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Possible torn calf; 'Help'
Topic Started: Jan 15 2007, 07:48 PM (790 Views)
ANDY OX
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Not The Mama
Felt a strain in my right calf on sundays event session which gradually eased through the day and forgot about it then tonight i set off with a pair of 100kg for Farmers walk when i felt what i can only describe as 2 hard flicks and then a 'pop' in the same calf.Had to let go of the Farmers straight away and Jack helped me back to a seat.Sitting here now its hurting like hell.
My question is, does this sound like i've torn some fibres in my calf and am i right in thinking i use the R.I.C.E. method for the first 3 days then apply heat after then.

Anyone who knows please reply soon,thankyou.
Andy.
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stoneman
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my use of the word ''cunt'' is because you are &
fucking hell andy what a bunch of sick notes lol
could be a slight tear?? have you swelling/bruising mate
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Jesse Snadden
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Pakistan's Strongest Man
Shit that sounds about right.

If you feel an immense amount of pressure in the calf, like it's going to pop right now, then it may very well be torn, as mine was back in may 06.

Use RICE right now. You need to get some ice on it ASAP and get it elevated and compressed.

See how you are tomorrow morning. If the feeling is the same or worse, see a doctor. Be carefull about using anti-inflammatorie drugs, they could speed the bleeding process.

Quote:
 
have you swelling/bruising mate


The bruising only appears a few days later.
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ANDY OX
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Not The Mama
Thanks Jesse,its throbbing right now and when i lightly walk on it,it is really sore but every now and then when it tenses its like a really intense cramp in the injured part of the muscle which makes me just drop.
I don't think a doctor will do anything for me to be honest Jesse its a bit shit over here for this kind of thing,there not really interested.
Gonna take a couple of days off work.
Assuming it is a tear how long would you think this kind of injury will take to recover enough for me to get back to some sort of leg and event training.Am due to compete in February and i'm also due to have someone training at mine on saturday and was really looking forward to it.Was hoping if i can't do the running about stuff maybe it will be good enough for log and stones.
What do you think my chances are Jesse.
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Jesse Snadden
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Quote:
 
Assuming it is a tear how long would you think this kind of injury will take to recover enough for me to get back to some sort of leg and event training.Am due to compete in February and i'm also due to have someone training at mine on saturday and was really looking forward to it.Was hoping if i can't do the running about stuff maybe it will be good enough for log and stones.
What do you think my chances are Jesse.


Depends how bad the injury is. It could be a minor tear and go away within a few weeks, or it could take 2 months; if it's a big tear.

I tore my calf on may 7th. It took me roughly 2 and a half weeks to be able to walk without crutches and it took me roughly a month to six weeks to get my strength back up. Part of the reason it took that long was because the I lost my mobility and couldn't walk with my foot straight, even without the crutches. It took a lot of stretching drills to correct it. My tear; however, was a really bad one.

I suggest you keep doing RICE, and try, hard as it may be, to keep it's mobility.

When an injury like this occurs, the muscles try to tense up and prevent mobility. So ease into stretching. This will chop off a large amount of downtime.

If possible, see a physiotherapist. They helped me with their electroshock therapy, ultrasound, massage and flexibility exercises.

And do try to see a doctor, you want to know the extent of the injury, ask to be refered to a sports injury specialist.
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Jesse Snadden
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Whatever you do, don't get depressed. Injuries like these are a part of our sport. I've been there with the calf tear, it's no fun, but I got to play a shitload of Xbox 360... Keep the calories and protein high to keep catabolism down. Train everything you can and appreciate the free time you have to enjoy some other things.

I found I could do one-legged hyperextensions with a plyometric ball to keep my hamstrings, back and glutes strong during the downtime, or at least slow down my strength loss.

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ANDY OX
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Not The Mama
Thanks Jesse,i'm taking a couple of days off work as holiday as i don't get paid sick and will ice it regularly.Feels like its tightened up a lot as i can feel tightness in the achilles(spelling)I don't think its a bad tear even though it does hurt like hell but its not feeling any worse this morning.I'm getting away with limping on the heel but any lack of concentration and i tense it ,it fucking hurts.Been lightly stretching it which is not too bad.
Leaving the painkillers alone after what you said.Have a heat lamp i'll use in a few days.
Thanks again Jesse for taking the time to write your posts,its a BIG help.
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Jesse Snadden
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Is there any way you can get an ultrasound or CT scan to see the condition of your achilles tendon? I really think this is important, Andy.

Make sure you keep stretching, I didn't do it enough and I wasn't able to straighten my leg nor put my foot flat. The calf muscles are responsible for straightening the leg as well as mobilizing the ankle. This is what took most of my recovery time.

So your priority is getting full pain-free range of motion.

Keep doing RICE, get something to keep the calf compressed as this will keep the swelling down; as will applying ice. This is why RICE is important. By keeping the swelling down, you can heal faster. I wasn't able to put a sock on after a week into the injury.

When you go back to work; if possible, keep the foot elevated on a stool.
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Jesse Snadden
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As for painkillers, you can use Tylenol as it is not an anti-inflammatory. I've never gotten much out of Tylenol though.

Avoid aspirin, ibuprofen and doctor prescribed anti-inflammatories.

Check your calf for bruising, it may take another day or two for it to appear. This is a clear sign that it was in fact a tear.
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ANDY OX
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Not The Mama
I really don't think my injury is that bad when i read your posts.Tonight it is already feeling slightly better although the whole calf is tender to touch.
I've been icing it every 50 minutes Jesse and had a Tubagrip on since last night and kept it elavated where possible (i love our recliner sofa more than ever)been doing some very light stretching tonight.It feels slightly harder than my left calf which i suppose must be to slight swelling although it does'nt visually look swollen.Got tomorrow off work aswell as i'm a car mechanic so there is no sitting with one foot elavated.
Gonna go training tomorrow and do some benching and tricep work.
I'll keep you informed.
Thanks again.
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ANDY OX
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Not The Mama
Just been comparing my calf with the left one and yes it is swollen quite a bit.
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Jesse Snadden
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That is normal. I bet it is very hard too.
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ANDY OX
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Not The Mama
Quote:
 
Is there any way you can get an ultrasound or CT scan to see the condition of your achilles tendon? I really think this is important, Andy.


No chance with our NHS.It took 2 years to get an MRI scan for my herniated disc. :bang
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ANDY OX
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Not The Mama
I've had no bruising or signs of bleeding from the calf just swelling.It is getting better although i can't walk on it properly.
Been told on another site it may be a stretch tear of the fascia around the muscle.
Gonna start taking ibuprofen as there's no bleeding and keep icing it.
Back to work tomorrow although i'm not sure what i can do yet.
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Jesse Snadden
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Good news, you might be lucky.

Take the ibuprofen, but if you start to see bruising, then you might consider backing off.

This is a serious warning though, warmup properly from now on and do some bodybuilding exercises for your calf to build some more tissue in there.
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ANDY OX
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Not The Mama
Will do Jesse thanks again mate.
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Raptor
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Who's Your Daddy
How's it feeling now mate?
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Al Lister
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I think rest is the only answer for calf injuries Andy, I ripped My left calf clean off at the top four years ago and took me a good 12 month to recover.

Think it must still be effecting me now, as I seems to be still shite at evertything I do. :lol
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stoneman
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my use of the word ''cunt'' is because you are &
how's the calf mr ox??? :ph43r: :scratch
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ANDY OX
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Not The Mama
Getting there Rob, still really tight and a bit painfull but i can walk on it now.
Thanks mate,how's ya back?
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stoneman
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my use of the word ''cunt'' is because you are &
nice, glad to hear ya on the mend :hurt

me old back feels very good [at the moment] fingers crossed :sweat
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ANDY OX
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Not The Mama
Glad to here it.Don't forget though,that core work has got to be done now forever, even when your backs feeling good.Attack it like you would on any other exercise by trying to better yourself with extra reps.

I've just started to get some bruising coming through on my calf,5 days after i did it.
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Jesse Snadden
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Pakistan's Strongest Man
Then there was a tear; however, it could be a very small one.

Keep stretching it regardlessly. I tore a lat in 2005, it got a lot of bruising that also ran down the back of my arm; however, I was ready for another contest in 2 weeks. I t was a small one and it healed very fast.
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ANDY OX
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Not The Mama
Yeah i was starting to think i was being a pussy.
18th Feb is the comp date so fingers crossed.
I'll keep streting it Jesse,cheers mate.
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