The muscle group that is located in the back of the lower leg and referred to as “the calf” is made up of three different muscles including the gastrocnemius, the soleus and the plantaris. A calf strain occurs when one of these muscles is suddenly overstretched resulting in injury. These muscle strains or tears are common, and often occur with sport and rapid movements.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
Patients typically report a sudden onset of sharp or severe pain during a specific activity that is felt in the back of the lower leg, or feeling like someone hit them from behind.
Bruising or swelling may be present with these injuries along with point tenderness over the affected area. Often there is an obvious weakness and pain with heel raises or passive stretching of the lower leg.
HOW IS A CALF STRAIN DIAGNOSED?
Diagnosis of a calf strain is based on detailed history, physical examination, and imaging, which are crucial for a correct diagnosis and proper management. During the physical examination, a series of provocative tests may be utilized to further determine presence of injury.
In some cases advanced imaging, including Ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used to assess the musculature and surrounding structures and differentiate between similarly presenting pathologies.
HOW IS A CALF STRAIN TREATED?
Initial treatment consists of rest, NSAIDs, activity modification and physical therapy. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used for pain relief and physical therapy may be utilized once the injury has begun to heal, to improve strength and flexibility.
Depending on the location of the muscle strain, PRP may be a treatment option. PRP is a form of minimally invasive non-surgical, regenerative medicine that uses the patient’s own platelets to promote the healing of the injured area. PRP injections are prepared in the office by drawing a patient’s blood and concentrating the platelets before injecting them into the injured or diseased tissue, which can decrease inflammation, improve function and control pain.
Surgical intervention is rare for these injuries but may become warranted in severe cases where one of the muscles is completely torn and needs to be repaired.
