Torn Calf Muscle

[Harrietairedale]

mmm don't seem to be doing too well at this computer marlarky!!...thanks for the advice I will check where this post appears.

Crankcase has a point however I did not intend to offend anyone.


Cheers Geoff

you can type under the quote rather than posting twice

and don't worry about crankarm - clearly got out the wrong side of the bed.

 

[summerdays]

By requoting and replying to us each individually you have doubled your post count and are making progress to not being a newbie . Don't worry about making mistakes and not knowing how to do something - just ask and someone will hopefully be able to tell you (MOST of us don't bite).

 

[Crankarm]

mmm don't seem to be doing too well at this computer marlarky!!...thanks for the advice I will check where this post appears.

Crankcase has a point however I did not intend to offend anyone.


Cheers Geoff

Geoff,

It was indeed a surprise to receive a reply from my last post, as big a surprise as you had in receiving replies to your OP. No offence taken. If I can place in context, I have replied to numerous requests for advise etc from newbies, who invariably go AWOL after their initial post. So in these instances replying was a total waste of time. However you have since replied so all's well that ends well.

Glad to read your torn calf muscle is starting to heal. Maybe a crutch would be of help if the muscle is too tender to even touch making walking difficult?

 

[Harrietairedale]

Hi

First visit you physio yesterday quite painful however getting much better as each day goes by. Sitting on bike peddling back wards in my lounge ...while my wife Jane is out at work. Its when you cannot do something that you really really miss it!

Currently doing the exercises you and others have suggested together with the ones from the physio and hope to be back on my bike in a week or so...but no Badminton!!

I understand what you mean about not getting replies...so thanks for getting back to me. Thankfully not too bad to need a crutch now as I think the two weeks of total rest has really helped.

Cheers Geoff

Geoff,

It was indeed a surprise to receive a reply from my last post, as big a surprise as you had in receiving replies to your OP. No offence taken. If I can place in context, I have replied to numerous requests for advise etc from newbies, who invariably go AWOL after their initial post. So in these instances replying was a total waste of time. However you have since replied so all's well that ends well.

Glad to read your torn calf muscle is starting to heal. Maybe a crutch would be of help if the muscle is too tender to even touch making walking difficult?

 

[currystomper]

Sounds like the injury that I've just got from being on the bike a lot this week. I normally do a 25 - 30 mile ride on a Sat. However I've been on holiday and done 3 rides in the 30 to 50 mile region. I've got a pain a third of the way up my left leg. I'm wondering if I've pull a mussel or inflamed a tendon.

Thanks in advance for any comments ;-)

CS

 

[currystomper]

Hi

just back checking for replies......

CS

 

[Pompey Princess]

Having torn my calf twice playing badminton and tweaked it again on numerous occasions, I know your pain!!!

During your recovery, put a heel raise in the shoe of your poorly leg - this can be a small piece of carpet tile cut to fit into the heel of your shoe, placed underneath the insole. This effectively shortens the calf muscle, pushing the torn fibres together and thus aiding the healing process. You can buy heel raises made from a gel type stuff - I've got one given to me by a physio/ot. Obviously, the muscle needs massaging once you can bear to touch it - this stimulates the blood flow to the area and helps the healing too.

Once healed though, you are going to need to gently stretch that muscle again as it will have shortened. I am currently going through a constant stretching regime to lengthen it again after suffering referred pain in my achilles as a result of a very tight and scarred calf.

I am back playing again now but I am constantly stretching after cycling to work and after badminton but it is helping.

Think you are pretty much through your recovery now which is good but thought I'd add my sixpennorth to the chitter chatter!

Nicky

 

[ventoux50]

Having torn my calf twice playing badminton and tweaked it again on numerous occasions, I know your pain!!!

During your recovery, put a heel raise in the shoe of your poorly leg - this can be a small piece of carpet tile cut to fit into the heel of your shoe, placed underneath the insole. This effectively shortens the calf muscle, pushing the torn fibres together and thus aiding the healing process. You can buy heel raises made from a gel type stuff - I've got one given to me by a physio/ot. Obviously, the muscle needs massaging once you can bear to touch it - this stimulates the blood flow to the area and helps the healing too.

Once healed though, you are going to need to gently stretch that muscle again as it will have shortened. I am currently going through a constant stretching regime to lengthen it again after suffering referred pain in my achilles as a result of a very tight and scarred calf.

I am back playing again now but I am constantly stretching after cycling to work and after badminton but it is helping.

Think you are pretty much through your recovery now which is good but thought I'd add my sixpennorth to the chitter chatter!

Nicky

Nicky NOOOOO !


Don't put a heel wedge into your shoe Don't Don't Don't !!!!!

It's the worst thing you can do at this point of rehab . . . . . why ?

well because as you rightly say you are effectively shortening the muscle, and the muscle needs to be able to work through it's full range to recover correctly.

Any time you damage soft tissue (e.g. muscle) interstitial bleeding occurs and numerous substances are released into the surrounding area causing the sensation of pain, heat, swelling etc....... but also as part of the healing process scar tissue begins to form, exactly as it does on the skin if you cut yourself.

This is a natural occurence and will always happen in the case of injury.

The problems begin when you immobilise, or shorten the damaged tissue (with the exception of bony injury of course)

If you shorten a muscle in the way you describe you most certainly do not 'push the torn fibres together ...aiding the healing process' in fact you adversely affect the healing process !

If you shorten the muscle tissue (in this case by inserting a heel raise into a shoe - effectively shortening the calf muscles) all that you do is allow the scar tissue to form but by restricting the natural range of movement, the scar tissue can be deposited more thickly, can adhere to adjacent structures and can result in irreversible shortening of the muscle.

I agree that some of the scarring can be removed by specific deep cross friction massage - but believe me this is very painful and best avoided if possible.

In most cases the key to complete soft tissue injury rehab is the preservation of full range of motion and the other modalities/exercise/massage interventions as appropriate.

Certainly from your post it seems that the heel raise you adopted may have left you with the residual problems you describe.

so to sum up ;




HEEL RAISES ARE A NO NO !

 

[currystomper]

Thanks to All - I seem to be on the mend!

I rested it as much as possible for a few days, then started normal riding but just for short distances - it was sore after this but it was more achy than sharp - so it seem OK to continue

Did notice that I'm having to work to keep flexiblity in the muscle.

next step is to do a normal weekend ride (25 - 30) miles and see how it holds up.

Also I have my cleats forward towards the toes - maybe I should move them back a bit to reduce strain on this area.

Cheers

CS