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Weight lifting, endogenous anabolic hormones, and Calf Rehab
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I'm 16 days after a lower calf strain and I'm considering when and if to start moderately heavy squats or the like - expecting that will stimulate the natural production of anabolic hormones and promote the healing process. I've been told and I have confirmed by practical experience that (the wrong) exercises that directly, if even slightly, over-tax a calf muscle under rehab will be counter-productive and markedly slow recovery or worse.

For a few days now I can walk normally, perform body-weight squats normally, and cycle without soreness but I think sustained running is still 2 weeks away.

When is somebody who is recovering from a moderate calf strain ready for moderate-strength work like squats? I'm assuming less than 6 reps and 2 to 3 sets using around 100 lbs since I have a slender build. TIA.
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Re: Weight lifting, endogenous anabolic hormones, and Calf Rehab [lombardi3g] [ In reply to ]
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I am 53 years old and I wouldn't do anything but walking for another month.
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Re: Weight lifting, endogenous anabolic hormones, and Calf Rehab [lombardi3g] [ In reply to ]
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I've been working with a trainer at the gym for a while now. First thing (which is standard for runners, cyclists etc) is that we have poor single leg stability. That lack of stability leads to injury.

I was really bad and knew it, but not how to fix it. A lot of single leg work until everything from the knee down was roasted. I've improved my stability 50% over when I had my first session. And some short runs have felt amazing.

Also I posted on the hypersphere device. I do all recovery and activation using this thing, no longer using my foam roller. You'd think that there'd be some feedback on the post - but crickets (so strange). If anything we need activation and recovery technology in spades.

So I'm looking forward to a fall running season, if I can get off the bike! Just logging 2+ hours a day right now 6 days a week :(

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Re: Weight lifting, endogenous anabolic hormones, and Calf Rehab [lombardi3g] [ In reply to ]
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Give up on the hormonal motivation...such changes are 1) quite small, and 2) irrelevant.

ETA: The hormone myth appears to be largely based upon the work of Bill Kramer, who has never actually measured muscle protein synthesis in his studies - only changes in hormone concentration (which is trivial to do).

ETA2: Here is a review by Stu Phillips (one of the post-docs in the lab during my Galvetraz...err, Galveston days) that delves into the evidence:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20959702
Last edited by: Andrew Coggan: Oct 1, 18 4:10
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Re: Weight lifting, endogenous anabolic hormones, and Calf Rehab [Andrew Coggan] [ In reply to ]
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I was about to post the same that lifting does not stimulate nearly as much as people think. I was about to say his approach and timing is potentially too aggressive as well. Potentially because I do not know the actual level of the strain.

In my past I experienced six strains (tears) from heavy squats in the span of 5 years. 3 in the quadriceps and 3 in the hamstrings. I gave about 6 weeks of rehab time on each. At that time I was just finishing retiring from competitive lifting and still trying to set to some PR's in the squats so endurance training was still an absolute NoNo in my world.

For most of my injuries that stemmed from training I found MICE without the Ice part to be decent. (Motion, Compression, Elevation)
After a couple of weeks of just keeping weight off the injured leg as much as possible I would then start back on a stationary or recumbent bike at the gym with zero resistance just to get motion back in the injured leg. After about the fourth week the heavy bruising would start to clear up and I would begin to add some resistance to the bike. At the 5th week I would start back with squatting with no weight. At the sixth week I would start back with extremely light squats and then begin to add a bit more each week. I would not be back to using training weight until another several weeks and if I remember correctly not really back to using training weight until about 6 months.

Maybe it seems like I was being a bit to cautious, but jumping back in too early may have caused it to tear worse. I have seen guys tear pectoral, bicep and quadricep muscles at the gym that would require surgery and appear deformed from that point forward. Being patient and let time heal the wound is not a bad approach.

The other thing that I noted during my times of rehab was the urge to stretch. It was like wanting to scratch a poison ivy rash. However, stretching a healing tear can also make it tear worse or tear the healing tissue again.
Last edited by: Felt_Rider: Oct 1, 18 4:30
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Re: Weight lifting, endogenous anabolic hormones, and Calf Rehab [lombardi3g] [ In reply to ]
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Anecdotally I think that eccentric calf raises can help with prevention or rehab of calf issues. There is a specific protocol if you have achilles tendon issues, but I also think that they can be beneficial for calf issues. This is based on my experience and that of friends/athletes/etc. that I have known. It's been said already that the hormonal changes of lifting may not provide as much benefit as originally thought.

These are body weight only and typically standing. I guess you could do seated, but I think that standing is more specific.


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Last edited by: -JBMarshTX: Oct 1, 18 7:40
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