Calf injuries, how do they happen and what can we do about them?

Calf injuries can account for 13% of all injuries in ball sports. For over half of the time, they require a week off from sport and in some cases, multiple. 

The two main muscles in our calves include the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. Gastrocnemius muscle is thought to be the ‘power’ muscle which is more active in jumping and sprinting. The soleus muscle plays an extremely important role at all running speeds producing forces up to 6-8x an individual’s body weight (Dorn et al. 2012). Therefore, it is imperative our rehabilitation is sufficient enough to allow us to return to sport or running. 

Calf injuries impacting the gastrocnemius normally occur following a sudden acceleration when the calf is on stretch such as when overarching for a ball in tennis resulting in a muscle strain. Usually following a muscle strain in the calf, the individual will experience a popping sensation followed by significant localised pain and dysfunction in the area. Soleus muscle strains usually present with a slower onset of pain which increases over a number of days or weeks and are often more associated with jogging rather than sprinting. 

Calf injuries can also occur when there is a direct impact to the area  from another player which is known as a contusion which presents very similarly to a muscle strain. 

Rehabilitation for calf muscle strains include: 

1. Acute phase - reduce pain, swelling and further injury along with promotion of healing

2. Improving flexibility - gentle stretching, light activity and soft tissue work to restore normal range of movement 

3. Improving muscular strength, endurance and power - this will aid restoring the calf back to its normal function and also aim at reducing future injuries to address underlying impairments 

4. Return to training - introducing sport or activity specific movements such as running, kicking, change of direction, sprinting or jumping

5. Returning to play or to competition 

Calf pain can also be present from other areas of the body such as referral from the lumbar spine (lower back) or from a vascular (blood flow) issue. It is important to determine the source of your calf pain with your physiotherapist through a thorough examination as this will guide your treatment. 

If you have sustained a calf injury or are experiencing calf pain, see us at Body Fit Physiotherapy for a detailed assessment and comprehensive treatment plan. 

Luke Chetcuti

Physiotherapist 

Body Fit Physiotherapy