Calf Muscle tear rehab

[Dan_UK]

I was wondering if any of you more medically inclined people could offer me advice.

In early september i injured my lower leg playing football, i went to A&E and they diagnosed it as a torn calf muscle. After a few weeks there was very little improvement, and I was struggling to walk. I went to see a sports physio, they confirmed the injury as a calf tear, gave me a few stretching exercises and a massage which improved the condition slightly.

However it reached a point after xmas where it had still not improved significantly from this level (walking was now just about ok), so I saw my GP who referred me to an NHS physio, again they confirmed it was a torn calf, and the discomfort that I was experiencing was due to a shortening of my achilles tendon caused by the initial injury, and again suggested stretching exercises.

A month later I'm still not seeing any grear degree of improvement, its been 5 months since the initial injury, and I still feel no closer to being able to resume sports, Am I being impatient or is there something else I could do?

The symptoms now are a pain in my achilles tendon (a sharp stabbing pain after any form of exercise greater than walking, and it is also painful to the touch, although i suffer from no movement loss) area just above my heel, and an occasional dull ache in my calf muscle area.

Thank you for any help

[Heidi]

Hi,

It could have initially have been just a calf strain as diagnosed. However it doesn't sound like that now.

If the pain is more in the achilles then it is possible that due to the strain and shortening that you have developed a tendinopathy. Obviously no-one here can say for definate that this is the case without assessing you.

Does the achilles appear thicker, redder or is it hotter than the other one? Does it take a while to get going in the mornings or after resting...does it feel stiff? Are there any palpable lumps in the tendon or at the back of the heel?

[Dan_UK]

Thanks for the reply Heidi

That sounds serious!!

It appears thicker than my other leg from below the calf to the heel, and the only other thing I can feel that is different is a slight indentation below the calf itself (higher up than where the pain is). I've not noticed any changes in temperature.

It doesn't feel any worse in the mornings, and it never really feels that stiff, the only time it does feel stiff is after 'excessive' (ie a few minutes on a cross trainer, nothing too heavy) exercise. The areas of pain to the touch seem to be either side of the tendon.

Regarding exercise, I can put weight through it with no discomfort, ie balancing on tip toes with it, and only when I do excessive stretching does the pain kick in. However any form of extended CV work, cycling, light running or cross training in particular seems to agrivate it.

Thank You

[Heidi]

Ok, its not clear whether this is a tendinopathy or not. have a look here for more info: http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/back/achilles/tendinitis.htm

I would advise you to see another physio or sports therapist. A muscle tear would normally have repaired by 5 months.

Good luck!