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| WHAT IS A CALF STRAIN? |
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| A strain is an injury in which muscle fibers or tendons are stretched or torn. People commonly call such an injury a "pulled" muscle. A calf strain is an injury to the muscles and tendons in the back of your leg below your knee. |
| HOW DOES IT OCCUR? |
| A strain of your calf muscles can occur during a physical activity where you push off forcefully from your toes. It may occur in running, jumping, or lunging. |
| WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? |
| A calf muscle strain may cause immediate pain in the back of your lower leg. You may hear or feel a pop or a snap. You may get the feeling that something has hit you in the back of the leg. It will be difficult to rise up on your toes. Your calf may be swollen and bruised. |
| HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED? |
| Your doctor will examine your lower leg. Your calf muscles will be tender. |
| HOW IS IT TREATED? |
| Treatment may include the following: |
| - applying ice packs to your calf for 20-30 minutes every 3-4 hours for 2-3 days, or until the pain goes away |
| - elevating your leg on a pillow while you are lying down |
| - wrapping an elastic bandage around your calf to keep the swelling from getting worse |
| - using crutches if it is too painful to walk |
| - taking anti-inflammatory medications |
| - getting physical therapy and treatment of the muscle tissue using ultrasound or muscle stimulation |
| - having the injured muscles taped while they are healing to help you return to athletic activities |
| - doing rehabilitation exercises |
| WHEN CAN I RETURN TO MY SPORT OR ACTIVITY? |
| The goal of rehabilitation is to return you to your sport or activity as soon as is safely possible. If you return too soon, you may worsen your injury, which could lead to permanent damage. Everyone recovers at a different rate. |
| Return to your sport or activity will be determined by how soon your calf recovers, not by how many days or weeks it has been since your injury has occurred. In general, the longer you have symptoms before you start treatment, the longer it will take to get better. |
| You may safely return to your sport or activity when, starting from the top of the list and progressing to the end, each of the following is true: |
| - You have full range of motion in the injured leg compared to the uninjured leg |
| - You have full strength of the injured leg compared to the uninjured leg |
| - You can jog straight ahead without pain or limping |
| - You can sprint straight ahead without pain or limping |
| - You can do 45 degree cuts, first at half speed, then at full speed |
| - You can do 20 yard "figure eights", first at half speed, then at full speed |
| - You can do 90 degree cuts, first at half speed, then at full speed |
| - You can do 10 yard "figure eights", first at half speed, then at full speed |
| - You can jump on both legs without pain, and you can jump on the injured leg without pain |
| HOW CAN I PREVENT CALF STRAINS? |
| Calf sprains are best prevented by warming up properly and doing calf stretching exercises before your activity. This is especially important if you are doing jumping or sprinting sports. |
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