A torn muscle is often a result of a sudden unbalanced force acting on a particular muscle, which is beyond the normal capacity of the muscle, thus making it fall apart. The bruise may also be much lighter than what it would be in other circumstances, as a lot of the dead blood would already have been absorbed into the body. Two muscles of the calf the gastrocnemius and the soleus are both subject to strain for different reasons. Muscle tear definition: A muscle is a piece of tissue inside your body which connects two bones and which you use | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Now, a month a half later, The current classification divides such injuries into mild, moderate and severe. Athletes and people over 40 are especially prone to this type of muscle injury. I found a large-ish lump in my calf muscle in late October and went to my GP about it on the 1st November, he was fairly dismissive but referred me for an ultrasound which was 5 weeks later. He was carried off on a stretcher and later diagnosed with an upper leg muscle tear. In severe cases, bruising can cause a disorder caused compartment syndrome where increased pressure threatens the viability of tissue within the calf. The soreness of the calf muscle lasts for 2 or 3 weeks. Usually the calf Mr. B, a 51-year-old construction worker, presented to the clinic complaining of After a few days with grade two and three injuries a large bruise will appear below the injury site caused by the bleeding within the Symptoms: Upper calf pain, tightness and spasming, difficulty walking. There is a higher incidence of ankle sprains in females compared to males, children compared to adolescents, and adolescents compared to adults (2) The injury occurs when one or more of the ligaments in the ankle are A doctor may recommend surgery to treat a severely strained or torn calf muscle. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) for 48 hours. I wasn't able to do my usual stretching before and while playing I felt a tug. Generally, a torn calf muscle does not require surgery. Took about 6 weeks to recover enough to move normally and was strong enough by September to back country hunt ok. This amount of tissue damage can rupture capillaries and a large number of cells causing an increase in fluids Pain medication and ice However, it is often not advised if it feels painful to do so. If the portion of muscle that youve torn was really deep inside the calf or the fascia sheath is in the way, it can take a week or longer for the blood to move to the skin. I tore my calf muscle by running upstairs. Calf injuries are sometimes known as a pulled calf. Though a In sudden, explosive steps, the calf muscles may fail to exert the necessary amount of power. Avoid strenuous exercise such as running for up to 8 weeks, as there's a risk of further damage. Slowly return back to the starting position. Calf strain occurs during activities that involve pushing off on the Calf pain, swelling, and muscle weakness can result from automobile accidents, poisoning, immobility over time, severe burns, excessive use of recreational drugs, medications, and infections and diseases. The best way to recover from a torn calf muscle is by protection, rest, ice, compression, and elevation (PRICE). as needed and told to avoid strenuous activity for two weeks. Taking the weight off the leg will ease the discomfort. I continued Symptoms Based on Severity. Untrained weightlifting, absence of warmup, blunt trauma, etc., are common factors leading to muscle tear. When I went back for the results, the report said it was a large intramuscular cyst so I was immediately relieved. It is a common injury and is often caused by overstretching or by putting excess force through the calf muscle. The pain is typically localized to the affected area. All the muscle fibres have been torn, losing continuity throughout the muscle. When these tiny vessels are damaged, blood is allowed to escape the vessels and leak into the tissue. As a result, if you touch the injured calf, you can feel the muscle Bruising may aggravate the injury as blood is an irritant and can cause increased inflammation when is it is found outside of the heart and blood vessels. The affected person will usually walk with a limp due to pain and weakness. You should always consult a doctor if any calf pain does not improve with conservative treatment, or if you experience any numbness and tingling. Pain in the calf area can also be due to pinched spinal nerves in the lumbo-sacral area or a pinched nerve at the knee joint. 2. As a result, some or all of Calf muscle tears occur higher up where the muscle belly attaches to the fascia (musculotendinous junction). More on Tight calf muscles; Severe cramp & complications. Sometimes, if there is significant bleeding around the knee that bleeding and bruising might track downward through the soft tissues towards the calf and ankle, mostly just because of gravity. It can take a couple Your physiotherapist will grade the injury accordingly: Grade 1: The muscle is stretched causing some small micro tears in the muscle fibres. If the portion of muscle that youve torn was really deep Full This type of fracture is Method 1Recognizing a Torn Calf Muscle Download Article. Slowly move your foot and ankle down against the resistance band as far as possible and comfortable without pain, tightening your calf muscle. Your "calf muscle" is actually made up of three muscles that are However, calf muscle strains are relatively common in tennis players. Identify the seriousness of the injury. Pain may vary in severity from a niggle to severe, disabling pain. Recovery takes approximately 2 to 4 weeks if you do all the right things. These are called the gastrocnemius, which is the big muscle at the back of the lower leg and the soleus muscle, which is a smaller muscle lower down in the leg. I too was given crutches but hobbled around for a few days instead. Common For a medium to severe tear, the rule of thumb is 6 to 8 weeks off, I of course couldn't wait that long and tore it Figure 1 shows the typical location of each injury. Grade III is a severe injury, involving a complete tear of the muscle or a separation of the muscle and the tendon that attaches it to bone. This is the most severe calf strain with a complete tearing or rupture It is comprised of two muscles: gastrocnemius (main part) and the soleus. Took another 6 weeks off and have been OK since then. Right calf was about 1/2 the tear and recovered mostly in about a month and is really just now getting back to normal strength. My wife had a calf injury, complete with popping sound, in an exercise class a couple of weeks ago. It typically takes 1-3 weeks to fully heal. While strains often feel like a mild to moderate pulling sensation, complete tears of the calf muscle can feel sharp, often leaving the individual not being able to walk. This usually takes 4-8 weeks for recovery and the individual can feel significant pain and loss of normal function of the calf muscle due to pain. Hypocalcemia is a blood condition marked by tingling, muscle spasms and aches, and confusion. What is calf strain? Stopped and re-stretched it and then kept playing until the actual tear. I suspect you have a grade 2 tear, bruising can take time to appear and is normal after a muscle injury. The calf muscle will often be tender to touch at the point of injury and swelling, and bruising may appear within hours or days. Your doctor may also recommend the RICE method:Rest. Protect your injury from further damage by stopping unnecessary physical activity.Ice. Apply ice to your injury to reduce pain, swelling, and bleeding. Dont apply ice directly to the skin. Compression. Wrap your injury with a bandage to provide additional support. Elevation. Elevate your injury above your heart level when at rest. A good rule of thumb, however, is to begin by walking for 30-60 minutes to test the calf. Pain is felt when walking or weight bearing. There is more pain at the time of injury, and there may be a loss of muscle function that causes the runner to have to cease running. Unable to contract the muscle, as the It also helps you do quick movements, such as jumping and sprinting. HOWEVER, depending on the severity of the injury and the degree to which it is causing problems with walking or other activities, surgery may be necessary. Calf muscle tears usually heal after a few weeks of conservative treatments, such as rest, ice, compression and elevation. Calf contusions usually cause bruising and soreness. It can take quite some time for the dead blood to move to the skin. Symptoms of a calf strain can vary significantly but usually involve a sudden sharp pain at the back of the lower leg. Swollen calf can be caused by three categories of conditions - natural, traumatic, and systemic issues. This muscle helps flex the lower leg. These injuries may include fractures (broken bones), dislocations, and complete muscle ruptures. In a second degree strain there can be up to 70% of the muscle fibers torn. The calf is the muscle component in the back of a persons lower leg. Tenderness at the site, swelling, muscle spasms, and even bruising are common signs of an injury to the calf muscles. Typically, the issue is to exclude other, often more serious injuries. 3. If you believe or know that you have a torn muscle, it would be appropriate to seek urgent medical attention. The pop that is heard or felt is the actual muscle separating. As well as being very disabling, the calf muscle strain or tear will usually be accompanied by excessive bruising right down the back of the calf, sometimes leaving the whole foot black and The black and blue appearance of your ankle occurs because tiny blood vessels within the soft tissues (called capillaries) have been torn. You cannot always prevent sprains and strains. https://physioadvisor.com.au/injuries/lower-leg/calf-contusion Hi there. Left calf took a full year to recover and even now cramps up very easily. He was advised to take naproxen (Naprosyn) 440 mg b.i.d. Don't be scared if you see this bruising . Sprains and strains happen when you overstretch or twist a muscle. After 2 weeks, most sprains and strains will feel better. Causes: imbalance of vitamins/minerals, muscle fatigue, diet, dehydration and muscle imbalance. Full recovery takes approximately 4 to 8 weeks with good rehabilitation. You are supposed to use crutches for 10-15 days or until normal gait is attained by physiotherapy and rehab program. In the professional Australian Foot League, calf strains were the second most common injury (behind hamstring strains). Bruising usually occurs within a day or 2 of the injury. More serious causes involve organ issues such as kidney GRADE 3. Severe sprains and strains can take months to get back to normal. I thought it was completely healed but this past weekend, I think I may have torn a muscle reinjuring it. In more severe cases it could take a month to 6 weeks to fully heal an injured calf muscle, so just be sure to listen to your body before resuming sports activities. If the muscles This is an outcome of the tightness in the damaged muscles. Mass in calf muscle. In sudden, explosive steps, the calf muscles may fail to exert the necessary amount of power. See a doctor who can help Find Orthopedic surgeons near you Swelling throughout the leg can also occur because of general immobility from pain or stiffness. Depending on the severity of the injury, a pulled calf muscle can take several weeks or months to heal. An inability to walk does not always occur during a calf muscle tear, in many minor and moderate cases, walking is still possible. Causes. The muscle then has restricted blood and nutrients which will affect how well it can work. Understanding Gastrocnemius Muscle Tear. How long should you rest a strained calf muscle? However, calf muscle strains are relatively common in tennis players. Recovery takes approximately 2 to 4 weeks if you Diagnosis. Mr. B was treated for a muscle strain. This is the most painful of all the grades of calf muscle strain, causing immediate severe pain, considerable bruising and swelling in the calf. After standing at a trade show May last anything from a few seconds to a few days. This usually takes 8-12 weeks recovery depending on the severity. What to do for a bruised calf muscle Physiotherapy for patients with a bruised calf is vital to hasten the healing process and ensure an optimal outcome. Treatment may comprise: soft tissue massage (after the initial 72 hour period) electrotherapy (e.g. ultrasound) dry needling. joint mobilization. stretches. A calf contusion is caused by a direct impact or trauma to a muscle and can range If treated properly, it can take up to three weeks to heal []The scientific name of the calf muscle is the triceps surae. Torn Calf Severe There is partial tearing of muscle fibres. A bout of severe leg Also DO NOT take aspirin for at least the first week as this will thin your blood more This frequently occurs in athletics and outdoor sports. A calf muscle injury is common in sports. I heard a distinct pop sound then had intense pain. Grading a calf tear without investigation isnt easy. In rare cases, you may need surgery. 1. [] A study from La Trobe University showed that around 5.2% of high-level athletes would experience calf injuries. In addition to pain, symptoms that may accompany a bruised muscle include: discoloration. This injury results in complete tearing of the muscletendon unit. In a severely torn calf muscle, the muscle fibers get completely ruptured. In many cases, new or flare-up of long-standing calf problems should begin to Grade 1: The type of strain happens when a stretch causes small micro-tears in the muscle fibers. (via: buoy health ) Apparently that "POP" I heard was my calf muscle tearing, and the first course of action was R.IC.E. Repeat 10 20 times provided the exercise is pain free. The term pulled muscle comes from the description of how the injury takes place. The very first torn calf muscle symptom is the sudden pain outbreak. For a bad contusion, As a result, some or all of the fibers in the muscle may tear. When a person says, I tore a ligament in my calf, he really means that he tore his Achilles tendon, as this is the primary ligament that controls the calf. This a partial muscle tear and requires 3 to 6 weeks of rest and recovery before you can return to full activity. Globe and Mail Initial scans had indicated only internal bruising, but further tests revealed a muscle tear with associated haematoma (bruising), symptoms that were likened by Symptoms of a torn calf muscle include pain, swelling, bruising and weakness or loss of function. The muscle is completely torn and there may be a large lump of muscle tissue above a depression where the tear is. Most often, its the first two causes, which we will go further in detail below but if you just had a long plane ride or sat down for a long time, blood clots can cause a condition called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This was just like a kick to my calf and a small pop. Torn calf muscles are one of the most common sports injuries in Australia. A gastrocnemius muscle tear is caused by a severe, sudden injury to your calf muscle. It may take weeks or months for a severe calf muscle injury to completely heal. Symptoms of a Calf contusion include: Instant pain following a direct blow or impact. Calf problems can cause a range of symptoms including pain, bruising, tightness and stiffness. An injury to this muscle is sometimes called tennis leg.. Fibula Stress Fracture. There are three degrees of calf muscle strain that will help determine the level of damage done: Because of the The stiffness will be dissipated as time passes by. Third Degree (Severe). swelling. A third-degree muscle strain can take many weeks or months to fully heal. Why is my torn calf muscle only bruising a week later? Contusions occur when a direct blow or repeated blows by a blunt object strike part of the body, crushing underlying muscle fibers and connective tissue without breaking the skin. In some Bruising didnt show up until a week later. A torn calf muscle is a painful injury in the muscles behind your shin bone. Involuntary spasms in the calf muscles which can be extremely painful, aka "Charley Horse". All I did was get out of a car, walk a few steps, and then felt excruciating pain behind my knee. Such This is a serious injury and highly disabling. Fever, numbness, skin discoloration, and weight loss are also symptoms. The most Recovery Most people with a pulled calf Grade 3 Calf Rupture: Total rupture. Grade 2: sometimes referred to as a moderate injury, grade 2 calf strains are also the result of a tear to the muscle. Most calf strains are minor injuries and self-heal within a week -- the degree of pain, disability and bruising are good indicators of If examination confirms an area of swelling and tenderness with (terrible) pain on passive stretch and active contraction, the diagnosis is a Quadriceps contusion with resultant hematoma. A few weeks back I hurt my calf while moving into a new place. The incidence is 2.15 per 1000 person-years in the United States (1). Symptoms usually are quite disabling for the first worsened pain in days A contusion If all seems well then try a hilly walk as this works the calf muscles harder. Muscle injuries can be caused by bruising, stretching or laceration. So on went the ice pack and up went the leg. Contusions: A direct blow to a muscle, such as a kick in the calf, can damage your muscle tissue without breaking your skin. Calf muscle tear symptoms. The calf will be painful and tender and will feel weak and stiff. Grade 3: A severe tear where most of the muscle fibers are torn and can cause a complete rupture of the muscle. An ankle sprain is one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries. The pain subsided within a few days but I then noticed that the side of my foot was all purple and bruised, I'm assuming blood drained downwards from the calf injury.