How long to heal calf?

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lisal11
lisal11 Posts: 59 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm wondering, if you've had a calf strain/tear, how long did it take to heal?

I pulled mine and thought, after a couple days of ice and compression, that it was good enough to return to 30DS. Well, I was wrong. After a couple days back on the program, it's worse than ever. It hurts to walk, use stairs and cramps when I'm not using it at all. I modified my moves so it was not too bouncy but it didn't matter.

Now, I've decided to drop 30DS until the calf is completely healed. I will still do some simple floor work (sit ups, push ups, maybe some squats with weights) but I can't do anything that is even remotely bouncy or requires pushing off the ball of my foot.

I don't want to lose my motivation to complete 30DS and hoping I won't be out of it for too long. How long do I need to stay off it?

Replies

  • sarah456s
    sarah456s Posts: 98 Member
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    Well, it depends what you did, which muscle (gastrocnemius, soleus...) and how bad it is. I'm sorry to say that mine took months to heal.

    I was able to do a barre workout (Xtend Barre) even when I couldn't walk without an awful limp. I only had to modify slightly. And I was able to do some swimming. But I couldn't run for months.
  • lisal11
    lisal11 Posts: 59 Member
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    Oh no, I hope not months. It feels high in the gastrocnemius toward the inner side of my calf. I can't know for sure but I would guess it's there. That muscle is a tight ball right now.

    How did you know when it was safe to try to stress it? After two days of rest, it was feeling pretty good. One workout later, slightly sore but ok. Two workouts later, a disaster, even though I modified. :( Now I'm wondering if I made it worse.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    Obviously a doctor is the best person to talk to, but generally speaking, with calf tears, any activities that cause any pain should be avoided.
    Stretch it a few times an hour, if it doesn't hurt:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkgkmbXz8Mo

    Torn gastrocs heal best with the foot in dorsiflexion (foot pointed up). Keep the knee as straight as possible when you sit, and try to sleep on your back. If you have a night splint, wear it.

    By the way, warmth increases circulation, which speeds healing. Ice constricts blood vessels, which slows circulation & healing.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    mine took months - and trying to get out on it prematurely made it worse.

    a good sports massage therapist may help
  • lisal11
    lisal11 Posts: 59 Member
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    Thanks for the info. I've been icing because it's been swollen but if I can get the swelling down today, I'll switch to heat. I'd actually prefer heat, feels a lot nicer than cold. I know I should probably see a doctor but that comes with a big bill I don't want to deal with right now. :( Unless it becomes unbearable, I'll try to avoid that.

    I think for today I'll go for elevation, compression and heat by the evening. Hopefully, it will get it feeling a little better by tomorrow and then stay off it for a while.

    Thanks a bunch for the link to the stretches!

    Also, for future reference, it seems that my calves get pretty tight when doing bouncy work outs. New thing for me as I get older I guess. What should I be doing to prevent tight calves in the future and hopefully avoid any more injuries?
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    What should I be doing to prevent tight calves in the future and hopefully avoid any more injuries?

    The same advice applies - regular stretching, keep the knees relatively straight when sitting, and wear a night splint. This is a good, inexpensive night splint:
    http://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Plantar-Fasciitis-Splint-Medium/dp/B006L8N71Y

    Most shoes on the market have a raised heel, and that tightens the calves by plantarflexing your feet (points them downward). Try to wear shoes with little to no "heel to toe drop", like Keds, Converse, "barefoot shoes", etc.
  • EdTheGinge
    EdTheGinge Posts: 1,616 Member
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    I gave mine about 2weeks to heal but then again I do have a run coming up and couldn't risk aggravating it further.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    I certainly understand the reluctance to go to a doctor--and in fact the average family MD is not that well equipped to handle this type of injury.

    If you do have a muscle tear, then rest is usually the best (often the only) option. Any stretching should be extremely gentle--vigorous stretching can reinjure the muscle. I've torn my calf muscle several times. The first ones took 6 weeks to heal--after that I learned to recognize the onset and didn't mess with it-immediately stopped exercise, gentle stretching, some mild strengthening after symptoms had significantly lessened, and then a g--r--a--d--u--a--l resumption of activity. By stopping instantly and not trying to push through, I cut the recovery time down to 2 weeks or less.

    I would recommend that you stop everything for a few days, stretch very gently and see how it feels. If it's a strain, you should see steady improvement. If it is still painful, then it's more likely a tear and you just need to let it heal.
  • lisal11
    lisal11 Posts: 59 Member
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    Thanks again everyone. I appreciate the advice. :)

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