A calf strain is characterized as sharp pain in the calf muscle, resulting from a tear in the muscle. Calf strains are a somewhat common injury in athletes who run a significant amount.
Three grades of calf strains relating to the severity of the injury:
- Grade 1 – Least severe grade; feeling of minor pain and tightness in calf with less than 25% of muscle fibers being affected.
- Grade 2 – Feeling of sharp pain, accompanied with swelling; between 25-90% of muscle fibers are affected.
- Grade 3 – Most severe grade; immediate and intense pain followed by swelling; 90% or more of muscle fibers are affected and can be a complete rupture of the muscle.
What is the cause?
Calf strains occur as an abrupt stretch of the muscle or as long-term wear and tear with aggressive movements. Athletes are especially susceptible to calf strains as constant running increases the risks of tight muscles and sudden tearing. Women who wear high heels are also at a high risk of calf strains, as the calf muscle is compressed with heels and then stretched to a comparative extreme when flat shoes are worn, increasing the chance of tearing.
What are the symptoms?
- Sharp pain in the calf
- Swelling after the injury occurs
- If muscle is completely ruptured, a gap will be felt where muscle was torn
Our staff is well trained to correctly diagnose and treat calf strains. Read more below about the advanced Physiotherapy Techniques we utilize.
Tests
We can order imaging tests to properly assess what is causing the symptoms.
- MRI
An MRI can show how much damage and to what degree the knee has been affected.
Treatments
Treatment in our office is broken down into three segments:
- Pain reduction
Stopping or decreasing the activity that is causing the pain is the main goal of our first treatment segment. Applying ice and heat alternatively throughout the day will help with both pain and inflammation. Our Class 4 laser treatment is very effective for this segment. - Treatment to restore oxygen and proper nutrients to damaged segment
- Class 4 laser
- Graston Technique Therapy
Successful in effectively treating all soft tissue conditions, whether they are chronic, acute or post- surgical. - E-stim
Electric muscle stimulation using a device that delivers electronic pulses to motor nerves through electrodes placed on the skin, causing a motor response to achieve a number of desired results. - Cold laser
- Ultrasound
- Soft tissue work
- Exercise and proper stretching
We offer a very effective Physiotherapy regiment to both decrease pain and restore proper function.