The Therapy
The therapy of calf pain depends on the cause and the accompanying symptoms. In the case of minor muscle injuries such as strains or contusions, the protection of the calf muscles is the first priority as therapy. In addition, symptoms can be alleviated by light pain medication, cooling, elevation and a low level of external compression, for example with a stocking or bandage.
If the calf pain is caused by a torn muscle fiber, the same therapy is initially used as for a pulled muscle. In addition, ointment bandages containing anti-inflammatory substances and muscle relaxants can be prescribed. Treatment with manual lymph drainage can also lead to a faster decongestant of the injury area.
If, on the other hand, the calf pain occurs in a spasmodic form after alcohol consumption or heavy physical activity, a mineral supplement should be sufficient as therapy. Magnesium can be given orally. If the calf pain is caused by chronic poor posture or foot malpositions, it is very important to remedy it.
Often a combination of physiotherapy, posture training and insoles for the shoes can compensate for poor posture. However, if the arch of the foot is completely deformed, only surgical interventions can help to restore the correct load on the leg and thus, if necessary, improve the calf pain. For this reason, if the calf pain is permanent, you should consult a doctor to find out the cause and correct any incorrect posture.
If the cause of the calf pain is a slipped disc in the lumbar spine, conservative therapy should be attempted first. Strengthening the back, trunk and abdominal muscles in particular can help to relieve the spine and eliminate nerve irritation. Prior to surgical removal of the intervertebral disc and the insertion of an artificial replacement, a local and targeted injection of anti-inflammatory and local anaesthetic substances can lead to pain relief.
Insoles cannot provide relief for every type of calf pain. However, they do represent a therapy that should be considered for posture-related calf pain. As a rule, insoles help to correct the foot position.
If the foot position is changed in the sense of a sickle foot, there will inevitably also be a change in muscle and ligament structures within the calf. This can lead to greater wear and tear, which can manifest itself as calf pain. A correction of the foot position brings the structures back into their original position so that they are no longer subject to major wear and tear, can recover and the patient can return to freedom from pain.
