The symptoms depend on how badly you have injured the muscle.
If the injury is only a strain, you may feel a strong pulling in your lower leg. It may be uncomfortable. You may have a twinge of pain.
More serious muscle tears will cause very sharp pain and leave you barely able to walk.
Most calf muscle injuries occur during sports. If you had a calf muscle problem in the past, it is especially important to try to prevent another injury. When you exercise, try to:
Most calf muscle strains can be treated at home:
For more serious injuries, treatment may include physical therapy or surgery.
A calf injury is most often caused during sports where you need to push off with your foot quickly for a sudden burst of speed. Examples include tennis, baseball, soccer, racquetball, and even simple running.
The sudden movement can stress the calf muscle, stretching it beyond its normal limits. This can happen suddenly (acute injury) or over time (overuse injury).
Your calf muscle is actually two muscles, the gastrocnemius muscle and the soleus muscle. These muscles can be injured if they get overstretched.
Injury to a calf muscle can range from a strain or pull that you can treat at home to a more serious tear that may need a doctor's care.
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