OT: Pulled calf muscle [Archive]

buddybikes

10-07-2019, 03:24 PM

Went to take my afternoon ride and visited with neighbor real quick. Jumped off stairs and felt a pop in my calf, now I can't walk. Called urgent care and unless real urgent (urgent care center) they can't see me till tomorrow.

Have ice on it, but wow, can't walk. Don't think it is my achiilles, it is in middle of my calf.

compression sock on it now with alternating ice

yuck....

wc1934

10-07-2019, 03:39 PM

PaMtbRider

10-07-2019, 04:23 PM

Yes, that really sucks. I tore mine a little over a year ago. Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation is about all you can do. Unless it is a really bad tear, there is not much more you can do. They can operate if bad enough, but I don't think that is very common.

I walked with a cane for about a week, and kept it wrapped with a compression bandage. I was off work for 5 weeks. I am an electrician, so had to be able to climb ladders. Over a year later I mostly don't notice it, but occasionally will feel a slight pull if I do something to stress it.

RFC

10-07-2019, 04:33 PM

Yep, all of the above. Should be OK in about 6 weeks. Don't push it or you'll re-injure it. That's what I did.

Dead Man

10-07-2019, 06:51 PM

gotta cross train some running to keep 'em calves steely.. the bike just doesn't do enough for calves.

fore-strike with a low/no drop shoe for real manly calves

hope you heal up well!

RFC

10-07-2019, 07:02 PM

gotta cross train some running to keep 'em calves steely.. the bike just doesn't do enough for calves.

fore-strike with a low/no drop shoe for real manly calves

hope you heal up well!

After you heal, work the calves at the gym. My calves are the envy of men and women alike. ;)

LouDeeter

10-07-2019, 08:21 PM

Put a wedge in the shoe/heel of the affected leg to shorten the stretch when you start riding again, at least for a few months. My experience is that this type of pull is longer lasting than most pulls for cyclists.

Hank Scorpio

10-07-2019, 08:44 PM

Tore mine running on the beach many years ago. Made the mistake of starting out too hard on a cold muscle. Pretty significant tear but ER doc didn't feel surgery was necessary. I disagreed but here we are. The tear is healed but my right calf is misshapen from the tear. Doesn't really effect my riding, maybe it cramps a tiny bit earlier than my left but my high wattage days are behind me at this point so I don't sweat it.

Also when I was recovering i would use a frozen bottle of water for some light muscle rolling exercises. Just single leg weight, no crossovers.

buddybikes

10-07-2019, 08:52 PM

Thx. It hurts like hell (using my walker from my back surgery) but it isn't swollen too much, hopefully that is an ok sign.

Seeing doc tomorrow, couldn't get myself to pay 500.00 for ER and have previous scheduled PT, perhaps some ultrasound will chill it down a bit.

There goes the nice fall riding

mjb266

10-07-2019, 11:39 PM

These suck. The most informative thing I found was titled l “calf heart attack”.

The term is all over the internet.

JSL

10-08-2019, 12:51 AM

I've torn both of mine mildly a few times. Everything above is correct. Rest and compression. I'd add light massage to keep the muscle loose, but no stretching until it's completely healed.

RFC

10-08-2019, 08:31 AM

And don't forget the Advil to get ahead of the pain, particularly at night so you can sleep. That was the worst for me. Ever time I rolled over the shooting pain would jolt me awake.

George_H

10-08-2019, 09:04 PM

Sounds like a rupture of the medial head of the gastrocnemius or a rupture of the plantaris muscle.

...often seen in the intermittently active athlete, often referred to as the "weekend warrior." :) Somewhere else on internet something said "a classic injury of the aging, intermittently active, middle-aged male." :( My wife got quite a laugh out of the reference.

https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/91687-overview

https://www.stoneclinic.com/plantaris-injury

My roommate from college is an orthopedic surgeon. He said three three months for a full recovery. It was two months before I could ride at 70%. 6 weeks into it I started to feel like Kawhi. Weird leg injury, no timeline for recovery. :confused: Fortunately I had support and reassurance from a lot of orthopedic surgeons and had 2nd, 3rd and 4th opinions who all gave the same answers.

buddybikes

10-08-2019, 09:19 PM

Thanks all. I was cleared for Advil from my back surgeon and that really helped. Dr saw today referred for ultrasound, called the place - said NOV 6!!!! l called around which was a pain as the first place had the script. However, PT (who knows me well) and I agreed and my pain dropped like a rock, least away from total acute, to take a chilll pill and time it out. Fortunately I am being watched carefully so if PT sees downward spin then we will force some acton.

getting heels tomorrow....

Tickdoc

01-06-2021, 07:15 AM

Reviving this old thread. I have not been riding and have suffered my right calf muscle being pulled and/or sore consistently since november. It will heal for a bit, but then I will do something totally unknown and bam it pulls again. I still stretch, but only lightly after the pull.

Just pulled it again this morning in a bad way and thought I'd see what the collective thinks?

I am almost ready to start riding again, and just find it odd that months of Inactivity have caused me calf muscle problems over and over, even though I have stretched continually. My only real exercise lately has been walking the dogs and a little hunting. Chiropractor suggested changing shoes, which I did....no change. Feeling frustrated.

Sounds like I need to start riding again to see what affect that has.

OP, how is your calf doing now?

Alan

01-06-2021, 07:28 AM

Had a quad strain over the summer and it took some time to heal and get back on the bike. I went a few times but was very helpful to get me going again. I miss going to the gym during Covid.

Alan

dem

01-06-2021, 08:02 AM

I'm on a year plus with some odd calf strain/tear and it still twinges while riding. I went to mid-foot cleats and it basically deactivates the whole calf/achilles complex and that at least lets me ride for a couple hours. No standing or cranking away though.

I did tons of PT, strengthening, eccentric stretches, etc. I think approaching 50 I'm just adding it to the list of "stuff that never works right again"

reuben

01-06-2021, 08:07 AM

Reviving this old thread. I have not been riding and have suffered my right calf muscle being pulled and/or sore consistently since november. It will heal for a bit, but then I will do something totally unknown and bam it pulls again. I still stretch, but only lightly after the pull.

Just pulled it again this morning in a bad way and thought I'd see what the collective thinks?

I am almost ready to start riding again, and just find it odd that months of Inactivity have caused me calf muscle problems over and over, even though I have stretched continually. My only real exercise lately has been walking the dogs and a little hunting. Chiropractor suggested changing shoes, which I did....no change. Feeling frustrated.

I hate those types of injuries. Not super serious, but nagging for weeks, months. Rest eventually worked for me, and - surprisingly - not stretching. But that may be because I overdid the stretching, which I tend to do. Maybe you're overdoing the stretching as well?

Not having a medical background that's about all I can offer.

Good luck, man.

Tickdoc

01-06-2021, 09:00 AM

Thanks for the suggestions and I think PT visit would definitely be worth it. I am just tired of it getting almost healed/better and then it is back again. Less stretches wouldn't hurt, but I need them really bad for my back in order to function. Maybe PT can help guide me on some ways to keep my back in check and not engage the calves.

Spaghetti Legs

01-06-2021, 09:35 AM

Ligament and tendon injuries can take weeks, sometimes months to heal completely. Probably doesn’t help, but maybe, to know you have company. A friend dragooned me into running an all day outdoor adventure race with him. Basically it’s running and riding bikes through the woods navigating by compass to different stations. Anyway I’ve been trying to run after a few year hiatus and keep straining my left calf randomly during the runs, even after resting it for a couple of weeks. I think part of it has to do with the steep gradients around my neighborhood. My goal was to get up to 5 mile runs but not going to happen. Hasn’t really bothered me riding though.

I think the PT is a good idea.

schwa86

01-06-2021, 05:30 PM

notlance

01-06-2021, 07:35 PM

I have these issues off and on. I am a pretty big fan of this item (not just for calves) which I discovered when it was posted here a while ago. http://https://rollrecovery.com/product/r8-new/?attribute_type=Carbon+Black&gclid=Cj0KCQiA3NX_BRDQARIsALA3fILKoStY7HLL4ra9RPS0 V1h1Nf1W-yvrxBkO8VgFRUNNS8VCC7KItJEaAuKSEALw_wcB

Link don't work as posted.

- edit remove duplictate "http" reference at beginning.

https://rollrecovery.com/product/r8-new/?attribute_type=Carbon+Black

schwa86

01-07-2021, 12:56 PM

oops -- thanks...

Link don't work as posted.

- edit remove duplictate "http" reference at beginning.

https://rollrecovery.com/product/r8-new/?attribute_type=Carbon+Black

Polyglot

01-07-2021, 05:18 PM

I suffered the same type of injury in September when I jumped over a piece of driftwood on the beach. They had me do a D-Dimer test and ultrasound to be sure that it wasn't a blood clot as the symptoms can be very similar. It took me about two months to heal before I then did the same thing to the other leg two weeks ago. Luckily the pain is not as bad this time.

Tickdoc

01-07-2021, 06:10 PM

Meeting a Pt tomorrow( fingers crossed)

reuben

01-08-2021, 07:21 AM

Meeting a Pt tomorrow( fingers crossed)

Seeing a PT is a good move, especially if it's a good one. Fingers crossed.

Tickdoc

01-17-2021, 12:39 PM

Visit with pt went well! He was quickly able to ascertain that it was my knee that is the source of the problem exacerbated by my lack of exercise lately.

Apparently my body does not believe that my knee is strong enough following acl surgery many years ago. The brain is using the calf to compensate for what it thinks will hurt the acl again. He tested the joint and it is fine, but my body is protectively not letting me trust it as it should. The tendons on that side are not as flexible either, which has been a problem ever since surgery.

He gave me some exercises to work on to see if that helps, and encouraged me to get back on the bike.

Today is gorgeous out. Thought I’d go for a bike ride here in a bit. I put up the last of the Christmas decorations and pulled my calf again in the process!:mad:

Dagnabit.