Calf muscle strains are common in many sports including running, athletics, tennis, squash and badminton. Calf strains are often referred to as pulled muscles, which describes how the injury happened. The athlete stretches the calf muscle beyond its limit and the muscle fibres tear.
The severity of the strain depends upon how many muscle fibres are torn:
A grade one strain only involves tearing a few muscle fibres. The athlete may feel a twinge in either the gastrocnemius or the soleus muscle (which are the two main muscles making up the calf muscle). The athlete may be able to play on, but may notice aching in the lower leg for a few days after, as well as tightness and mild pain, as they try to contract or stretch the muscles.
A grade two strain is obviously more serious involving a lot more muscle fibres being torn. The athlete will often feel sharp pain in the affected calf muscle immediately after the injury, and swelling and/or bruising may become apparent in the lower leg, within a few days. There may be pain when walking and an ache for up 7 days or more. Often pain is felt upon stretching or contracting the muscle and the injured area is usually sore to the touch.
A grade three strain (rupture) is a very serious injury in which most/all of the muscle fibres have been torn. There is immediate stabbing or burning pain, and walking is also painful. Often a bulge of muscle tissue can be felt in the site of the injury. Again bruising will be evident, below the tear, caused by the tissue bleeding. A grade three strain requires immediate medical attention, and any athlete suspecting they have ruptured a calf muscle should visit their GP/ hospital immediately.
Treatment
Treatment of a calf strain should begin immediately using RICE:
REST: Stop the activity, which caused the injury immediately
ICE: Always use a medium between the skin and the ice. Apply for 10-20 minutes every 2-3 hours)
COMPRESSION: Apply a compression bandage to limit bleeding and swelling
ELEVATION: Place the injured lower leg in an elevated position
Continue to use RICE for between 48-72 hours following the injury.
Following this acute phase, the athlete should seek out a physiotherapist for further assessment of the injury and to begin a rehabilitation programme, consisting of stretching and strengthening exercises, to align scar tissue and help prevent re-injury. Sports massage at this point is also invaluable in aiding a speedy recovery.
Recovery Time
Grade one strains usually need about 3 weeks rest from sporting activity
Grade two strains usually need 4-6 weeks rest from sporting activity
Grade three strains may require surgery to repair the damage and a rehabilitation programme will take approximately 3 months.
Prevention
There are several simple things an athlete can do to prevent calf strains.
Warm up
The first thing is to always ensure the muscles are thoroughly warmed up before starting any exercise. A warm up should last between 10-20 minutes. Begin gently and gradually build up the intensity, so by the end of the warm up, the athlete is working at a similar intensity to the actual activity.
Cool down
After exercise a proper cool down and thorough stretching routine may also help to prevent muscle strains by maintaining flexibility: tight muscles are far more susceptible to muscle strains.
Sports massage
Regular sports massage helps maintain muscle flexibility, can identify and treat areas of tightness before they become a problem, remove lactic acid and promote quick recovery after a training session. If an athlete is serious about their sport then regular sports massage is a must!
During a treatment the sports massage therapist will discuss your training programme and identify key muscles, which are vulnerable to injury. These muscles will be softened and any adhesions (knots), which have developed will be broken down. Lactic acid and other waste products are removed and finally the muscles can be stretched. Sports massage helps keep the muscles functioning normally and therefore less prone to injuries such as calf strains.
Diet
Athletes must ensure they have an adequate intake of fluids and carbohydrate, before and during exercise. This helps prevent fatigue and ensures the muscles have an adequate supply of energy to function correctly.
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