Diagnosis | Calf Strain

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of calf strain is first and foremost a clinical diagnosis without a great deal of equipment, which can be made by an experienced layperson. At the beginning, as with almost all diseases and injuries, there is the anamnesis. Good indications are the first occurrence of pain during athletic strain, which at the beginning begins insidiously and worsens in the course of time.

The subsequent hardening of the muscle, possibly with cramps, substantiates the suspicion. In some cases, the person affected can also indicate a certain movement as the trigger. The findings are supplemented by a functional test of the calf.However, this can have a wide range of functions, from barely restricted function to permanent protection.

These findings without further symptoms are usually sufficient to identify the calf strain as such. Since the calf strain offers no visible indications to the outside and, moreover, does not cause any typical signs in imaging procedures, the following diagnosis consists of exclusion of serious injuries. This is only necessary in cases of doubt, e.g. if the pain does not improve after a few days.

By means of certain movement tests a tendon rupture can be excluded. If a torn muscle is suspected, an ultrasound of the calf as well as a classic palpation with local swelling and bruising can help. As a last measure, if the cause is still unknown or not reliably differentiated, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lower leg can be useful.

Therapy

The calf strain can be treated adequately in most cases with a few simple remedies. As long as the involved structures of the muscle are not injured, the therapy focuses on the PECH rule, which is useful for almost all muscular or even bony injuries. These are conservative measures with 4 components:Immediately after a possible calf strain is noticed, running training, playing soccer, tennis, etc.

should be stopped. A complete relief of the calf for at least 3 days with subsequent build-up training has shown better results than the earlier recommendation of a longer break. Then, depending on the pain, light exercises can be started to bring the muscle closer to the load.

For 4-6 weeks, however, the affected person should avoid maximum load. How long the break should be depends on the severity of the calf strain. In all cases, pain-relieving and decongestant effects have a cooling effect.

Reusable cooling packs made of gel, which adapt well to the shape of the calf, are particularly suitable. These must be wrapped with a cloth before application to prevent cold damage to the skin. Cooling has a greater effect the earlier you start.

In addition to the measures described, a light compression bandage around the calf also shows good results. An elastic bandage is wrapped around the calf between the knee and ankle with a light pull. In this way, the hardened muscle receives an additional stimulus and receives the signal to be too tense.

As a result a slight relaxation is observed. The intramuscular swelling is also positively influenced. It should be noted that a certain amount of pressure should be exerted on the calf, but without stopping the blood flow.

The last point of the PECH rule involves elevating the leg affected by the calf strain. Gravity causes the muscle to swell better. In addition, raising the leg up also protects the calf and there is no stress.

In addition to the PECH rule, there are other useful measures. For acute pain relief, the usual drugs such as Diclofenac or Ibuprofen are recommended. In addition to pain relief, they alleviate the inflammation that can occur when the calf is pulled.

Under no circumstances, however, should one take painkillers in order to be able to participate in the next competition. After the days in which no exercises should be done, a light build-up training follows. This can consist of light stretching exercises and gymnastics, and step by step increase the load, whereby one should not train “into the pain”.

Swimming and cycling are good alternatives for continuing to do some exercise during calf strain. As a rule, a pulled calf can be cured without any problems. However, if the pain persists for a longer period of time, further clarification by a specialist is necessary.