How Can Physiotherapy Help to Treat Calf Muscle Strain
A calf strain is one of the most common injuries that Australians sustain during sports and everyday life. Whether you injured your leg on the weekend sports field, felt a sharp pain during one of your evening jogs, or strained your calf stepping off a curb, the injury can make even the simplest of movements incredibly difficult. Walking, climbing the stairs, or standing on your toes can become uncomfortable and cause pain that restricts mobility and takes the joy out of everyday life.
While many people expect that just resting the muscle will allow it to heal on its own, this is oftentimes not the case. Returning to activity too soon or not seeking the appropriate rehabilitation treatment for the injury can make it worse, and can increase the likelihood of it occurring again. And this is where physiotherapy is highly beneficial for strained calf muscle injuries.
Physio plays an important role in proper rehabilitation and recovery. Having the right physiotherapy program will allow you to return to movement with confidence, reduce pain, and make the muscle stronger and more adaptive to different exercises. To help break down everything you need to know about torn calf muscle treatment and the symptoms associated with the injury, our expert team of physiotherapists at Back in Motion have created a guide to help you get moving again with certainty!
What is a Calf Strain
First things first, what exactly is a strained calf muscle?
A strained calf muscle happens when the muscle fibres in the back of your lower leg stretch beyond their limit or tear. Have you ever felt a very strong, very sharp pain coming from your calves after moving in a funny way or stretching more than usual? That is exactly what a calf strain is.
The calf is made up of two main muscle groups: the soleus and the gastrocnemius. When they work together, they help you to walk, run, jump, and push off the ground. They are some of the most important muscles in your legs when it comes to being able to move freely. A strained calf muscle often occurs when a sudden change is involved. Sudden acceleration, jumping, or quick changes in direction can all lead to calf strain, and can be incredibly painful in the moment. Runners, tennis players, netballers, and footballers are some of the most common people to experience calf muscle tear treatment, and depending on the severity of the injury, can put them out for months. People returning to sport after some time away are also more prone to calf strain, and that is why it is important to gradually ease back into regular activities and take it easy for the first few training sessions.
Common Calf Muscle Tear Symptoms
There are several factors that can increase your risk of sustaining a strained calf muscle, including muscle fatigue, limited flexibility, previous calf injuries, sudden increases in training load, and poor warm-up before exercise. Recognising calf muscle tear symptoms early will give you the best chances of a smooth recovery! Symptoms of a calf strain include a pulling or tearing sensation during activity, bruising appearing over the following days, a sudden sharp pain in the back of the lower leg, tenderness when pressing on the muscle, and reduced strength when pushing your foot. Alongside these, people will also experience difficulty walking normally and pain when standing on the toes, which makes the injury all the more debilitating.
Some people describe feeling as though someone kicked them very hard in the back of the leg, even when nobody was nearby. The injury often occurs suddenly, and there are no initial “warning signs” attributed to the onset of a strained calf muscle. Whilst there a mild strain may only feel slightly tight and uncomfortable during physical activity, a more severe tear will need urgent medical attention. If you experience significant swelling, unable to bear weight, or notice numbing in the affected area, seek medical attention immediately to rule out the possibility of other injuries.
At Back in Motion, our physiotherapists will create a treatment care plan to help aid the recovery of your injury, and ensure that you don’t experience further complications or progressions in the future.
How Can Physiotherapy Help to Treat a Strained Calf Muscle
Physiotherapy treatment is the best way to get you moving again with confidence after sustaining a calf muscle strain. Whilst rest is important, especially in the initial stages of the injury, it is rarely enough for a full recovery. Because a calf strain is a more severe injury, physiotherapy is often required for your muscle to regain its normal strength, flexibility, and function. Many patients often experience a false sense of hope when the pain eventually subsides, however the weakened muscles in the area will make you more prone to injury once returning to physical activity or even regular day-to-day movement.
Physiotherapy makes a huge difference when it comes to a successful recovery! Rather than focusing purely on the pain relief, physiotherapy will promptly address why the injury occurred, and guide your recovery from start to finish. At Back in Motion, our clinicians will conduct a thorough physical assessment on your injury, as every calf strain is different. We will assess your walking pattern, strength, balance, ankle mobility, range of movement, and take into account any previous injuries that have impacted your movement. Addressing these issues through our Result4Life approach will reduce the risk of another injury in the future, and get you back to doing the things you love in due time with a roadmap tailor made for you!
How to Manage and Support the Healing During Treatment
Recovering from a calf strain is most definitely a marathon, not a sprint! There are additional treatment requirements that you will have to do at home to aid your recovery, and ensure that you get the best possible results from your physiotherapy care plan. Our physiotherapists may recommend compression, gentle mobility exercises, gradual loading, activity modification, and walking advice based on the severity of your injury, as well as the progression of your recovery.
Early movement will help to prevent stiffness whilst avoiding unnecessary stress on the healing tissue. Unfortunately, trying to return to sport too quickly or stretch aggressively will often delay recovery, and make symptoms worse as time goes on. Patience is the key to a smooth and successful recovery, with mild tears (grade 1 and 2) clearly up usually between 4 to 8 weeks, and more severe ones taking longer (up to 6 months).
Get Back to Moving with Confidence with Back in Motion
Recovering from a strained calf muscle takes time, guidance, and the right rehabilitation plan! Whether you are dealing with a mild strain or a more severe case of calf muscle tear symptoms, discussing your injury with a professional physiotherapist will help to speed up recovery and ensure that you experience a successful treatment outcome. At Back in Motion, we specialise in all forms of calf strain injuries, and our physiotherapists will work closely alongside you to assess and create a personalized treatment plan that will strengthen your muscles, improve movement, and reduce the likelihood of another injury in the future.
So, if persistent pain from a calf strain has been impacting your everyday life, and your ability to do the things you love, book an appointment with your local Back in Motion clinic via our website and take the first step towards moving confidently again!