are sprained, due to internal damage to the blood vessels, a hematoma, edema (swelling) of the lower leg and ankle joint appears.
The answer to the question of how to treat a calf muscle strain depends on the severity of the injury. With a “beginner’s strain,” it is enough not to load the muscle until it is completely restored (until the pain disappears), which takes from 3 to 5 days. Then you can continue training, starting with minimal loads on the warmed muscle.
First degree sprains (micro tears of a small number of muscle fibers) and second degree (partial tear of muscle fibers) are treated conservatively for 2-3 weeks and 1-2 months. A grade 3 calf sprain (a complete rupture of the muscle or tendon) is often treated with surgery and a full recovery takes three to six months.
Immediately after injury to the calf muscle, that is, when you feel characteristic pain, you must stop any movements associated with the load on the lower leg and ankle. To avoid internal hemorrhage and the development of hematomas, and also as an external analgesic, cold (ice, a bottle of cold water, frozen food) must be applied to the site of pain for at least 20 minutes. Do not apply ice to exposed skin to prevent damage to the skin (frostbite effect). To prevent swelling and swelling of the joint, the shin must be tightly wrapped with an elastic bandage. Do not apply the bandage too tightly, as this can lead to poor circulation and hypoxia of muscle tissue.
If the symptoms indicate a complete rupture of the calf muscle ligaments, then you need to fix the leg bent at the knee joint with a splint and immediately go to the emergency room, where after a series of studies (MRI, X-ray) the complexity of the injury will be determined and qualified treatment will be prescribed.
If a child has sprained ligaments, you should immediately consult a doctor who will professionally determine the symptoms.
If the motor ability of the ankle is not impaired, and the symptoms indicate a moderate severity of the injury, then the rupture of the calf muscle should be treated according to the following scheme:
1 For two days after injury, it is necessary to exclude any tension in the lower leg muscles (complete rest). To relieve pain, you can take analgesics (painkillers), but if the joint is severely swollen, aspirin and ibuprofen are contraindicated, as these drugs affect blood clotting. To reduce the development of swelling, the injured limb must be kept slightly above the level of the heart (for example, lying on the sofa, placing your leg on a bed or on pillows). Apply cold for 15-20 minutes every 4-6 hours. Wear an elastic bandage during the day. At night, apply a cooling ointment or gel (apizartron, voltaren emulgel, ketonal, bystrumgel).
2 No earlier than 5-7 days, after the pain has completely disappeared, in order to restore the elasticity and functionality of the muscle fibers, it is necessary to rub twice a day with warming ointments (Ben-Gay, Viprosal, Capsicam), which improve microcirculation in the tissues. You should also warm up the calf muscle with a light massage and simple warm-up exercises (for example, foot rotations).
3 Physiotherapeutic procedures, such as diadynamic therapy, magnetic therapy, and ultrasound treatment, significantly speed up the recovery process.
4 It is necessary to resume training and active rest after complete recovery of the muscle (no pain or discomfort with full movements of the knee and ankle joints). You should start with minimal loads on pre-warmed muscles. If discomfort or pain occurs in the lower leg, you should immediately stop exercising to avoid further injury.
Take care of yourself and remember that a previously injured muscle has its own memory, and neglecting it in the future is fraught with serious consequences.
The most common musculoskeletal injury is a sprained ankle. Often, such problems worry athletes, as well as representatives of the fair sex who like to walk in high heels. In such a situation, a huge load is placed on the ankle joint. However, in addition to ankle sprains, injuries to the foot, hip joint, and calf muscles occur. Despite the area of damage, the symptoms are very similar for all injuries.
The main signs of a sprained leg include severe pain, hematoma, swelling, and limited movement. If the injury is accompanied by a clicking or crunching sound, then the pathology is too serious, which may indicate a bone fracture, partial or complete rupture of the ligaments. In this situation, you should provide proper first aid, immobilize the leg, apply a cold compress, take a pain reliever and call an ambulance.
The ligaments and tendons in the foot play a very important role and also perform an unusually hard job. It is important to remember that the legs endure the greatest physical stress that the human body experiences. During running and walking, squats, the joints feel the full weight of the body, so the legs are injured much more often than the arms.
The main cause of rupture of the ligaments of the hip joint, feet and calf muscles is mechanical injuries and falls. In the process of injury, external and internal tension of the ligaments occurs. As for torn ligaments in the feet, the main cause is sports. This type of sprain is possible if the ligaments are tense for too long, and if the movement is unsuccessful, they can tear. That is why, before starting various physical exercises, you need a proper, complete warm-up and warm-up.
The following factors may cause frequent sprains:
Considering these reasons and risk factors, you should be extremely careful. If you are injured, immediately go to a medical center to receive qualified first aid and treatment.
When a hip ligament is sprained, the symptoms are similar to a tear. This type of injury is very common among athletes who engage in regular strength training. This stretch indicates damage to soft tissues, but their anatomical integrity is not compromised. The injury is accompanied by intense pain localized in the area of injury. It is important to note that the joint becomes overly sensitive; if you press on it, the victim will feel pain, which will increase over time.
Ligaments are a set of fibers that contain many nerve fibers and blood vessels. If they are stretched, they are damaged or ruptured, causing the person to experience intense pain. When the capillaries rupture, bruising and swelling occur, which limits mobility.
A tear or rupture of a ligament is one of the less pleasant situations that accompany a sprain. As for the hip area, such a problem is a rare occurrence. This is because the hip joint moves much less than the elbow joint, so the risk is much lower.
Thus, the main signs of a hip sprain are:
If the ligaments are severely torn, there is a risk of hip deformation. In such a situation, pain can radiate to the lower leg, knee, and sometimes stiffness of the damaged joint occurs. In case of dislocation, unbearable, acute and sharp pain is observed, the joint changes its shape. In case of dislocation, realignment of the bones, namely the articular ends, is indicated.
Many athletes are familiar with the injury of a calf strain. This muscle helps a person maintain vertical balance, bend the feet and bend the knee joint. The calf muscle provides full motor activity, so a person can jump, run, walk and squat. That is why it is possible to injure a muscle during physical exercise.
In addition, a sprained calf muscle can be caused by active recreation, namely: mountaineering, skiing, hiking. Fiber rupture can occur partially or completely, this is called stretching. Pathology indicates a rupture of the ligaments that connect the heel bone to the calf muscles.
It should be noted that the calf muscle is able to withstand prolonged, intense load. Due to the fact that the muscles are very elastic, rapid contraction and stretching are observed. However, despite such amazing qualities and properties, there may be stretching.
Symptoms depend on the degree of damage:
Stretching the muscles of the calf leg is accompanied by swelling of the lower leg, the development of bruises, hematomas, which is a consequence of damage to the internal blood vessels.
Damage to the ligaments of the foot is considered the most common injury, since more than 85% of cases relate to this area of the leg. This is not surprising, since the foot experiences a huge load, bearing the entire weight of the human body.
As for the signs of injury, it is indicated by intense pain, swelling and excessive swelling. The appearance of the joint becomes unnatural, so urgent medical attention is necessary. To prevent serious complications from developing, it is important to get help on time.
Considering that ligaments consist of fibers and nerve endings, they react to various injuries with very strong pain. That is why the main symptom of such an injury is severe pain, which intensifies with movement and palpation.
During the first three days, the pain intensifies and a hematoma forms. In addition, your body temperature may jump and not subside for several days. The cause of increased temperature is inflamed ligaments. However, do not panic, it is completely safe for human life and health. When should you worry? If severe bleeding occurs against the background of elevated body temperature, you should urgently go to the hospital and take an analgesic.
Doctors distinguish the following degrees of severity of this injury:
To make a correct diagnosis, you need to carefully examine the injury, note the presence of hematomas, and assess the level of pain. It is important to look at the clinical picture from the outside; to do this, straighten the injured leg. As for grades 1 and 2, treatment is easy and quick, since the injury is minor. In the third degree, there is a rupture of muscles and ligaments, so therapy and subsequent rehabilitation last much longer.
After an injury, it is important to protect the joint in time, so you will need a cold compress to help relieve swelling and relieve pain. After this, you will need an elastic bandage to wrap the joint, but not too tightly. The main condition is that you cannot make even minimal movements. If the pain is severe, take a painkiller and call an ambulance. Subsequent treatment is carried out under the supervision of the attending physician. If the doctor discovers a complete rupture of the ligaments of the hip joint, then surgery cannot be avoided.
As for therapy, the doctor prescribes special medications, which are included in a large group of non-steroidal drugs. Thanks to their influence, inflammation goes away. These include:
The listed medications are not suitable for long-term use. As for additional therapy, cold compresses that should be applied to the sore joint are excellent. This will help significantly relieve pain and swelling.
Treatment tactics include the following points: immobilization of the leg, use of painkillers, and a course of rehabilitation. During therapeutic therapy, it is necessary to ensure complete rest for the hip joint; it is important to avoid forceful loading. Ice compresses can be used for a short period of time so as not to harm the outer tissue. The total duration of one procedure is about ten minutes, but no more than that.
Then you will need warm compresses to improve blood circulation, speed up regeneration processes, and also provide a relaxing effect to the ligaments. In rare cases, the hip joint is fixed using an elastic bandage or splint. Do not tighten such a bandage too tightly so as not to harm blood circulation.
Physiotherapy is mandatory, as it has an excellent therapeutic effect. Modern medicine uses laser therapy, electrophoresis, and phonophoresis. The main condition for further rehabilitation is compliance with all doctor’s recommendations and prevention of forceful loads.
Treatment for this type of injury directly depends on the severity of the ligament damage. If the sprain is minor, the pathology will go away within five days if the calf is immobilized. When the muscle has fully recovered, you can continue training, but the load should not be intense.
In case of microscopic fiber breaks, you can get by with conservative treatment for two weeks. If the damage is accompanied by a partial rupture, it will take about two months for rehabilitation. In case of a complete rupture, surgery will be required, as well as six months of rehabilitation.
After a calf muscle injury has been sustained, immediately give it complete rest. To relieve pain and prevent the development of hematoma, use a cold compress for twenty minutes. You can use a bottle of cold water, any product stored in the freezer, as well as ice. An elastic bandage will help prevent severe swelling, but do not wrap it too tightly, otherwise you can provoke oxygen starvation of the muscles.
In the event of a sprain that accompanies a complete rupture of the ligaments, you should immediately seek medical help. First you need to put a splint on your leg. In the hospital, the victim’s leg is completely examined using X-rays and MRI, based on which a course of treatment and subsequent rehabilitation can be prescribed.
If a child receives such an injury, under no circumstances should you treat him or her yourself; take him or her to the hospital immediately or call an ambulance.
In case of such an injury, first aid will be required. First, try to get rid of shoes, tights, and socks. Then place the affected limb as high as possible, the leg should lie comfortably. If possible, it is worth applying a splint using bandages and sticks. It should be remembered that it is forbidden to wrap the sore leg too tightly, otherwise you will disrupt blood circulation in a certain direction, and this will cause numbness.
To relieve pain, apply a cold compress to the affected foot. These measures will be quite sufficient if the injury is not very serious. After this, you should urgently consult a doctor, especially if the pain does not subside. Quite often this indicates serious, intense damage to the ligaments of the foot, so treatment will be carried out in a hospital setting.
Surgery is not necessary if the ligament is completely torn. After the operation, a cast is placed on the leg; it must be worn for a very long time. If complications arise, then therapeutic therapy is prescribed, based on taking medications, using ointments and gels.
During the rehabilitation period, the leg should be immobilized; it is important to exclude even minimal loads. To fix an injured limb, you can use such useful devices as:
If the pain syndrome is too high, the attending physician should prescribe painkillers that are based on a substance such as Diclofenac. Ointments and gels help well, as they warm, restore blood circulation, relieve pain, help relieve inflammation, and also significantly speed up the regeneration of all tissues.
No one is immune from this type of musculoskeletal injury, such as sprain and rupture of ligaments, muscles, and tendons. However, there are a number of useful and important measures, knowledge and adherence to which will help prevent a ridiculous leg injury. To do this, it is enough to follow the following rules of conduct:
Considering that heeled shoes help keep muscles toned, women's legs are more prepared for various loads than men's. If injury to the calf muscle cannot be avoided, steaming will help. With the help of a hot bath or sauna, you can instantly soothe your feet. Special ointments and gels that can be bought at a pharmacy have an excellent effect.
To prevent injury to the foot and hip joint, you should be extremely careful. There are some factors that provoke such injuries to the musculoskeletal system. Mainly:
To prevent sprains of the hip joint and foot, be sure to do a warm-up warm-up. Thanks to proper physical exercises, matings will be protected and relaxed. That is why, before starting sports training, it is important to properly prepare and warm up the leg muscles.
If you do regular, safe stretching, your muscle fibers will lengthen over time. It is important to note that strength training helps maintain muscle tone.
As for preventive measures, preventing these types of injuries allows you to control your own weight. Everyone knows that obesity and excess weight place additional stress on the legs, especially on the ligaments of the feet and hip joint.
Many people are interested in a completely logical question: how long does it take for the ligament to recover completely? According to medical information, complete healing occurs after eight months of intensive rehabilitation, physical therapy and physiotherapy, taking medications, and folk remedies. If the rupture occurs against the background of a bone fracture, then rehabilitation will take about a year.
To summarize, we can say that leg sprains are one of the most common and most insidious pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. In order to recover quickly and not remain disabled, you need to seek medical help in time.
Start thinking about your health right now. A free comprehensive screening is a great first step to taking charge of your health. The promotion is carried out only for women over 30 in Moscow clinics.
Movement and physical activity are an absolute benefit for human health and well-being. However, any physical exercise involves increased stress, which can cause injury. With improper loads and neglect of preventive measures, the calf muscles, located in the back of the lower leg, are among the first to be damaged. A calf strain is an injury that involves tearing small muscle fibers.
It should be noted that the biceps gastrocnemius muscle is the most powerful and most functionally important muscle in the human body. The biceps and, underneath it, the soleus muscle, form the triceps muscle of the leg. Thanks to the calf muscles, a person manages to keep the body in balance and control its balance during movement. These muscles are also responsible for bending the shins at the knees and flexing the feet.
The calf muscle has to participate in every type of movement that involves movement in the vertical plane - running, walking, squats, jumping. That is why without strong and resilient calf muscles you cannot achieve success in any strength sport. But, despite the ability to withstand prolonged tension and significant loads, as well as high elasticity, these muscles are quite vulnerable, and therefore a sprained calf muscle is a very common type of injury.
When a partial (rarely - complete) rupture of muscle fibers or dense ligaments connecting it to the Achilles tendon occurs, the calf muscle is stretched.
Causes of injury:
Factors that significantly increase the risk of a calf strain include:
If the sprain is minor, its only symptom will be aching pain, which increases somewhat with the tension of the lower leg, which accompanies the pushing of the foot from the surface. Any beginner experiences similar pain after the first training. It is even considered useful, since micro-tears that appear on muscle fibers heal quite quickly, making the muscle stronger and more resilient.
With more serious sprains, a fairly sharp pain is observed, similar to the sensations accompanying a direct blow to the shin. The pain intensifies as the damage spreads - this can happen, for example, with repeated exercise. After such an injury, the person experiences difficulty trying to stand on tiptoes or flex (extend) the foot.
More severe injuries are also possible that accompany a sprained calf muscle. Symptoms that occur after a characteristic crack or click are the loss of muscle contractility. A person who has received such an injury is absolutely unable to stand on his leg and bend his foot.
Often, due to sprained ligaments, accompanied by internal damage to blood vessels, hematomas occur, and the lower leg and ankle joint swell.
When conducting a diagnosis, the doctor is interested in how and when the injury occurred. Examining the damaged area, the doctor tries to identify an area of increased sensitivity and hematomas on the lower leg.
Depending on the severity of the injury, there are three degrees of calf muscle strain:
The most severe cases may require an MRI - a scan helps determine the duration of recovery, or Doppler ultrasound.
Let's consider what to do if a calf muscle strain occurs. Everything is the same as when stretching any other muscle, for example, the pectoral muscle. Treatment primarily depends on the severity of the injury. “Beginner stretching” involves simply avoiding stress until full recovery occurs. When the pain disappears (after 3-5 days), you can start training. You need to start exercising gradually, and you should definitely warm up your muscles before physical activity.
For 1st degree sprains (micro tears of muscle fibers) and 2nd degree (partial rupture of fibers), conservative treatment is used for 2-3 weeks and 1-2 months, respectively. The third degree of sprain (complete muscle rupture) may require surgery, and the recovery course takes 3-6 months.
If the calf muscle is injured, accompanied by characteristic pain, the first step is to stop all movements that load the lower leg and ankle. To prevent internal hemorrhage and the formation of hematomas, as well as to obtain an analgesic effect, cold is applied to the damaged area. For the latter, you can use ice or a simple bottle filled with cold water. The cold is applied for 20 minutes, no less. But you should not apply ice to an open area of skin to avoid frostbite.
To prevent swelling and swelling of the joint, wrap the shin tightly with an elastic bandage. There is no need to over-tighten the bandage to avoid hypoxia of muscle tissue and poor circulation.
Symptoms indicating a complete rupture of the calf muscle ligaments require immediate fixation of the leg, bent at the knee joint, and immediate treatment at the emergency room. There, after conducting an X-ray and MRI, they will determine the severity of the injury and prescribe appropriate treatment.
In the absence of impairment of the motor ability of the ankle, and the presence of signs indicating moderate severity of the injury, treatment is carried out according to the following scheme:
A muscle strain in the leg involves damage to the muscle fibers or the areas where they connect to the tendons due to a sudden or strong impact on them. It can occur even in a person not involved in professional sports. Among athletes, especially beginners, sprains and dislocations are common. A calf muscle strain is the most common type of injury.
All human motor activity is associated with the calf muscle. It helps keep the body balanced in an upright position while moving. Also, with the help of the calf muscles, the lower leg is flexed at the knee joint and the foot is adducted. Therefore, injuries occur frequently. A muscle strain in the leg can occur not only during sports or heavy work, but also during rest.
The main reasons that contribute to muscle strain in the lower extremities include:
Factors that increase the risk of leg muscle strain include:
Leg muscle strain has several symptoms. These include:
Depending on the severity, sprains are divided into the following types:
If you sprain your leg, it is important to immediately provide first aid. It involves applying a cold compress. You can use ice, snow or food from the freezer.
Important! To prevent hypothermia, do not apply ice directly to the skin. It is wrapped in a cloth towel or napkin.
The injured leg needs to be kept at rest. Walking or moving your leg is prohibited. It is recommended to lie or sit, but in such a way that the injured leg is higher than the body.
To reduce swelling, fixation is recommended. It will ensure muscle rest. An ordinary elastic bandage is used for fixation. Even with a slight sprain, it is imperative to rest the injured leg for several days.
If you have strained a muscle in your leg, you should consult a traumatologist. The specialist will conduct an examination and interview you regarding the symptoms that appear. The doctor must pay attention to increased sensitivity of tissues, hematomas and pain.
It is important not to confuse injury with other serious illnesses. For example, it is impossible to distinguish a sprained leg muscle from venous thrombosis without special diagnosis. Therefore, in addition, MRI, Doppler ultrasound and a general blood test are prescribed.
The treatment method for muscle sprains in the leg depends on the degree of damage.
If the muscles are slightly pulled, it is recommended to avoid putting stress on the damaged area until the rehabilitation period is completed. The duration is no more than 3 weeks. A grade 1 sprain requires action to immobilize the leg. To prevent the formation of hematomas, cold is applied to the damaged area. To prevent swelling, it is necessary to make a bandage. The fixation should not be tight. Otherwise, the healing process will slow down and blood circulation will be impaired.
After 48 hours from the moment of injury, it is allowed to use warming ointments. They improve blood circulation at the site of injury, eliminate swelling and accelerate healing.
With a moderate degree of sprain, it is necessary to provide complete rest to the injured leg for two days. The set of measures carried out immediately after injury must correspond to the actions for first aid. Taking painkillers is recommended only in cases of severe pain. If there is swelling, you should avoid medications that affect blood clotting. At night, it is recommended to apply cooling ointments and creams to the sprain site.
5-7 days after the pain disappears, therapy continues with warming medications. The action of ointments is aimed at stimulating microcirculation in tissues and restoring their elasticity. Light massage, simple exercises and physiotherapeutic procedures (for example, ultrasound, magnetic therapy) speed up the healing process.
It is recommended to return to exercise gradually and only after complete recovery.
Severe sprains, which are accompanied by complete rupture of the ligaments, require prolonged treatment. More often it takes more than a month. Broken fibers do not heal on their own. Therefore, surgery is required. In case of damage to blood vessels, it is necessary to stop the bleeding. After surgery, the same actions are carried out as during first aid (immobilization, application of cold, pressure bandage, raising the leg).
After the main treatment, a rehabilitation period begins. This includes exercise and physiotherapy. The attending physician individually selects exercises depending on which muscle was damaged.
It will be possible to return to your previous lifestyle only after 3 months. Typically, after a severe injury, the risk of re-straining the same muscle increases.
Following a number of recommendations will help you avoid sprains. These include:
A sprained leg should be treated promptly, especially if there is a rupture or serious injury. Negligence towards health can lead to serious complications. The most dangerous is local tissue necrosis. Therefore, it is very important to know what to do when you sprain. It is necessary to constantly follow preventive recommendations, and if injured, consult a doctor immediately.