The Last Hope Research: Sore, tender calf (LiveStrong.Com)

Mom is complaining about strong pains in her left calf, which are sore to the touch and are painful to use when walking.

Google research results:

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http://www.livestrong.com/article/152529-causes-of-calf-muscle-pain/

ccording to the Sports Injury Clinic website, the calf muscles consist of the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The gastrocnemius is a bulky, powerful muscle situated on the posterior aspect of the lower leg. The soleus muscle, which is smaller than the gastrocnemius, lies beneath the gastrocnemius. Causes of calf muscle pain include strains, delayed onset muscle soreness and trauma.

Calf Muscle Strain

A muscle strain involves the partial tearing of small muscle fibers. According to the NYU Langone Medical Center--an academic medical center in New York City--a calf muscle strain can be caused by stretching the calf muscles beyond the normal amount of tension they can handle; sudden, unguarded calf muscle stress; overuse of the calf muscles; and blunt force trauma to the posterior aspect of the lower leg. Common risk factors for calf muscle strains include fatigue, excessive calf muscle tightness, overexertion and cold weather. Playing certain sports, such as running, basketball, football and rugby, may also increase the likelihood of a calf muscle strain. Calf muscle strains cause pain, tenderness, stiffness and weakness in the calf muscles but typically respond well to conservative care.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

The Sports Injury Clinic website says delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a unique type of muscle soreness exercisers or athletes experience several hours after vigorous activity. Although everybody is susceptible to DOMS, including elite athletes, it's frequently seen in those who have participated in intense physical activity after a long period of sedentary living. The calf muscles are a common location for DOMS--especially in runners, downhill hikers or those performing ballistic bounding activities such as plyometrics. It's believed that eccentric muscle contraction--in which the muscle lengthens during contraction--is the principal cause of DOMS. The Sports Injury Clinic website notes that DOMS usually manifests 12 to 48 hours after vigorous exercise, and that the most common symptoms associated with DOMS are muscle aches, muscle tightness and a decreased range of motion in the affected segments or body parts.

Contusions

According to the Natural Health Care website, a contusion--also known as a bruise--is an often painful, trauma-induced soft tissue injury that causes small blood vessels called capillaries to break and leak red blood cells into the affected area. Contusions appear as a reddish-purple patch on the skin's surface that does not blanch when compressed. As the tissue heals and the cellular metabolic byproducts are removed from the injury site, the contusion fades in color. The Sports Injury Clinic website says calf muscle contusions are common in contact sports. The impact associated with calf muscle contusions crushes the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles against the bone, and if proper intervention isn't sought and rendered, a painful condition called myositis ossificans may develop. This involves bone growth within the muscle.

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http://www.livestrong.com/article/165060-calf-muscle-pain-treatments/

The calf muscle is located on the back bottom part of the leg. There are many reasons you can develop calf pain. They can occur due to nighttime cramps, from a torn or pulled muscle or be a signal of a circulatory problem. The first step is to have your calf pain evaluated by your doctor to rule out serious conditions. Once you know what is causing your pain, you and your doctor can discuss the appropriate treatments for your calf muscle pain.

Calf Muscle Pulls or Strains

If you participate in activities that require repetitive jumping, running, pounding, starting and stopping, you may pull or strain your calf. The Mount Sinai Medical Center states that treatment depends on the severity of your injury. If your muscle pull is mild, a period of ice, rest, compression, elevation and avoiding the activities that caused your pain may resolve your symptoms. This may take a few weeks. If your injury is moderate, it may take longer. In addition, a moderate sprain may require inflammatory and pain medications to help calm your symptoms. With severe injuries, your doctor may put you in a cast to immobilize the area for a period of time. If your injury does not respond to any of the above, surgery may be required to repair your calf muscle. The goal is to seek treatment as soon as you notice calf pain. The sooner your start treatment, the faster you will heal.

Nighttime Calf Cramps

Cramps in your calf in the middle of the night are painful and can disrupt your sleep. This can lead to daytime fatigue and difficulty concentrating. They occur when your calf muscles contract abruptly or spasm with no known medical cause. The muscle may feel tight and hard. When the cramp occurs the Stanford University suggests gently stretching by flexing your foot and pulling the toes back. Take slow deep breaths as you hold the stretch. Try to relax the muscle. Applying heat and giving yourself a gentle massage may also help. Sometimes, you may need to get up and place weight on the leg. To help avoid nighttime cramps, make sure you drink enough water and consume enough potassium. A lack of either one can contribute to muscle cramps and calf pain.

Circulatory Calf Problems

If plaque builds up on the artery walls in the blood vessels in your legs, you may develop peripheral artery disease (PAD). The main symptom of PAD is cramping or pain in the calves when moving. The cramps occur during activity because your arteries are blocked, and your leg muscles are not getting the blood and oxygen they need to keep moving. Rest usually alleviates the cramps. To manage this condition, you will need the same treatment approach that is used for coronary artery disease. You will need to eat less fat and cholesterol, get regular exercise, lose excess weight and quit smoking. If the blockage is severe, you may need medication to help lower your cholesterol and blood pressure levels. If you have a significant blockage, you may need surgery to clean out the artery.

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http://www.livestrong.com/article/165060-calf-muscle-pain-treatments/

Calf muscle pain can be treated using conservative care methods. According to the Sports Injury Clinic website, calf pain can be caused by numerous factors, including calf muscle--gastrocnemius and soleus--strains, delayed onset muscle soreness and contusions or bruises, among other injuries. Most calf injuries can be treated conservatively, using massage therapy, manual therapies and physical therapy modalities to speed healing and reduce pain or discomfort.

Manual Therapies

Manual therapies for calf muscle pain involve various soft tissue manipulation and mobilization techniques applied to the lower leg by a manual medicine practitioner, such as a chiropractor, massage therapist or other bodyworker. Examples of manual therapies that can help reduce calf muscle pain include deep tissue massage therapy and other types of massage therapy, trigger point therapy, instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization or cross-fiber friction, rolfing, myofascial release techniques and joint mobilization and manipulation. According to the Sports Injury Clinic website, sports massage may be particularly effective at reducing calf muscle pain, as it releases tension in the muscles and stimulates blood flow and tissue healing. However, for acute calf muscle strains, massage should be avoided until the patient is in the subacute phase of his injury.

Post-Isometric Relaxation

According to Dr. Warren Hammer, a chiropractic physician and author of the textbook "Functional Soft-Tissue Examination and Treatment by Manual Methods," post-isometric relaxation or PIR is an effective method for treating acute soft tissue problems, including calf muscle problems. Hammer adds that PIR--an active stretching technique involving both patient and practitioner--is a helpful treatment method for reducing tension that's often superior to modalities or passive care. To promote relaxation of a tight, painful calf muscles using PIR, the patient's calf muscles are elongated to their maximum length by flexing the ankle toward the head. The patient is then asked to push forward with his foot against resistance using about 20 percent of his maximum force. After 10 seconds of gentle muscle contraction, the patient is instructed to inhale deeply, then relax the calf muscles. When the calf muscles are fully relaxed, the practitioner should be able to further elongate the muscles. This process continues three to five times, until calf muscle tension and pain are reduced.

Physical Therapy Modalities

Physical therapy modalities, including transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation or TENS, high voltage pulsed galvanic electrical stimulation, ultrasound, superficial heat and cryotherapy may be effective for reducing calf muscle pain. According to the Sports Injury Clinic, a sports medicine practitioner may use TENS as a way to decrease calf muscle pain caused by soft tissue injuries in the lower leg. The success rate of TENS treatments for calf muscle pain depends on several factors, including electrode arrangement, how long the condition has been present and the type of treatments the patient has already received. High voltage pulsed galvanic electrical stimulation may help reduce calf muscle spasms and soft tissue swelling following injury. Ultrasound--a deep heating modality--typically is used to improve connective tissue pliability, which makes calf muscle stretching easier. Thermal therapies, such as superficial heat and cryotherapy, are applied to the calf muscles to improve circulation and speed healing of injured tissues, along with reducing pain and inflammation.

The Last Hope Research

Monday, January 3, 2011

Sore, tender calf (LiveStrong.Com)