Calf? Tendon? Injury

[dreamkeeper]

Hello,

I took a pretty bad tumble while jogging a couple days ago (hit the edge of the sidewalk funny and went down), and now am having pain in my calf. The pain is on the outside of my right calf, running from about a handspan below the outside of my knee to the outside of my upper ankle. There's no swelling or discoloration, but it is getting more painful to walk, with the most intense pain when I point my foot downwards. I get also feel the pain pretty strongly when I rotate my ankle couterclockwise (clockwise isn't as bad for some reason). It's also more painful when I wear high-heeled shoes than flats (as I found out when getting ready for work this morning). Sometimes it seems the pain is localized in one spot, sometimes it seems like it's running the length of my calf.

At first I thought it was just a pulled muscle, but now I'm not so sure- any thoughts about what I could have injured? (I am treating with ice and ibuprofen)

Thanks for any advice!

[Heidi]

Hi,

Is the pain actually in the calf muscle, or is it on the right side of the lower leg. If its definately the calf then it is more than likely a tear of the gastrocnemius or Soleus muscle (2 calf muscles).

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/back/backlowerleg/calfstrain.htm

If the pain is more on the side of the lower leg it may well be a peroneal injury. These are the muscles than run down the outside of the lower leg and evert your foot (that is, turn the sole of the foot out) and plantarflex (point the toes).

You have done the right thing with ice and anti-inflammatories. I would also recommend you start stretching the calf gently now. Not into pain, but until you can just feel a pull on the back of the calf. You can also stretch the peroneals. Copy and paste this link to find out how:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/stretching/allstretches.php

Sports massage is also a great way of helping muscles recover. It warms and stretches out the fibres, gets blood flowing to the injured area to help with repair and breaks down any inflexible scar tissue forming around the injury.