I’ve been screwing with a sore and tight calf for almost a year now. I’ve been to the PT and he say’s it’s possibly due to a week upper calf and prescribed some stretching an strength training excercises.
On and off when I run the calf seems to tighten up and and then my foot goes to sleep/goes numb. This appears to be happening more and more often.
Any idea before I head back to the PT?
~Matt
P.S. I tried to search but apparently the search engine is down.
I’d say if your “calf” still feels tight after 1 year of therapy, stretching, treatment,etc. - you may want to revist you r initial diagnosis (or another PT)
are you actually doing the PT? everyday?
(as roof says, “you’ve got to do it like it’s your job”. so if you’re not religious about it, then start there.)
but if you are doing your perscribed therapy like it’s your job, then it’s def time to get second opionion. just like anything else, not all PT’s are the same…obviously it’s important to get referrals from someone who experienced success with a good PT and is now off the DL.
Have you tried ART? I went to two ortho docs for a hip issue that I thought was tendonitis, after 5 weeks of no running, arrgggghhhh…I went to a chiropractor that specialized in ART and he had me in much less pain and running in 7 days.
I’ll ask Ed, our resident neurologist and try to get him to respond
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Matt,
I am not a doctor, but I have had experience with similar calf issues. I would ask my doctor (sports doctor) for further evaluation on possible issues with circulation impedance (popliteal or other artery entrapment), or more likely, compartment syndrome. Both of these things can be diagnosed with some further testing. The numb foot is a significant symptom associated with this problem and should be noted to a sports doc.
I hope this doesn’t make me sound like an alarmist, but having endured years of guesses by various specialists on why my calf was cramping, I have a real sensitivity to this particular problem. I did get the issue resolved - eventually.
Good Luck.
The numbness in your foot could be due to compression of the peroneal nerve as it passes through the calf muscle . The top of your foot would go numb if it was this nerve . If it is the bottom of your foot , the sole would go numb . Failure to respond to treatment of a " tight " muscle certainly raises the possibility of a compartment syndrome , particularly with the nerve compression . You don’t mention back problems so I doubt that is the source of your problem . A sports med ortho should be able to diagnose a compartment syndrome . Good luck !
Posterior compartment syndrome maybe.
I originally was a ridiculous overstrider and couldn’t run more than 5 minutes or so without anterior compartment syndrome damm near killing me. o I did a little reading and changed over to a mid foot strike. About a year later, I started getting posterior compartment syndrome with symptoms you describe.
I had progressed too far, too much on the front of my foot this time. Went back to trying to land on te imaginary center of my foot and it got better.
Yes, I resemble those comments … regular visits to the chiro, rmt, chiro and a bout with PT helped …
Have you considered custom orthotics and/or ensuring that you have the proper shoes by getting a video gait analysis done ?? 'Cause, until you get to the root of the cause, no matter which therapy and/or amount of rest will eliminate it …
andy …
To All,
No I’ve not been nearly as “religious” about the excercises prescribed as I should have been or should be. Probably part of the problem.
I’ve not had a gait analysis, but probably should have as I resemble the remark made about striking to much on the fore foot. Not surprsingly only on this foot.
Shoes don’t seem to make a difference and I’ve had shoes fitted and chosen by fairly competent people, not teh “footlocker”.
In short I’ve been diagnosed with a tight hip, which affects the leg length. I’m having problems with teh longer of teh two. I’m not a fan of orthotics as I’d rather try and fix the underlying issues rather than the symptoms. Since the PT stated teh leg length descrepenciy was due to muscular issue rather than skelatal I woudl assume fixing it via stretching woudl be possible.
~Matt
To All,
No I’ve not been nearly as “religious” about the excercises prescribed as I should have been or should be. Probably part of the problem.
I’ve not had a gait analysis, but probably should have as I resemble the remark made about striking to much on the fore foot. Not surprsingly only on this foot.
Shoes don’t seem to make a difference and I’ve had shoes fitted and chosen by fairly competent people, not teh “footlocker”.
In short I’ve been diagnosed with a tight hip, which affects the leg length. I’m having problems with teh longer of teh two. I’m not a fan of orthotics as I’d rather try and fix the underlying issues rather than the symptoms. Since the PT stated teh leg length descrepenciy was due to muscular issue rather than skelatal I woudl assume fixing it via stretching woudl be possible.
~Matt
You are most correct on all accounts above, except for the fact that you have been trying this “theory” for 1 YEAR without success. You are either very stubborn or like to suffer (or just don’t want to get better) - and I’m guessing none of this really applies to you. Remember, the longer limb with cause a pronatory effect in the subtalar joint (foot) to effectively shorten it and a corresonding supination type effect in the effectively shorter limb to functionally lengthen. Very few people have a true skeletal limb length discrepancy that the body can’t adapt for.
Matt, I’ve been struggling with that exact issue for almost 2 years, and have finally found some help. The stretching, massage, etc didn’t help mine, as it is a number of adhesions in the muscle fascia. I have now found a chiro who does “Graston Technique”, and although VERY painful, seems to resolving the issue. He has worked on Olympians and recently cyclist Will Smith. Might be worth a try for you.
rroof…as some have implied, almost sounds like a compartment syndrome (gets tight, sore and numb with running)…problem with finding out for sure is you have to go to a very specialized facility who can measure you compartments of your leg while running…usually involves needles being put in your leg while on a treadmill and measure compartment pressures…you’re thoughts??
Matt,
You may also want to include a rocker board or bosu ball in to the mix, Recruiting of the stabilizer muscles may help for a faster recovery. it has helped me with other similar issues.
John He
I too am in the process of dealing with something very similar combined with some IT problems. Both the IT stuff and the calve cramps and numb foot seem to be symptoms of general tightness throughout the hips/quads and hamstrings. I had previously done all sorts of physical therapy including ART, and had tried taking extensive time off running. Almost everyone told me to stretch which did very little good and I was stretching constantly.
Turns out I was stretching incorrectly. For the past few weeks I have been stretching as KC says “like it was my job.” It’s time consuming and annoying but I’m doing it. I’m also working with a massage guy who really understands this stuff. There are not many of them out there who really get it but they are around. I followed recommendations froma run coach and finally found a great clinic (although its extremely expensive).
I am also spending a lot of time working on posture, running form, etc. The whole thing is an enormous pain in the ass but I’m running again so I’m willing to pay the price.
BTW I would try a new PT. The “right one” should be able to paint a really detailed picture of what is going on within your muscles.
Matt,
I’ve not had the numbness but have had the tight calf/plantar fascitis for two years. Finally feel like I’m getting better and attribute it to several things:
Lifting - Ken wouldn’t approve but squats and calf raises are seeming to make a BIG difference.
Massage - I try to get there once a week. If that doesn’t work, I’d recommend the Stick
Strassburg sock worn at night
Stair stretches
At night when I finally settle down in front of the TV for a bit to relax, I tied a gym towel in a short loop. I wrap this around the ball of my foot, cross my legs, and pull the other end of the loop around my knee (hope you are getting this visual). This keeps my foot/calf stretched big time. I leave this on for about 15-20 minutes, take a couple minute break, and then repeat.
Hope some of these ideas help!
rroof…as some have implied, almost sounds like a compartment syndrome (gets tight, sore and numb with running)…problem with finding out for sure is you have to go to a very specialized facility who can measure you compartments of your leg while running…usually involves needles being put in your leg while on a treadmill and measure compartment pressures…you’re thoughts?
I agree 100%, but a PT is not going to officially “diagnose” this, which is why he needs to move on. However, B/L compartment syndrome is pretty unusual, although just Tues I had an internist refer a patient over that he swears has it (how I have no idea). A wick catheter is hard to do with a chronic case (yes, need a treadmill, catheter, lidocaine, doctor with time, or specialized clinic, etc.) Not such a simple matter indeed. But, no one is going to perform a fasciotomy without that increased pressure data for sure, at lease I wouldn’t. I just fixed a nasty achilles tendon rupture from a lady who had a “botched” fasciotomy of the lower leg …
Absolutely…I really hate starting down this diagnosis and workup, but, if other less aggressive things don’t work, it may have to be looked at! I hope it doesn’t get to that point…If it was just pain, I’d think about the usually maladies, but it’s the numbness which makes me more worried…