Pulled calf muscle

6 watchers

Scott S Aug 2016 7:25pm, 7 Aug 2016 953 posts	0 Scott S How do you know when things are better? It's been 8 days since my calf tighten up and 80% of the time, it feels fine (occasionally I feel it when getting up after lounging around). Don't want to think it feels fine, run 100m and make it worse, yet at the same time, don't want to be scared to do anything (something that has held me back a bit recently)
Serendippily Aug 2016 7:45pm, 7 Aug 2016 139 posts	0 Serendippily Physio told me to run 2 flat miles, no more, and then leave it 2 days to see how it goes. And to be careful of hills for a bit. 🙃
alpenrose Aug 2016 10:10pm, 7 Aug 2016 19,406 posts	0 alpenrose Dipps, generally speaking, if you get a soft tissue injury (STI), it's best to seek a private physio asap. The NHS physios, IMHO, are very good at rehabilitating after operations and the like but not much help with STI as you also have to wait quite a while to get an appointment. I also think that it's advantageous to yourself, if you can afford it, to have a regular sports massage to keep these niggles at bay, especially if you have a weakness in a particular area. (That's just my personal opinion and I am not a health professional.)
Serendippily Aug 2016 10:57pm, 7 Aug 2016 141 posts	0 Serendippily Thanks AR the private physio I saw thur really helped and am trying to see her again next week I could get hooked!
Winded Aug 2016 7:37am, 8 Aug 2016 4,492 posts	0 Winded In my experience if it hurts at all doing anything then it isn't better. I've found leaving it for a few days after the last twinge before running leads to faster recovery - but of course I only know about how I manage to break myself - I'm not a physio or a doc.
Serendippily Aug 2016 8:14am, 8 Aug 2016 142 posts	0 Serendippily So ScottS maybe a bit longer and maybe try a physio if you can? Hope it is feeling looser
Scott S Aug 2016 8:34am, 14 Aug 2016 954 posts	0 Scott S I've done no running for 2 weeks and over the last few days, couldn't feel any problems. Gentle run around the block yesterday and my knees felt stiff but next to nothing from my calf - sure it's my usual weak muscles putting strain on another muscle group and so on until one gives. Out again this morning and after a gentle half mile I could feel to calf tightening so walked the couple of hundred metres home. No chance I'm going to be able to run in this coming weekend's race so that's a years waiting down the drain. Got Glenmore 24 is 3 weeks and no idea about that one either.
Serendippily Aug 2016 1:14pm, 14 Aug 2016 172 posts	0 Serendippily I'll keep fingers crossed for you Scott - I have marathon start oct which I've paid for and was blinking expensive and you don't get your money back - really hard being sensible and whole injury bench thing is just frustrating and annoying. Thank god I'm not a professional athlete
Scott S Aug 2016 7:55am, 30 Aug 2016 959 posts	0 Scott S Well, up to 1.5 miles now without any noticeable calf issues. Little bit of an ache in my right knee but seems fine although I'm not going to push it yet. Have done a couple of 1/2 milers, just over a mile a couple of days ago and now today's run. Got a race at the weekend but I'm not going to risk that as jumping from low single figures to high 2-3 figure distances is not a good idea yet. Missed too many this year through injury and not happy Do think my knees are dropping too much thus putting an angled force on my calves.
Serendippily Aug 2016 9:25am, 30 Aug 2016 215 posts	0 Serendippily Glad it's improving Scott. I got a nhs physio appt incredibly quickly and it might be worth trying that route just so they can check whether you have any scar tissue there. I know it's the luck of the draw who you get but it might help. I'm still not running but am trying to do various strengthening exercises. Failed to swim but will try today