what would go "pop"? painful calf.
Discussion
Bit late leaving work earlier, had to jog to get to the station. As I started off, something went in my calf, felt like something popped, then I couldn't put any weight on the leg. Had to limp onto the train, and then my wife drove us to parents evening at school.
Back home now and am in agony, can't take much weight on it.
Any idea what it could be - is it a a&e trip or just mtfu?
Back home now and am in agony, can't take much weight on it.
Any idea what it could be - is it a a&e trip or just mtfu?
I did this about 5 years ago - walking up an embankment at my kids school (no particular effort involved). I actually heard it go and I could not put any weight on it. I sat in reception for a while but eventually hopped to my car (the kids in the overlooking classrooms must have been having a laugh).
Went straight to the GP's surgery on way home as it was very painful and was diagnosed with a torn calf muscle. If I recall it was worse the next day (sorry - so take some painkillers now well before bed!) and I think I ended up on some borrowed crutches for over a week before it gradually got better..
Went straight to the GP's surgery on way home as it was very painful and was diagnosed with a torn calf muscle. If I recall it was worse the next day (sorry - so take some painkillers now well before bed!) and I think I ended up on some borrowed crutches for over a week before it gradually got better..
Agree with others. Tore my calf a year or so ago. Couldn't raise my heel of the ground
(ie stand on tip-toe). Could push toes down when not weight bearing though so luckly not the tendon.
Plenty pain killers. ICE and physio. Took quite some time to recover. Blood pooled amongst the layers of the muscle and round my ankle according to physio.
(calf had matching colours)

(ie stand on tip-toe). Could push toes down when not weight bearing though so luckly not the tendon.
Plenty pain killers. ICE and physio. Took quite some time to recover. Blood pooled amongst the layers of the muscle and round my ankle according to physio.
(calf had matching colours)

I ruptured my achilles tendon last week, "pop" and then unable to balance. Feel the back of your 'good' leg and then the back of the injured one. If the tendon's snapped, it's fairly obvious. If so, you need reconstruction surgery a.s.a.p and then weeks/months of rehab.
Best of luck, whatever it is.
Best of luck, whatever it is.
Had the same thing a while back. Climbed a small spectator bank at Snetterton.
Ouch!! thought some tw&t had swiped me with a stick on the back of my leg.
Pain got worse and worse, eventually hobbled to the medical centre,probably torn muscle, where they applied an ice pack and suggested I go home to rest it. Got better after a few weeks without further treatment.
Messed up my day at the British Touring Cars though.
Ouch!! thought some tw&t had swiped me with a stick on the back of my leg.
Pain got worse and worse, eventually hobbled to the medical centre,probably torn muscle, where they applied an ice pack and suggested I go home to rest it. Got better after a few weeks without further treatment.
Messed up my day at the British Touring Cars though.
Did the same thing playing football last week, felt like someone had booted my calf. It's probably a strain if you can still walk even if it's a hobble.
Probably be about 6 weeks before it's better according to a physio I spoke to. I was also told that at my age I should be warming up properly !
Probably be about 6 weeks before it's better according to a physio I spoke to. I was also told that at my age I should be warming up properly !
Thanks for all the replies and advice.
I put it on ice based on suggestions on here, and also used Ibuprofen to get through the worst part of the pain. It's recovering, I can take weight on my leg easily now but if I turn too quickly it still twinges. Not sure what it was, but some bruising came out in a line across my calf at about 30 degrees from the horizontal. Never had a bruise from the inside before?
Sadly I couldn't take any time off work but I suspect it would have recovered more quickly if I could have spent a couple of days with it rested and packed with ice.
I put it on ice based on suggestions on here, and also used Ibuprofen to get through the worst part of the pain. It's recovering, I can take weight on my leg easily now but if I turn too quickly it still twinges. Not sure what it was, but some bruising came out in a line across my calf at about 30 degrees from the horizontal. Never had a bruise from the inside before?
Sadly I couldn't take any time off work but I suspect it would have recovered more quickly if I could have spent a couple of days with it rested and packed with ice.
-Pete- said:
Did it recover?
This is what you get if you snap your achilles tendon:

This is what you get if you snap your achilles tendon:

euw ... glad that didn't happen.
After a week or so it was pretty much recovered - still occasionally sore, but I suspect that it is just the remnants of the bruising. I think the quick ice on it helped, and the ibuprofen stopped any inflamation building up.
Sounds exactly what I done whilst playing football. Was running along when all of a sudden "pop" I actually felt it pop & it bloody hurts!
Once you have done it once, there is good chance of it happeneing again & I now have to strap both my calfs up before playing football as this seems to stop it from happening.
Once you have done it once, there is good chance of it happeneing again & I now have to strap both my calfs up before playing football as this seems to stop it from happening.
I'm still recovering from my torn calf muscle. Been almost 2 weeks now. Have just about started walking gingerly - can't put full weight on it yet.
Haven't bothered with ibuprofen or anything.
Did you do any particular exercises or stretches to help the recovery? (My doc didn't tell me anything, really.)
Haven't bothered with ibuprofen or anything.
Did you do any particular exercises or stretches to help the recovery? (My doc didn't tell me anything, really.)
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