What to do if you have a calf muscle strain? This treatment will help you recover faster

Many people do not do warm-up exercises before running. Coupled with long-term inactivity, sudden intense exercise can easily lead to calf muscle strain. You can apply ice in time, take anti-inflammatory drugs, pay more attention to rest, and exercise gradually in the future.

1. Treatment and relief methods:

The initial treatment is mainly ice compress. It is recommended to use professional ice packs, which are more effective. Ibuprofen-like anti-inflammatory drugs can help reduce swelling of internal muscles. Be careful not to take them before exercise. If you want to recover as quickly as possible, it is best to rest for about a week and then gradually resume your training. Foot correctors or suitable running shoes can help you reduce a series of injuries during training after recovery. Some high-tech compression equipment can also help reduce calf muscle pressure, especially when worn during training, the effect is better. If conditions permit, professional massage is very helpful, but you can also purchase special massage equipment to assist, which also has obvious effects.

Calf stretch:

Stand with your hands on the wall, move your injured leg back, lean forward, and bend the other leg. Hold for 10-15 seconds until you feel a noticeable stretch in the muscles at the back of your calf. Repeat 6-8 times. This movement also has a preventive effect on plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis.

The most fundamental reason for this situation is that the calf muscles and Achilles tendons are not tough enough, so the most fundamental way to prevent injuries is to strengthen flexibility and strength training. A good physical foundation is the key to improving athletic performance.

In addition, it should be noted that uncoordinated steps and incorrect movements when running will also increase the chance of calf muscle strain.

2. Causes of calf muscle strain:

Failure to warm up adequately or stretch properly after training can lead to calf pain, excessive uphill training, or sudden increases in training volume. Most beginner runners will ignore the consequences of calf pain, which may aggravate the injury. Sudden stride changes that change your landing pattern (from heel strike to forefoot strike) can increase the likelihood of a calf muscle strain.

Dehydration during training can also cause calf muscle pain. Many runners do not pay attention to hydration during training. At the same time, the large amount of sweat secretion leads to the loss of calcium, potassium and some trace elements, which can also cause muscle pain. Therefore, it is necessary to replenish water and minerals reasonably during exercise.

The most common cause is foot eversion (inward rotation), which places extra stress on the calf muscles and Achilles tendon during movement, increasing the likelihood of injury.

Take the right foot as an example: excessive eversion - normal eversion - normal - normal inversion - excessive inversion