About a week ago I had a massage and when my left calf was worked on a knot in the muscle was hit that caused me incredible pain, more pain than I've ever been in during a massage (I've only had a few, but still, they never caused real pain). Afterward the pain went away. A little way into my long run this mornning my left calf really started to hurt like a mild charlie horse that wouldn't go away. I stopped to stretch it but no luck. It didn't really get worse but stayed consistently painful and it felt like a giant knot during the entire run (I know I probably should have stopped but I kept thinking it would go away). I got home and tried to stretch it but again coudln't really figure out anything that felt like it was stretching the right area. Now I'm at work and walking around the office is incredibly painful and I look less than graceful. I've tried to massage it while at my desk but it's quite painful to touch. Any idea what this is and is there a stretch I'm not thinking of that might help?
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Re: calf injury [almost drowning]
[ In reply to ]
At home try a warming pad for 15 minutes. maybe stay off running for few days...
east coast Carlos
east coast Carlos
Re: calf injury [almost drowning]
[ In reply to ]
You had a micro tear that was found during massage. Worse by running. Ice, anti inflammatories, massage, stretch..... do not run until it is painfree for at least a week. Start back very short and easy. I have learned this the hard way.
Jim
Jim
Re: calf injury [trijs]
[ In reply to ]
What about going for another massage, but to someone who works with athletes persay
Re: calf injury [trijs]
[ In reply to ]
Thanks for the advice. I'll take it easy for a little while.
Re: calf injury [almost drowning]
[ In reply to ]
I have a persistent tightness/injury in my right calf that sounds much the same (intense pain from massage, charley horse feeling, limping after exercise, stretches won't fix it once it is really inflamed). Mine gets inflamed by exercise, though, so it may not be the same thing.
I have gradually figured out that I can keep it under control by stretching very frequently. I often don't notice it any more, but if I go a few days without stretching, the next run (or sometimes bike) will bring it back. I guess I'm just prone to having tight calves.
I also had a hard time finding good stretches that would really work well. What seems to work best for me is yoga sun salutations (toe touches & "downward dog").
My advice is also to lay off of the running for a few days or a week, and get really aggressive with the stretching to see if that loosens it up. If stretching is more painful that it should be, though, don't push it, as I'm guessing that would aggravate a tear.
I have gradually figured out that I can keep it under control by stretching very frequently. I often don't notice it any more, but if I go a few days without stretching, the next run (or sometimes bike) will bring it back. I guess I'm just prone to having tight calves.
I also had a hard time finding good stretches that would really work well. What seems to work best for me is yoga sun salutations (toe touches & "downward dog").
My advice is also to lay off of the running for a few days or a week, and get really aggressive with the stretching to see if that loosens it up. If stretching is more painful that it should be, though, don't push it, as I'm guessing that would aggravate a tear.
Re: calf injury [almost drowning]
[ In reply to ]
It is not hot to touch, red or swollen is it? Pain in the calf muscle, or up just a little hight behind the knee? Could be a DVT (blood clot) that can do this. Rare - but must be ruled out regardless and the consequences can be much worse.
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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD
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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD
Re: calf injury [rroof]
[ In reply to ]
It doesn't appear to be red or swollen and it's not behind the knee but in the lower right half of the calf muscle.
Yeah, but you better be ready to feel some pain. The guy that works on me has a 6th sense about finding my hot spots and then attacks them with his fingertips, elbows, knuckles,.... He claims that is the best way to get the blood flowing to the injured area. I have threatened to kick his ass more than once while on the table but by next day or so I generally feel much better. The key to the most effective that most of us cant deal with is resting for fear of losing fitness.
Jim
Jim