Does anyone know of any other treatments to help heal a strained calf injury? I strained it Monday and have a Duathlon scheduled for this Sunday. I am trying to ice it 3 - 4 times a day, taking Ibuprofen, elevating the calf, and soaking it at night for 30 minutes in the tub. I will not run or cycle for at least the next 3 days. What else can I do (along with praying) to speed the recovery? Any ideas? Thanks.
“May the Bluebird of Happiness built a nest in the lint of your bellybutton”
I think your current healing plan, along with the prayers, are about all you can do. Two seasons ago I had a similar problem and did the same things you are doing, plus I used Sports Gel. It has some unique ingredients in it that I found to help heal me.
http://www.n101.com/Static/Products/sports_gel_2549201485.html
Unique ingredients is right! Did you notice that one of the ingredients is poison ivy? Any idea how this stuff actually works?
I strained my calf muscle on Saturday, so I’m also curious on how to heal it as quickly as possible!
TENS unit therapy helps a lot. If it is tendon that is injured, heat is the therapy of choice, followed by ice. If it is muscle that is injured, I’d stick with ice.
Here’s another herbal recommendation:
Julie Donnelly, of “Pain-Free Triathlete” fame, recommends this (arnica gel - I actually purchased it locally in a slightly different form). I tried it once and healed up in a few days, although I don’t know whether it was this stuff, the thirteen other things I was doing, or all fourteen that made me heal. This appears more appropriate for muscle strains than joint issues.
Good luck,
Dan
I was wondering who would catch the poison ivy ingedient. I have used this stuff for 4 years and swear by it. It’s not sticky and it doesn’t feel like icy hot or bengay. Its clear and very light and gets completely absorbed. You can’t feel any relief right away but with a couple of applications befor bed you wake up and notice that your soreness is a lot better. I asked by family of doctors if they had heard of it and my sister-in-law said that paramedics use it. Buy it and try it.
“Our bodies are our gardens - our wills are our gardeners” William Shakespeare
Any idea where I could get either the Arnica gel or the Sports Gel locally, rather than ordering online? Would they carry stuff like that at CVS or Walgreen’s?