Where Is Your Calf Muscle?

Your calf muscle sits in the back of your lower leg . It starts below your knee and extends to your ankle. It allows you to walk, run, jump and flex your foot. It also helps you stand up straight.

How do I know if my calf pain is serious?

1. swelling.
2. unusual coolness or pale color in the calf.
3. tingling or numbness in the calf and leg.
4. weakness of the leg.
5. fluid retention.
6. redness, warmth, and tenderness of the calf.

What causes calf muscle pain?

Calf pain is usually caused by cramp, when the muscles suddenly contract . This might happen if you have been doing new exercises, if you are dehydrated, or if you are deficient in some minerals. Cramps normally go away quite quickly by themselves.

Should you massage a calf strain?

Getting a massage is also very beneficial right after the initial injury (just not at the site of the tear!) Massage can lengthen the entire posterior chain while increasing circulation around the strain through the whole leg. Rubbing the bottom of your foot over a tennis ball can also ease the pain felt in the calf.

What is the difference between a calf strain and a tear?

Symptoms. A calf strain usually starts with sudden pain in the back of the lower leg. A pop, snap or tearing sensation may be felt. Occasionally, with a severe tear, it may feel like you have been shot in the back of the leg.

How do I relieve calf pain?

1. Rest: Avoid walking or running with calf muscle pain. ...
2. Ice: Put an ice pack or cold compress on your calf muscles for 20 minutes every two hours. ...
3. Compression: Apply a compression bandage or wrap to your calf. ...
4. Elevation: Lift your leg into an elevated position, preferably above the level of your heart.

What does a blood clot feel like in your calf?

Pain in your leg. The pain often starts in your calf and can feel like cramping or soreness . Red or discolored skin on the leg. A feeling of warmth in the affected leg.

How do you loosen tight calf muscles?

Stand near a wall with one foot in front of the other, front knee slightly bent. Also bend your back knee, keeping your heel on the ground, as you lean toward the wall. Feel the stretch in the lower part of your calf muscle. Hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds.

What is the best exercise for calf muscles?

Running, walking, and hiking are excellent calf-strengthening exercises, especially when you go uphill. The steeper the climb, the more your calves have to work. Running sports such as soccer, basketball, and tennis demand that you run, jump, and push off your calf muscles to accelerate or change direction quickly.

Why do my calves hurt when I walk?

Claudication is a common condition where pain occurs in the legs with exercise due to a reduction in the circulation . The cause is hardening of the arteries otherwise known as atherosclerosis. The common symptom is of a cramp like pain developing in the calf muscles on walking.

How long does it take a pulled calf muscle to heal?

In total, it usually takes up to three days for a pulled calf muscle to start feeling better. But a full recovery may take up to six weeks , according to Oxford University Hospitals. Severe swelling can make any pain and discomfort last a bit longer. Walking on recovering calf muscles can also increase recovery time.

Is Deep heat good for calf strain?

Just massage it onto major muscle groups like hamstrings, calves, thighs, shoulders, biceps etc. to build warmth and prevent injuries . The Deep Heat PRO Recovery Massage Oil is best used post-exercise to warm down, loosen tight muscles and help repair muscle tissue by boosting blood circulation.

Should I walk with a calf strain?

For the first few days, reduce the amount of walking you do . Gently move your ankle regularly to avoid stiffness. Avoid forceful and strenuous activity such as running and jumping until you can walk without it causing any pain.

Is heat good for calf strain?

After an acute injury, ice should be used to minimize swelling for the first two to three days. After this period, heat can be used to increase blood flow and assist the natural healing process . Applying heat too early may cause additional swelling by increasing blood flow to the injury.

Can you walk on a torn calf muscle?

A calf muscle tear usually causes sudden, intense calf pain and may prevent you from walking or bearing weight on your leg . Calf muscle tears usually heal with conservative treatments, but sometimes require surgery.

How do you diagnose a pulled calf muscle?

1. Watch how you walk, and see if you can bear weight on the injured leg.
2. Test the different calf muscles for weakness.
3. Look for swelling or bruising.

How long does calf pain last?

A typical grade I calf strain will heal in seven to 10 days . A grade II injury will heal in about four to six weeks. A grade III calf strain may take about three months.

What problems can Tight calves cause?

Tight calf muscles limit the range of motion in your ankles, which causes some people to walk more on the balls of their feet. This shift toward the front of your foot when you’re moving can lead to problems like bursitis and nerve entrapment .

How can you tell the difference between a pulled calf muscle and a blood clot?

Symptoms of a blood clot in the leg:

skin which is warm to the touch in the affected area . swelling or pain in the affected calf muscle or area. The pain will usually get worse over time and does not come and go, like the feeling of a pulled muscle might. a red or raw tender area of skin, often below the back of the ...

What are the 10 signs of a blood clot?

• Swelling. This can happen in the exact spot where the blood clot forms, or your entire leg or arm could puff up.
• Change in color. ...
• Pain. ...
• Warm skin. ...
• Trouble breathing. ...
• Lower leg cramp. ...
• Pitting edema. ...
• Swollen, painful veins.

What are the first signs of a blood clot in the leg?

• leg pain or discomfort that may feel like a pulled muscle, tightness, cramping or soreness.
• swelling in the affected leg.
• redness or discoloration of the sore spot.
• the affected area feeling warm to the touch.
• a throbbing sensation in the affected leg.

What does a tight calf feel like?

Tight calves may feel hard to touch . The muscles may twitch slightly or feel warm from the inflammation. They can be painful, particularly when under pressure. There can be cramping in some cases.