I quit smoking and have put on a few pounds over the last couple of months. So, like most ex smokers who look down at their bulging waistline, I realized daily exercise is going to also be part of the regiment.
Well, it’s been a few weeks now, and frankly, it feels fantastic. The spouse and I do a daily 3-5km walk right after work, and where we live this is really nice. Lately, I’ve included some stair sprints as well as my lungs clear and my endurance improves.
Today, I decided to race the spouse up this long set of stairs…(about 50 meters). She was kicking my ass, and I thought I’d use my longer legs to catch up…Bounding four at a time, I quickly closed the gap.
Then something smacked me in the leg…Felt like someone had taken a soccer ball and just chucked it at my calf. I went down like a house of cards…Holy Christ that hurt.
I went to emergency where I was informed that I have a torn calf muscle and that it will take a few weeks to recover. I can’t put any weight on it, walking down the stairs is next to impossible.
All this from a torn calf muscle? Anyone else here ever done it? What am I in for? Right now, it feels like a never ending calf muscle cramp. I’m braced and Iced.
I injured a knee muscle last year and had to keep the weight off for a month. So I hobbled around a lot, gripped stairway railings etc. But I managed to get around OK despite having to climb stairs at home, at work and on the MRT.
You’ll recover. Just do what the doctor says to do and you’ll be fine!
MJB -
I’ve done this…more than once over the years.
It will heal and it will get stronger. It just takes time.
Keep in mind that you should [i]s l o w l y[/i] try to keep it stretched when its about healed up.
The ligaments will shrink back after non-activity…and they like it that way. Have to gently convince them to loosen back up.
Slow toe touches, easy flat foot leans and lots of massage.
Good luck.
[quote=“TainanCowboy”]MJB -
I’ve done this…more than once over the years.
It will heal and it will get stronger. It just takes time.
Keep in mind that you should [i]s l o w l y[/i] try to keep it stretched when its about healed up.
The ligaments will shrink back after non-activity…and they like it that way. Have to gently convince them to loosen back up.
Slow toe touches, easy flat foot leans and lots of massage.
Good luck.[/quote]
Yeah, what he says, but I’ve bolded what I think it the most important part. Don’t be tempted to start early or you may well rip it again. Also, about the same time, you can start doing some gentle massage on it.
Chinese say: beer belly better than torn calf muscle
Seriously though, ouch! Sorry to hear about that injury. Follow the doc’s and irishstu’s advice – don’t push it. And don’t hesitate to use crutches at first around the house if it keeps you off that calf.
Torn calf muscle? What are you? Some kind of girlyman? Torn muscles were par for the course when I was skiing competitively. Tie it up tight, grit your teeth and get back on that chairlift because there’s still two hours of good light left!
Seriously, NOTHING you can do but rest and NO rehab until its healed, by which time everything will be nice and tight and those ligaments and tendons will SCREAM at you as you stretch them out.
Don’t rush it – you’ll only make things worse.
