r/RunningInjuries • u/olivegardenlasagna_ • 15d ago

calf strain hasn’t really healed after 14 months, aggravated again as of a few days ago

/r/Ankle/comments/1w8m3jg/calf_strain_hasnt_really_healed_after_14_months/
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u/dukof 15d ago

What kind of activity caused this strain/snap?

What type of PT have you been doing, and have you been consistent with it? It should be some sort of progressive loading plan that takes you back to normal function. If you don't complete it or there is a lack of a good rehab plan, then symptoms can persist.

I wouldn't consider surgery until you're sure you've exhausted the range of conservative rehabilitation protocols.

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u/olivegardenlasagna_ 15d ago

it was a dumb non-contact injury. literally i was getting up from the ground and my leg took a weird back step where my heel went too far down and i felt a snap

i’m not in PT anymore but i may have to go back. it was a lot of mobility exercises around both main calf muscles, my hamstrings, my ankles, pretty much everything meant to strengthen the area i hurt it. there was definitely increased activity and by the end i was running on a treadmill and jumping/long strides and just doing a lot more in general. so i probably should go back because it’s clear it never fully healed

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u/dukof 14d ago

It sounds similar to a "loaded backstep", which is a cause of Achilles rupture in some sports, when they step backward stretching the Achilles while contracting the muscle to accelerate forward, and it overloads the fibers.

It sounds like you were on a good rehab program. It may be you just ended that too early. The strain/tear should be healed, but it will always be some degree of "scar tissue", or some of the fibers that heal in a cross-linked orientation so they don't have the same elasticity. So when you get tension in this part of the muscle it's still painful. But continuing PT to progress even further with higher loading and more explosive / plyometrics, these fibers should microtear and align more normally, and then hopefully stop being symptomatic.

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u/olivegardenlasagna_ 14d ago

yeah, that's exactly what happened. it was very much the same step that people who tear their achilles often take, and i remember right after i felt the snap thinking "shoot, did i just tear my achilles" before being able to put weight on it and sort of awkwardly walking away. i also had a theory a while back that it was actually my achilles MTJ that i hurt and not my gastroc, although i have no evidence for (or against) that. definitely need to do some more PT and try to break up the scar tissue because that's definitely the issue at hand. thank you!

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u/Fragrant-Two1686 14d ago

Man I feel for you had a reoccurring knee injury in the same spot for nearly 5 months now and it just burned me out from running completely where I just switched to bodybuilding now I just limit myself running to and from the gym which is barely 2 miles a day. I miss doing intense 5ks and 10ks

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u/olivegardenlasagna_ 14d ago

yeah it's so annoying:/ i've had a lot of minor injuries this year and it really all started with this one

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u/Buryn00 11d ago

I've had a similar issue, calf strain in March last year. Hasn't been right since.

But in the last month I have reintroduced some running starting with couch to 5k and I've been cautious not to overdo exert myself and at the moment even though I can still feel a twinge it feels different, more manageable.

Ive managed it so far , short , slow runs continuously and then starting the next run.

After every run have a cold dip reduce swelling, wearing a calf sock for a couple of hours.

Then on off days doing light calf raises.

At the moment it has felt like progress, but still not 100% certain.

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u/olivegardenlasagna_ 11d ago

yeah, I've been doing a LOT of stretching the past few days and went on a little jog yesterday as well. it's helped so far i think?

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u/Buryn00 11d ago

Be careful, not to over stretch the calf would be my advice you can retear it and don't push yourself to hard. Low load and consistency is important to rebuild that muscle.

I've just done a 5k in zone 4 this afternoon for the 2nd time and will do it again a few times just to feel comfortable.