Torn calf muscle

[Sioux33]

Reviving this thread as I just tore my calf playing basketball with my son 5 days ago. Went to jump up while my son accidentally stepped on my foot and boom...felt like someone kicked me in the calf and dropped me like a ton of bricks.

Have seen both an ortho and one session of PT. Ultrasound showed a grade 2 tear, but luckily no achilles or other tendon/ligament damage, just muscle. Currently in a walking boot, can't push off to walk, so hobbling around like a cripple. PT plan is to slowly recover range of motion to get out of the boot, then strengthen and work on mobility as healing progresses. Gonna throw in a lot of stationary biking to get the blood circulating as well.

Sounds like I should be good for hunting in the mountains this fall, but my big fear is having this thing linger on and re-injuring or flaring up in the future. My goal is to get to the point where it's like it never happened before.

Anyone have any words from the wise, do's/don't's, recovery times, or other experiences to share that have been down this road before? Would love to hear them if you do.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I've torn my calf muscle. It happened back about 15 years ago now at the very peak of my fitness as I was training for an ironman triathlon. I was out on a run feeling great and decided to really go for broke on my last 5km to my house, I really pushed hard on that run.

That evening, I felt like I had a clamp around my leg and it just got worse and worse. Turns out I tore the calf muscle. I would take a few weeks off running only to have it flare up within 20-30 seconds of trying to run again.

I did the Arizona ironman that year and clocked my slowed ironman ever at like 12 hours after more or less walkig 20 miles of the marathon. I really struggled with that injury and ultimatly its the injury that ended my ironman dreams.

 

[Sioux33]

I've torn my calf muscle. It happened back about 15 years ago now at the very peak of my fitness as I was training for an ironman triathlon. I was out on a run feeling great and decided to really go for broke on my last 5km to my house, I really pushed hard on that run.

That evening, I felt like I had a clamp around my leg and it just got worse and worse. Turns out I tore the calf muscle. I would take a few weeks off running only to have it flare up within 20-30 seconds of trying to run again.

I did the Arizona ironman that year and clocked my slowed ironman ever at like 12 hours after more or less walkig 20 miles of the marathon. I really struggled with that injury and ultimatly its the injury that ended my ironman dreams.

Man, I'm sorry to hear that. From the pain and lack of mobility I've experienced so far, I'd say that's damn impressive that you were still able to do an ironman that same year.

Does it still bother you hiking in the mountains? I'm used to putting on some serious mileage and elevation all summer and fall, so not being able to do that is my big fear.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Man, I'm sorry to hear that. From the pain and lack of mobility I've experienced so far, I'd say that's damn impressive that you were still able to do an ironman that same year.

Does it still bother you hiking in the mountains? I'm used to putting on some serious mileage and elevation all summer and fall, so not being able to do that is my big fear.

No it dosen't bother me anymore. Looking back, If I had of just focused on biking more for a year or so, I t likely would heve healed up and I could have returned at 100%. I was like 28 though and taking time off just wasn't something I was into back then. I trained through lots of injuries back in those days but that calf thing (also known as a calf heart attack) was easily the toughest overuse type injury I ever had.

I trained so hard back then I remember not being able to walk to my car after my 3rd ironman, I basically used my bike as a crutch, there were times when it would hurt to walk so Id jog around to loosen my legs up.