“I have a little pain in my calf muscles. What should I do?”
There is some pain in my calf muscles, and it's sometimes unbearable. It's affecting my ability to walk--so I think it could be a torn muscle. Is there anything that I can do for it?
14 Answers
I would seek an appointment with a chiropractor for a diagnosis of the pain. Without a diagnosis, any advise may be contraindicated due to the wide range of possibilities.
Schedule an appointment to see your chiropractor or orthopedist. They can schedule for you to have an exam and MRI or other diagnostic testing to confirm the cause of your calf muscle pain. Call today!
Rest! Rest! Rest! If you continue increased activity there is a high change of doing more damage. As experienced chiropractors, we like answering the questions we receive from our patients. A common inquiry is "what is the difference between a sprain and a strain?" Sprains and strains are injuries to the musculoskeletal system that are commonly diagnosed conditions, and are two separate issues people frequently mix up. We will attempt to explain away some of the confusion today.
Let's look at three ways sprains and strains differ from each other.
1. SPRAINS AND STRAINS AFFLICT DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BODY.
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIH), a sprain is a stretch or tear of a ligament which provides joint stability. A strain is a stretch or tear of a muscle or tendon in the area where it is turning into a muscle.
2. SPRAINS AND STRAINS ARE MOST OFTEN CAUSED FROM DIFFERENT ACTIONS.
Falling or twisting the wrong way typically causes a sprain, because the movement forces a joint into an awkward position and ends up stretching or tearing the ligament. Twisting an ankle, falling down the stairs, or trying to catch yourself on an icy walkway are all ways to end up with a sprain.
A strain often results from overexertion or trauma, and repetitive movement. Lifting an item that is too heavy, jumping into an exercise routine that is too strenuous, or performing repetitive movements in either a sport or work are ways an individual can end up suffering from a strain.
3. SPRAINS AND STRAINS GENERALLY AFFECT DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE BODY.
Sprains occur at parts of the body that are injured when falling or suddenly twisting. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, ankle sprains alone number around 2 million each year.
Ankles, wrists, knees, and fingers are all areas that are frequently sprained. Strains, on the other hand, commonly occur in the back, shoulder, or hamstring, as both of these areas are affected by overexertion or repetitive movement.
Although sprains and strains are different injuries, they do have some similarities. This is most likely why people get them mixed up.
Let's discuss a few commonalities of sprains and strains.
Both share common symptoms. Both injuries can bring on pain, swelling, and limited movement at the injury site. The pain can be moderate or intense, depending on the severity of the injury. Sprains and strains both benefit from ice packs, rest, and elevation.
They can require surgery. Most diagnosed strains and sprains heal on their own with time, but a serious tear can require surgery to repair. With both injuries, it's important to visit a doctor if an individual experiences severe pain and swelling, and decreased mobility.
Both can benefit from chiropractic care. Chiropractors can work wonders on the neck and back, but chiropractic care can assist in lessening the impact of a strain or sprain injury, too.
The benefits of seeing a chiropractor for both sprains and sprains are twofold. Chiropractic treatments promote healing of the injured area as well as help strengthen the areas around the injury to decrease the chance of future injuries.
Sprains and strains can sideline individuals from their activities, no matter if they are athletes or regular guys doing yard work. It's vital to take steps to avoid sprains and strains in the first place.
Always properly stretch and avoid overexertion to prevent strains. Take pains to clear walkways and stairways to avoid falls or sudden twisting movements to decrease the risk of sprains.
If you end up with a strain or sprain, contact us for a consultation. We have extensive experience in working with patients suffering from sprains and strains.
Let's look at three ways sprains and strains differ from each other.
1. SPRAINS AND STRAINS AFFLICT DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BODY.
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIH), a sprain is a stretch or tear of a ligament which provides joint stability. A strain is a stretch or tear of a muscle or tendon in the area where it is turning into a muscle.
2. SPRAINS AND STRAINS ARE MOST OFTEN CAUSED FROM DIFFERENT ACTIONS.
Falling or twisting the wrong way typically causes a sprain, because the movement forces a joint into an awkward position and ends up stretching or tearing the ligament. Twisting an ankle, falling down the stairs, or trying to catch yourself on an icy walkway are all ways to end up with a sprain.
A strain often results from overexertion or trauma, and repetitive movement. Lifting an item that is too heavy, jumping into an exercise routine that is too strenuous, or performing repetitive movements in either a sport or work are ways an individual can end up suffering from a strain.
3. SPRAINS AND STRAINS GENERALLY AFFECT DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE BODY.
Sprains occur at parts of the body that are injured when falling or suddenly twisting. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, ankle sprains alone number around 2 million each year.
Ankles, wrists, knees, and fingers are all areas that are frequently sprained. Strains, on the other hand, commonly occur in the back, shoulder, or hamstring, as both of these areas are affected by overexertion or repetitive movement.
Although sprains and strains are different injuries, they do have some similarities. This is most likely why people get them mixed up.
Let's discuss a few commonalities of sprains and strains.
Both share common symptoms. Both injuries can bring on pain, swelling, and limited movement at the injury site. The pain can be moderate or intense, depending on the severity of the injury. Sprains and strains both benefit from ice packs, rest, and elevation.
They can require surgery. Most diagnosed strains and sprains heal on their own with time, but a serious tear can require surgery to repair. With both injuries, it's important to visit a doctor if an individual experiences severe pain and swelling, and decreased mobility.
Both can benefit from chiropractic care. Chiropractors can work wonders on the neck and back, but chiropractic care can assist in lessening the impact of a strain or sprain injury, too.
The benefits of seeing a chiropractor for both sprains and sprains are twofold. Chiropractic treatments promote healing of the injured area as well as help strengthen the areas around the injury to decrease the chance of future injuries.
Sprains and strains can sideline individuals from their activities, no matter if they are athletes or regular guys doing yard work. It's vital to take steps to avoid sprains and strains in the first place.
Always properly stretch and avoid overexertion to prevent strains. Take pains to clear walkways and stairways to avoid falls or sudden twisting movements to decrease the risk of sprains.
If you end up with a strain or sprain, contact us for a consultation. We have extensive experience in working with patients suffering from sprains and strains.
Unbearable pain in the calf muscle can be caused by a serious condition call DVT or deep vein thrombosis. So you should schedule an appointment with your family doctor to rule that all first. Otherwise for a torn muscle, you can see a Chiropractor that do physiotherapy in the clinic like mine.
If you think the muscle is torn, you should get an evaluation. The extent of the tear, if any, will determine the treatment recommendations. If you have a simple muscle strain, ice the first 3 days after, and then alternating ice and heat combined with stretching will do the trick.
Get an appointment with a health care professional ASAP. You should be evaluated to determine the origin of your concern. Then an appropriate treatment can be recommended.
See an orthopedic. You may need an MRI to see if it is torn
A common cause of calf pain is a really tight soleus muscle which has to be stretched differently than the other calf muscles. If this is the cause of your pain then we can certainly help. We can help with many causes of calf pain, we just need to evaluate the cause of your pain first to determine if we can help.
An examination is the only way to find out
A torn muscle, the term we use in healthcare is a “strain” can have varying degrees of severity. If the pain in your calf muscles is recent, an ice/cold application for 8 to 10 minutes per hour is appropriate until the swelling is gone. You should restrict your activities so that your are not creating more pain. Depending on the severity of the strain, healing should occur in two to four weeks. If the pain persist or worsens, you should seek out a trusted healthcare provider for examination and further treatment which may involve bracing and physical therapy. In extreme cases, surgery may be necessary.
It is very difficult to assess what exactly is going on with the calf. There are numerous things that could be going on and without a through examination. My recommendation is for you to either seek out a chiropractor or other health care professional to assess and exam the calf to better give you a suggestion for care.
The best treatment for a pulled, strained or torn calf muscle is to remember the word PRICE. Healing can take anywhere from 3 weeks for a pulled muscle up to 3-4 months for a tear. You need to Protect the area, Rest the area, Ice the area, Compress the area, and Elevate the area. If it shows signs of redness or there is increased swelling, always check with your medical doctor to eliminate any other issues which might be causing your pain.
Thank you for your question!
To be honest, it is difficult to diagnose or even give recommendations without being able to perform an examination. It allows me to get a clear understanding of the problem at hand. There are multiple factors that may be at play when discussing this type of complaint. In general, if it hurts...avoid it! (Until further evaluated.)
To be honest, it is difficult to diagnose or even give recommendations without being able to perform an examination. It allows me to get a clear understanding of the problem at hand. There are multiple factors that may be at play when discussing this type of complaint. In general, if it hurts...avoid it! (Until further evaluated.)
This could be a muscular problem or a vascular problem. Consult a doctor immediately.
