Tear in calf muscle?

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JulieSHelms
JulieSHelms Posts: 821 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Tonight while I was running (very slowly-5 mph) on a treadmill at a slight incline, around the 1.8 mile mark, I felt a huge pop in my lower calf. I limped home from the gym, took ibuprofen, and parked myself on a recliner with an ice pack on it. I plan to go to a walk-in orthopedic clinic in the morning. I'm guessing it is a muscle strain or tear, but since I can bear some weight on it, I'm thinking it isn't ruptured.

I was looking for advice or insight on how this happens. I've only been running for about 5 months, but I do it slowly and only once or twice a week. The other days I'm on the elliptical and do strength training (including calf extensions). I would have thought that my calves should be strong by now. The max I've ever run is 3.6 miles, but I usually do about 2.

Replies

  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
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    a huge pop isn't good thing. i hope its nothing major, you are smart to see the dr.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    JulieSHelms wrote: »
    Tonight while I was running (very slowly-5 mph) on a treadmill at a slight incline, around the 1.8 mile mark, I felt a huge pop in my lower calf. I limped home from the gym, took ibuprofen, and parked myself on a recliner with an ice pack on it. I plan to go to a walk-in orthopedic clinic in the morning. I'm guessing it is a muscle strain or tear, but since I can bear some weight on it, I'm thinking it isn't ruptured.

    I was looking for advice or insight on how this happens. I've only been running for about 5 months, but I do it slowly and only once or twice a week. The other days I'm on the elliptical and do strength training (including calf extensions). I would have thought that my calves should be strong by now. The max I've ever run is 3.6 miles, but I usually do about 2.

    Ask your doctor or better yet a physio
  • flipside8404
    flipside8404 Posts: 4 Member
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    Ouch...I hope it's not a complete tear. Are you still able to point your foot down? A complete tear would prevent your from doing this. Any visible bruising on the area?
  • fit_knitter
    fit_knitter Posts: 16 Member
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    JulieSHelms wrote: »
    Tonight while I was running (very slowly-5 mph) on a treadmill at a slight incline, around the 1.8 mile mark, I felt a huge pop in my lower calf. I limped home from the gym, took ibuprofen, and parked myself on a recliner with an ice pack on it. I plan to go to a walk-in orthopedic clinic in the morning. I'm guessing it is a muscle strain or tear, but since I can bear some weight on it, I'm thinking it isn't ruptured.

    I was looking for advice or insight on how this happens. I've only been running for about 5 months, but I do it slowly and only once or twice a week. The other days I'm on the elliptical and do strength training (including calf extensions). I would have thought that my calves should be strong by now. The max I've ever run is 3.6 miles, but I usually do about 2.

    This happened to me earlier in the summer doing sprints in boot camp. I was jogging fine but as soon as I tried to sprint I felt a pop! in my calf and it hurt. I could walk on it though and was able to finish my class (with modifications) so it wasn't a huge tear. I did a lot of stretching and I did rest it for a few days with a lot of aleve and elevation for my leg and eased back into things by walking, then jogging. When I tried to sprint again a few weeks later it popped again but it didn't hurt as much. I've since sworn off sprints and stick with what I know doesn't f my calf up. I should've probably gone to the Dr but I don't usually go unless I'm on death's door. It does take a while to heal though, even if you think it feels better I wouldn't do any full out running for at least a month.
  • JulieSHelms
    JulieSHelms Posts: 821 Member
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    fit_knitter wrote: »
    JulieSHelms wrote: »
    Tonight while I was running (very slowly-5 mph) on a treadmill at a slight incline, around the 1.8 mile mark, I felt a huge pop in my lower calf. I limped home from the gym, took ibuprofen, and parked myself on a recliner with an ice pack on it. I plan to go to a walk-in orthopedic clinic in the morning. I'm guessing it is a muscle strain or tear, but since I can bear some weight on it, I'm thinking it isn't ruptured.

    I was looking for advice or insight on how this happens. I've only been running for about 5 months, but I do it slowly and only once or twice a week. The other days I'm on the elliptical and do strength training (including calf extensions). I would have thought that my calves should be strong by now. The max I've ever run is 3.6 miles, but I usually do about 2.

    This happened to me earlier in the summer doing sprints in boot camp. I was jogging fine but as soon as I tried to sprint I felt a pop! in my calf and it hurt. I could walk on it though and was able to finish my class (with modifications) so it wasn't a huge tear. I did a lot of stretching and I did rest it for a few days with a lot of aleve and elevation for my leg and eased back into things by walking, then jogging. When I tried to sprint again a few weeks later it popped again but it didn't hurt as much. I've since sworn off sprints and stick with what I know doesn't f my calf up. I should've probably gone to the Dr but I don't usually go unless I'm on death's door. It does take a while to heal though, even if you think it feels better I wouldn't do any full out running for at least a month.

    Thank you. This is very helpful. This morning my calf feels much better. Feels like a muscle pull or like when you have a really bad cramp that aches the next day. I'm still limping, but it is sore, not painful. I can flex and point, so I think it isn't nearly as bad as I feared and just needs rest. It's that distinctive pop that had me concerned. I'm pretty sure I'm done running now. It was an experiment (starting at age 50!) but I can stick to other things that don't come with the same risk of injury.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,508 Member
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    If it was a rupture, the calf muscle would ball up just under your knee. It does sound like that you may have strained it. There are different degrees of sprains. Based on your pain level, it sound like a 1st degree strain. Should be fine in a few days.

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  • chelllsea124
    chelllsea124 Posts: 336 Member
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    I got to the part where you said huge pop and stopped. Please see a Dr.
  • fit_knitter
    fit_knitter Posts: 16 Member
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    JulieSHelms wrote: »
    fit_knitter wrote: »
    JulieSHelms wrote: »
    Tonight while I was running (very slowly-5 mph) on a treadmill at a slight incline, around the 1.8 mile mark, I felt a huge pop in my lower calf. I limped home from the gym, took ibuprofen, and parked myself on a recliner with an ice pack on it. I plan to go to a walk-in orthopedic clinic in the morning. I'm guessing it is a muscle strain or tear, but since I can bear some weight on it, I'm thinking it isn't ruptured.

    I was looking for advice or insight on how this happens. I've only been running for about 5 months, but I do it slowly and only once or twice a week. The other days I'm on the elliptical and do strength training (including calf extensions). I would have thought that my calves should be strong by now. The max I've ever run is 3.6 miles, but I usually do about 2.

    This happened to me earlier in the summer doing sprints in boot camp. I was jogging fine but as soon as I tried to sprint I felt a pop! in my calf and it hurt. I could walk on it though and was able to finish my class (with modifications) so it wasn't a huge tear. I did a lot of stretching and I did rest it for a few days with a lot of aleve and elevation for my leg and eased back into things by walking, then jogging. When I tried to sprint again a few weeks later it popped again but it didn't hurt as much. I've since sworn off sprints and stick with what I know doesn't f my calf up. I should've probably gone to the Dr but I don't usually go unless I'm on death's door. It does take a while to heal though, even if you think it feels better I wouldn't do any full out running for at least a month.

    Thank you. This is very helpful. This morning my calf feels much better. Feels like a muscle pull or like when you have a really bad cramp that aches the next day. I'm still limping, but it is sore, not painful. I can flex and point, so I think it isn't nearly as bad as I feared and just needs rest. It's that distinctive pop that had me concerned. I'm pretty sure I'm done running now. It was an experiment (starting at age 50!) but I can stick to other things that don't come with the same risk of injury.

    That is exactly how mine felt the day after. Definitely take it easy on it for a day or two and then ease back into things. Give it plenty of time before you start running again (if you choose to start back). you will feel it for awhile but you dont have to be completely inactive while it heals.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,210 Member
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    JulieSHelms wrote: »
    The other days I'm on the elliptical and do strength training (including calf extensions). I would have thought that my calves should be strong by now.

    You would think, but resistance to calf injuries also depends on the limberness of the calf & achilles tendon. Those are stiff in many people due to inactivity & sitting a lot, and also from wearing shoes with a raised heel (=90% of shoes). Fortunately that's reversible with frequent stretching and from wearing "zero heel" shoes (except when running, when a raised is ok).
    Don't give up on running just yet, because it's an awesome invigorating exercise! Just avoid uphill runs until you're warmed up, because it puts more strain on the calf/achilles complex. Since you're new to running, you might want to avoid inclines altogether the first few months. Downhill is ok.

    "Fall 7 times, stand up 8" :+1:
  • Joanna2012B
    Joanna2012B Posts: 1,448 Member
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    I agree to not give up yet. Once you are healed up start doing some yoga. This has helped me with my running. Also, keep up the cross training, maybe even add in some cycling!
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
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    This is known as "tennis calf" or "tennis leg" or "tennis players' calf." I suppose they called it that because it usually happens when one is sprinting, and it usually happens to someone over 30 years of age, and, back in the day, tennis players were the only people of advanced years who still ran.
    The calf is such a tight, strong muscle -- think about it, you use it for every step you take, your entire weight, magnified if you are running -- that this injury can take a very long time to heal.
    It is a bit like a hamstring tear. It has to resolve completely before you can test it, otherwise it tears again.
    Or so I thought.
    I got it playing soccer. (EVERY older soccer player knows this injury, though some of them do not describe it as a "huge pop." Some say it was like a hot knife stuck into butter, or that they were convinced someone had just kicked them and they spun around to look!)
    I could not get mine better, after much rest. No one knew what to do.
    One day I talked with an orthopedic surgeon with sports expertise. (He was a physician for a professional baseball team.) He's the one who told me it was called tennis calf. He told me to jog on it slowly, lightly, even if it hurt, every day or every other day, and I would be better in a week.
    I had tried for two or three months to get it better with rest. I'd go out and it was too sore or I would tear it again.
    I went out and did what he told me. I should mention, we were in Mexico and I could jog on the beach, where the sand was soft. May have made it easier.
    That surgeon was wrong about one week; I was better in four days!
    I know, this approach seems counter-intuitive and I have never heard anyone else recommend it. (They all say rest and ice.) But I tell everyone they should give it a try.
    Good luck.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    JulieSHelms wrote: »
    fit_knitter wrote: »
    JulieSHelms wrote: »
    Tonight while I was running (very slowly-5 mph) on a treadmill at a slight incline, around the 1.8 mile mark, I felt a huge pop in my lower calf. I limped home from the gym, took ibuprofen, and parked myself on a recliner with an ice pack on it. I plan to go to a walk-in orthopedic clinic in the morning. I'm guessing it is a muscle strain or tear, but since I can bear some weight on it, I'm thinking it isn't ruptured.

    I was looking for advice or insight on how this happens. I've only been running for about 5 months, but I do it slowly and only once or twice a week. The other days I'm on the elliptical and do strength training (including calf extensions). I would have thought that my calves should be strong by now. The max I've ever run is 3.6 miles, but I usually do about 2.

    This happened to me earlier in the summer doing sprints in boot camp. I was jogging fine but as soon as I tried to sprint I felt a pop! in my calf and it hurt. I could walk on it though and was able to finish my class (with modifications) so it wasn't a huge tear. I did a lot of stretching and I did rest it for a few days with a lot of aleve and elevation for my leg and eased back into things by walking, then jogging. When I tried to sprint again a few weeks later it popped again but it didn't hurt as much. I've since sworn off sprints and stick with what I know doesn't f my calf up. I should've probably gone to the Dr but I don't usually go unless I'm on death's door. It does take a while to heal though, even if you think it feels better I wouldn't do any full out running for at least a month.

    Thank you. This is very helpful. This morning my calf feels much better. Feels like a muscle pull or like when you have a really bad cramp that aches the next day. I'm still limping, but it is sore, not painful. I can flex and point, so I think it isn't nearly as bad as I feared and just needs rest. It's that distinctive pop that had me concerned. I'm pretty sure I'm done running now. It was an experiment (starting at age 50!) but I can stick to other things that don't come with the same risk of injury.

    I hope it's not too bad. I agree with you to find an alternative to running. I know too many people 50+ who started out with a niggle and ended up with a major injury within a few months, and will prob never walk "correctly" again.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    are you unused to the incline? you mentioned having one on the treadmill in your op. i never run, but that's the first thought that comes to my mind because i do know from tight calves/achilles.
  • JulieSHelms
    JulieSHelms Posts: 821 Member
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    canadianlbs wrote: »
    are you unused to the incline? you mentioned having one on the treadmill in your op. i never run, but that's the first thought that comes to my mind because i do know from tight calves/achilles.

    I've been using it a few times now...but it is really minimal. I put it on the random function (so it's up and down, not steady) and level 1. Basically it's so slight I'm not even aware of it. Unfortunately I have no idea how inclined it was at the moment of 'pop' because I got distracted and never checked. But even at max, it is very little (and feels imperceptible). See I was trying to challenge myself a little! But it did cross my mind that it might have been a bad idea. But seriously, running on any road would have that much or more.

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