[Misc] Any sports physio's on here? Please?

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spongy

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2011
2,772
Burgess Hill
Hi all

I've really hurt my calf.

Has anyone done this before? I mean badly?

I was at work today and hurt myself lifting something at a funny angle and was using my leg as leverage and it literally went "pop".

My colleague who was about 3m away heard it and turned around to see me grimacing in agony.

It felt like a snap/twang and felt like I'd been shot in the back of my leg.

This was about 6 hours ago. Now it feels like someone has stabbed me with a hot poker and left it in there and I can barely put any weight on my leg at all without it giving way.

Driving home has been eventful keeping my foot up on the accelerator.

What could I have done? What do I do?

There's probably a few who will just say man up or other shite but I've just sat down with an ice pack and just keep saying FFS over and over in my head because it really bloomin' hurts 🤕
 










hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,575
Chandlers Ford
Get yourself to A&E, surely?
Minor injuries unit, if you have one local @spongy - you'll be seen quicker - and they are geared up for this kind of thing.

If nothing else they'll be able to sort you out some crutches, and some strong painkillers.

 








dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Mar 27, 2013
52,800
Burgess Hill
Hi all

I've really hurt my calf.

Has anyone done this before? I mean badly?

I was at work today and hurt myself lifting something at a funny angle and was using my leg as leverage and it literally went "pop".

My colleague who was about 3m away heard it and turned around to see me grimacing in agony.

It felt like a snap/twang and felt like I'd been shot in the back of my leg.

This was about 6 hours ago. Now it feels like someone has stabbed me with a hot poker and left it in there and I can barely put any weight on my leg at all without it giving way.

Driving home has been eventful keeping my foot up on the accelerator.

What could I have done? What do I do?

There's probably a few who will just say man up or other shite but I've just sat down with an ice pack and just keep saying FFS over and over in my head because it really bloomin' hurts 🤕
Yes. Lots. Had several bad calf tears (before I found out what was causing them), sounds like one of those from your description although the 'pop' could mean it's your achilles (which attaches to the lower part of your calf - if the pain is higher up more likely to be the soleus or gastrocnemius that's ruptured)............either can hurt like hell initially and may swell up/bruise too. Get some ibuprofen down you as it'll help the pain (400mg assuming you're not allergic or anything), keep it raised if possible to reduce /prevent swelling and get it looked at as you can't really work on the fix without a diagnosis. Hope it's not too painful - the initial pain does tend to ease relatively quickly but if a serious calf muscle tear it'll take a while to heal.
 




Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash
Jul 6, 2003
70,467
Hi all

I've really hurt my calf.

Has anyone done this before? I mean badly?

I was at work today and hurt myself lifting something at a funny angle and was using my leg as leverage and it literally went "pop".

My colleague who was about 3m away heard it and turned around to see me grimacing in agony.

It felt like a snap/twang and felt like I'd been shot in the back of my leg.

This was about 6 hours ago. Now it feels like someone has stabbed me with a hot poker and left it in there and I can barely put any weight on my leg at all without it giving way.

Driving home has been eventful keeping my foot up on the accelerator.

What could I have done? What do I do?

There's probably a few who will just say man up or other shite but I've just sat down with an ice pack and just keep saying FFS over and over in my head because it really bloomin' hurts 🤕
Well if you - and your colleague! - heard your leg go 'pop' then it's clearly going to take a bit more than an ice pack to sort it out! A&E is your friend here
 








hart's shirt

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
10,252
Kitbag in Dubai

What happens when your calf muscle pops?​

The pop you feel in your calf muscle when you walk, run, or jump, usually means that you’ve torn a part of the muscle. It’s the sudden tearing of the muscle fibres that can make it feel like a pop, but some people even report hearing a “pop” when this happens.

Make sure that it’s your calf muscle and not your Achilles tendon that’s popped. Calf muscle tears can easily be treated with a carefully graded strength training plan. Achilles tendon tears are much more serious and require specialist (usually needs placing in a boot) and quick (best results if done in 24 hours) treatment to ensure a good recovery.

I felt a pop in my calf muscle but have no bruising​

Surely when you’ve torn a calf muscle you would expect to see some bruising? Not always.
You will only see a bruise if:
  • You’ve also torn a significant blood vessel,
  • and the blood is able to move to the skin.

Muscles are surrounded by thick, sinewy fascia sheaths, which can prevent the blood from moving to the skin, in which case it will be absorbed in due course and you’ll never notice a bruise.

Why is my torn calf muscle only bruising a week later?​

It can take quite some time for the dead blood to move to the skin. If the portion of muscle that you’ve torn was really deep inside the calf or the fascia sheath is in the way, it can take a week or longer for the blood to move to the skin. The bruise may also be much lighter than what it would be in other circumstances, as a lot of the dead blood would already have been absorbed into the body.

How to treat a popped calf muscle​

Exactly like you would treat all muscle strains. First, you have to reduce your activities to a level that doesn’t aggravate your injury. This usually means that you have to stop running or reduce your walking speed or distance.

Then you have to slowly rebuild the strength of the injured muscle fibres through a graded strength training programme. Rebuilding the strength is really important, and a lack of proper rehab is in our experience the most common reason why people end up with recurring calf strains.

https://www.sports-injury-physio.co...uscle-here-s-what-happens-and-how-to-treat-it
 


hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,575
Chandlers Ford
Yes. Lots. Had several bad calf tears (before I found out what was causing them), sounds like one of those from your description although the 'pop' could mean it's your achilles (which attaches to the lower part of your calf - if the pain is higher up more likely to be the soleus or gastrocnemius that's ruptured)............either can hurt like hell initially and may swell up/bruise too. Get some ibuprofen down you as it'll help the pain (400mg assuming you're not allergic or anything), keep it raised if possible to reduce /prevent swelling and get it looked at as you can't really work on the fix without a diagnosis. Hope it's not too painful - the initial pain does tend to ease relatively quickly but if a serious calf muscle tear it'll take a while to heal.
I tore mine (gastro) desperately stretching to keep the ball in, in the 89th minute of a cup final, 15 years ago. I thought it was cramp at the time, given the situation - muscles stretched and under stress at the end of a hard game. It wasn't - and my team-mates' ham-fisted attempts to stretch it out were very much not helpful :eek:

The good news, is that the ball I managed to hook across, was turned home to make it 3-3, taking the final to extra-time.

The bad news is, that I then watched us lose 5-4 AET.

The worse news (sorry @spongy ) is that my left calf STILL gives me trouble, 15 years later! I can only run / jog on it if I wear a compression support.
 






The Clamp

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 11, 2016
24,638
West is BEST
Hi all

I've really hurt my calf.

Has anyone done this before? I mean badly?

I was at work today and hurt myself lifting something at a funny angle and was using my leg as leverage and it literally went "pop".

My colleague who was about 3m away heard it and turned around to see me grimacing in agony.

It felt like a snap/twang and felt like I'd been shot in the back of my leg.

This was about 6 hours ago. Now it feels like someone has stabbed me with a hot poker and left it in there and I can barely put any weight on my leg at all without it giving way.

Driving home has been eventful keeping my foot up on the accelerator.

What could I have done? What do I do?

There's probably a few who will just say man up or other shite but I've just sat down with an ice pack and just keep saying FFS over and over in my head because it really bloomin' hurts 🤕
Go to A&E, man!
 


spongy

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2011
2,772
Burgess Hill
Yes. Lots. Had several bad calf tears (before I found out what was causing them), sounds like one of those from your description although the 'pop' could mean it's your achilles (which attaches to the lower part of your calf - if the pain is higher up more likely to be the soleus or gastrocnemius that's ruptured)............either can hurt like hell initially and may swell up/bruise too. Get some ibuprofen down you as it'll help the pain (400mg assuming you're not allergic or anything), keep it raised if possible to reduce /prevent swelling and get it looked at as you can't really work on the fix without a diagnosis. Hope it's not too painful - the initial pain does tend to ease relatively quickly but if a serious calf muscle tear it'll take a while to heal.
It's not my Achilles.

The pain is from the top of my calf where it joins below the knee and stops at the top of my Achilles, feels like the muscle on the inside of you understand what I mean. The whole thing is rock solid when normally it's just squidgy when relaxed.

Doctor said I'm not allowed ibuprofen due to a heat attack last year so I've used alcohol instead.

I can still bend my foot downwards but not upwards so it's not snapped or anything.

Will have to wait to see how I go overnight.

Never heard of a muscle "pop" before and I felt physically sick when it happened. Really not a nice feeling!
 


spongy

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2011
2,772
Burgess Hill
Minor injuries unit, if you have one local @spongy - you'll be seen quicker - and they are geared up for this kind of thing.

If nothing else they'll be able to sort you out some crutches, and some strong painkillers.

If nothing feels better in the morning I'll get myself to the Lewes one. It's nearest. Don't want to clog up a&e with a pulled muscle. Much more serious things need their attention.
 


hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,575
Chandlers Ford
If nothing feels better in the morning I'll get myself to the Lewes one. It's nearest. Don't want to clog up a&e with a pulled muscle. Much more serious things need their attention.
Genuinely, I would go tonight if you can - otherwise you'll be in for a very uncomfortable night, and the sooner you are properly assessed the better.

The UTC / minor injuries is not an A&E. The entire point of them, is to be an alternative to A&E, leaving them to deal with the more urgent / traumatic cases. Your situation is EXACTLY what they are designed for.

I used the one in Southampton when I turned my ankle this time last year - after, like you, thinking I'd take a painkiller and get on with it. They told me I was totally right to come in - they x-rayed it there and then, fitted me with a surgical boot, gave me crutches, prescribed some suitable strong painkillers - and booked me into the system for follow up care.

ankle.jpg
 




dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Mar 27, 2013
52,800
Burgess Hill
It's not my Achilles.

The pain is from the top of my calf where it joins below the knee and stops at the top of my Achilles, feels like the muscle on the inside of you understand what I mean. The whole thing is rock solid when normally it's just squidgy when relaxed.

Doctor said I'm not allowed ibuprofen due to a heat attack last year so I've used alcohol instead.

I can still bend my foot downwards but not upwards so it's not snapped or anything.

Will have to wait to see how I go overnight.

Never heard of a muscle "pop" before and I felt physically sick when it happened. Really not a nice feeling!
I've done both main calf muscles a few times.....def sounds like the soleus (it's sort of underneath the bigger muscle, it's probably radiated pain further up the calf). Mine 'popped' once when I was playing cricket - felt like I'd been shot in the back of the leg. Good news (if it is that) is you'll find you'll be able to walk on it (carefully) quite quickly as it isn't activated much during walking. Minor injuries unit is a good shout.........failing that an appointment with any physio (cost around £50) will confirm what you've done and get you some good advice on rehab
 


Albion my Albion

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 6, 2016
18,258
Indiana, USA
My friend's wife was an RN in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit. She once had a guy recovering from surgery who had to have his penis operated on because the muscle had popped, and he heard it pop, during a strenuous physical activity in the bedroom. My friend's wife asked him if he was going to afraid to have sex again, that once his penis was healed it would be perfectly fine for him to enjoy himself again The guy asked her if he could continue to "pop" the muscle in his penis because the "chicks really thought it was entertaining."

My friend's wife had to control herself but as soon as she was out of hospital room she burst out laughing and was uncontrollable for about 15 minutes before she could tell the other nurses and doctor what the patient had said. She said when the doctor told the patient he shouldn't "pop" his penis anymore he was struggling to keep a straight face. The patient was genuinely upset that he wouldn't be able to perform the "trick" ever again.
 


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