Calf strains are common for everyone as they can occur from a variety of activities, including sports participation, going to the gym, and daily work.
If you’re suffering from a calf strain, Physical Therapy in Erie County, NY at Advance Physical Therapy can help you! Take a look at our suggestions for dealing with calf stains at home.
First, it is important to be certain about the cause of your calf pain. If you’ve strained your calf, you will likely experience:
- Pain in back of calf
- A pulling sensation in calf muscle when walking or running
- Inability to put pressure on the calf
- Mild swelling
- In some cases: redness and bruising
If you’re experiencing these symptoms, it is important to take action in order to heal your strained calf. Our therapists at Advance Physical Therapy in Erie County, NY recommend a variety of at-home treatments, in addition to professional care:
Treatments for Calf Strains
Immediately after you notice that you have strained your calf, it is important to take the following steps to begin treating the muscle:
- Apply an ice compress to the affected area: ice will reduce swelling and pain
- After using ice, switch to heat: heat will relax the muscle and reduce pain, but only after you’ve first used ice to bring down swelling
- Keep your leg up: when sitting or lying down, try to keep your calf above heart-level to reduce swelling
- Rest: take a break from any sports, physical activity, or labor-intensive work for at least a day or two after straining your calf to allow time for the swelling to go down and healing to take place
- Medication: take over-the-counter painkillers as needed
- Stretches: the best option for treating your calf strain is physical therapy. However, if you’re waiting for your appointment and need some immediate relief, try at-home stretches to relax the muscle. These include toe-touches, seated floor stretches, and seated chair stretches. However, if pain worsens, stop immediately and contact Advance Physical Therapy in Erie County, NY.
How Advance Physical Therapy in Erie County, NY Can Help You!
At-home treatments for calf strains are effective as a short-term treatment for calf strain pain. However, you will need to work on healing your muscle long term, so that you can return to physical activity and your usual work activities without pain.
Advance Physical Therapy in Erie County, NY specializes in sports rehabilitation, which includes a variety of services that can help heal your calf strain. Contact us to make an appointment, and get started on healing your calf strain today!