My Calf Went Ping! Painfully

[barry1010]

This morning I was walking at pace through the large shopping centre when I had a sudden, almightly pain in the back of my calf.  It popped.  My leg nearly gave way. The intense pain lessened quickly to a dull ache which went away after 40 minutes or so.

Nothing like cramp.  My muscle wasn't hard like it is with cramp.  

Any ideas?

[Buenchico]

A slight tear in your gastrocnemius, a.k.a. 'calf strain', by the sound of it:
https://www.hey.nhs.uk/patient-leaflet/soft-tissue-injury-calf-strain/

[wolf63]

I had this problem a couple of years back, it was a tear in my gastrocnemius.  I actually heard it go bang.

I got taken to A&E and they put a support on it.  I got ultrasound treatment.  In my case it was thought to be the statins that I was on that caused it.

Read through Chris's link.  I was in pain for days.

 

 

[bookbinder]

I'm sorry, barry1010, but I cannot provide an explanation or help. However, I have had similar experience. I am 84. In January this year, I parked my car in my driveway, having driven around all morning with no problems. As soon as I opened the car door, and put my right foot on the ground, I felt an intense pain, which almost caused my leg to give way. I was rescued by my wife and the next-door neighbour, who helped me into our house. The rest of this is a long story, but I will say this: I think that the pain in the leg problem has something to do with age, so now it's just a case of being careful. Tablets, rubs, ointments have not helped at all, and I am constantly on the alert for more of the same. 

[gingejbee]

...you're obviously too old to walk "at pace"!

Slow down!

[Buenchico]

This thread got me googling for the etymology of 'gastrocnemius', as I've always associated 'gastro' with 'stomach'.  Apparently that's correct, as 'gastrocnemius' means 'stomach of the the leg', due to the bulging shape of one's calf.

Isn't language a wonderful thing? 😊

[barry1010]

Fabulous replies - again.  Very helpful.  I heard a popping sound but thankfully the pain has completely gone although I have only pottered round the house since I got home.  I will bear gastrocnemius in mind should it happen again.

Wolf, I'm on statins, have been for a few years without problem, hope it will stay that way.

Bookbinder, what you describe is very similar to my experience but yours was much worse than my incident today.  I hope you are fully recovered.

ginge, I've always been a fast walker - point in the right direction and I just keep going, up hill, down dale, makes no difference.  No keen on walking on loose shale, though. 

I agree, Chris. I love words and entymology.  Susie Dent is a hero of mine.

Thank again all

 

 

[jourdain2]

Knowing that gastrocnemius is the calf muscle helped me though my Club Coach Anatomy Exam ---- I was the only one who did --- and it was because, like you barry, I just love words!

Yes, I agree, a tear.  The old R.I.C.E. sequence.  :)

[barry1010]

Thanks jourdain

[Old_Geezer]

I get similar symptoms on a too regular basis. Less often since retirement, perhaps because  there is no longer a daily walk to and from work, but I'm unsurprised if I get put out of action and limp around for a week or three every, oh I don't know, say every couple of years. It's a right pain in the ... well calf actually.

[jourdain2]

O_G .... is there a small dog you can walk?  Seriously.  Mr J2's heart surgeon said that that would bethe best thing he could prescribe.  That was in 2000. OH will be 91 on April 7th and  walks Tyke about 2 miles night and morning. Steady exercise.

[barry1010]

No dog but I walk/jog/run at least 26 miles a week 

[Old_Geezer]

Thanks for the suggestion but I'm in different places often enough that anything regular isn't practical. In any case, although I do nowhere near enough exercise these days, if not walking to and from a workplace has meant I get the issue less often than I did then I'm more inclined to remain an armchair potato ☺.