Calf Strain: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

By Tracy Wilcox, PTA, LAT

Anatomy of the Calf

The calf is composed of two muscles: the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The gastrocnemius is the big muscle at the back of the lower leg. The soleus is the smaller of the two and lies underneath the gastrocnemius. Both muscles contract to produce ‘plantar flexion,’ which is the motion that allows you to point your toes. A calf strain is the tearing of one of these muscles.

Understanding Calf Strain

Have you ever felt a sudden pain in your calf during a workout or a game? You might have experienced a calf strain. This common injury happens when the muscles in your calf are stretched or torn, usually during physical activities like running, jumping, or changing direction. In this article, we’ll explain what a calf strain is, how it’s diagnosed, and how it can be treated and prevented. We’ll also talk about how to live with a calf strain and manage its symptoms effectively.

What is a Calf Strain?

A calf strain is an injury that happens when the muscles in your calf get stretched or torn. It’s something that athletes often experience, especially those who participate in sports that involve running, jumping, or sudden changes in direction.

Calf strains can happen for a variety of reasons, but they’re usually caused by overuse or sudden movements that place too much stress on the calf muscles. This can happen during activities like sprinting, dancing, or even walking on uneven surfaces. Not warming up or stretching properly before physical activity can also increase your risk of getting a calf strain.

Some common symptoms of a calf strain are pain, tenderness, and swelling in the calf area. You might also have difficulty walking or standing on the affected leg. In more severe cases, you might notice bruising or feel a popping sensation.

If you think you might have a calf strain, it’s important to see a doctor. They can diagnose the injury and recommend the right treatment plan, which might include rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE), as well as physical therapy exercises to regain strength and flexibility.

Here at JOI, we’re dedicated to helping you recover from calf strains and prevent future injuries. Our experienced team of healthcare providers offers comprehensive treatment options and personalized care to help you get back to your daily life and athletic activities.

How is a Calf Strain Diagnosed?

If you’re experiencing pain and discomfort in the back of your lower leg, you might have a calf strain. It’s important to get an accurate diagnosis to make sure you get the right treatment and avoid further complications.

When diagnosing a calf strain, a doctor will usually start with a physical examination. They’ll look for signs of swelling, bruising, or tenderness in the affected leg and ask about your symptoms, such as pain or difficulty walking.

They might also recommend diagnostic tests like an ultrasound or an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to confirm the diagnosis and assess the severity of the strain. These imaging tests can help the doctor see any muscle tears or other abnormalities in your calf.

If you think you have a calf strain, see a doctor, especially if the pain and symptoms get worse or don’t go away. Also, seek medical help if you experience severe pain, can’t put weight on the affected leg, or if you heard a popping sound when you got injured.

Remember, getting diagnosed early and starting treatment right away can help speed up your recovery and prevent future complications. If you have any concerns or questions about a calf strain, don’t hesitate to reach out to a healthcare professional.

 

Causes of Calf Strains

Calf strains usually occur either due to a sudden pushing off the movement or excessive and forced over-stretching of the muscles. This is more likely to occur from a sudden explosive change of direction that causes a sudden sharp pain at the back of the leg when running, sprinting, or lunging.  This injury is common in running sports that require quick acceleration of changes in direction. A calf strain is also referred to as “Tennis Leg” because it is common among tennis players. It usually occurs in people between the ages of 30–45.

 

Symptoms of a Calf Strain

Symptoms of a calf strain vary significantly depending on how bad your injury is. A mild strain may feel more like an ache during or after exercise. With a more severe calf strain, you will feel a sudden sharp pain in the lower leg’s back, and there is usually tenderness on the calf muscle, especially on the inner side.  You may have difficulty contracting the muscle or standing on tiptoe, and there may be pain, swelling, or bruising in the calf muscle.

Muscle strains are graded as mild, moderate, and severe.  The more severe the strain, the longer the time to recover.

• First Degree (Mild): This injury is the most common and usually the most minor. This injury is a ‘pulled muscle’ with a structural disruption of less than 5 percent. With a first-degree injury, you can expect to be back to sports within 1 to 3 weeks.
• Second Degree (Moderate). This injury consists of a more significant but still incomplete muscle tear. This is a partial muscle tear and requires 3 to 6 weeks of rest and recovery before you can return to full activity.
• Third Degree (Severe). This injury results in the complete tearing of the muscle-tendon unit. A third-degree muscle strain can take many weeks or months to heal fully.

Treatment of a Calf Strain

Immediate treatment for a calf strain includes PRICE:

• Protect – Stop playing or running to prevent further damage. A compressive walking boot can permit pain-free walking and expedite healing in more severe cases.
• Rest – in the early acute stage, complete rest is best. Once the acute phase has passed, active rest (walking) may be more beneficial than complete rest. As a general rule of thumb, any activity that elicits pain at or near the injured site may be causing further injury and will only delay your recovery.
• Ice – can be used to control the pain.
• Compression – a compression bandage or calf support can be used to support the muscle and reduce swelling
• Elevation – can be used to decrease the swelling.

Physical Therapy: Once the initial pain and swelling have gone down, it’s important to start moving your calf again and strengthening the muscles. Physical therapy exercises can help improve flexibility, restore your range of motion, and build strength. A healthcare professional or physical therapist can guide you through exercises like calf stretches, heel raises, and towel scrunches to ensure you’re doing them correctly and safely.

Medication: In some cases, over-the-counter pain medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help manage pain and reduce inflammation. Make sure to talk to a healthcare professional before starting any new medication, especially if you have other health conditions or are taking other drugs. Topical pain relievers may also give you some relief.

Remember, it’s important to get professional medical advice for an accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment plan for your calf strain.

It is recommended for more severe calf strains of a grade 2 or 3. You follow up with your physician, who can rule out severe damage and refer you to physical therapy when appropriate. If attending PT at JOI, you will work with highly qualified physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and athletic trainers to return you to your previous function level.  A good way to prevent strains to the calf muscles is to stretch them regularly before performing sports or activities.

Preventing Calf Strains

Preventing calf strains is crucial for staying healthy and active. Here are a few simple strategies you can incorporate into your routine to reduce your risk of getting a calf strain.

First, make sure to warm up and stretch before any physical activity. Start with a few minutes of light cardio, like brisk walking or jogging, to get your blood flowing. Then do some dynamic stretches that target the calf muscles, like calf raises and ankle rotations, to improve flexibility and prepare your muscles for exercise.

Wearing the right shoes is also important. Look for shoes that give your feet good support and cushioning, especially if you’re doing activities that put a lot of strain on your calves, like running or jumping. These shoes are designed to absorb shock and provide stability, reducing the strain on your calf muscles.

Finally, make sure to train smart. Gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts to give your calf muscles time to adapt and get stronger. Avoid sudden increases in intensity that could overload your muscles and lead to strains. You can also cross-train with low-impact activities like swimming or cycling to give your calf muscles a break while still staying fit.

The therapists at JOI have extensive knowledge of treating all patients, from those with a sedentary lifestyle, to parents chasing kids, to weekend warriors, to professional athletes.

Related Articles: Hamstring Strain and Quadriceps Injuries.

JOI and JOI Rehab

When you’re ready to get back to physical activities, take it slow. Listen to your body and don’t push yourself too hard too soon. Start with low-impact exercises like swimming or stationary biking to keep fit without putting too much strain on your calf. As your calf gets stronger, gradually reintroduce weight-bearing activities and sports-specific exercises under the guidance of a physical therapist or sports medicine specialist.

To prevent future calf strains, make sure to warm up and stretch properly before physical activity. Wear supportive shoes and incorporate calf-strengthening exercises into your regular workout routine to build resilience in your muscles.

JOI Physicians continue to offer online new patient appointments. This is another option to make it more convenient to make new patient appointments with less phone hold times. Follow the link below to select your JOI MD and schedule online.

You can still call 904-JOI-2000 to make new patient JOI Physician Appointments if that is your preference.

To make appointments with JOI Rehab, please call 904-858-7045.

Author: Tracy Wilcox, PTA, LAT