What to Do for a Sprained Calf Muscle?
A sprained calf muscle is a painful injury that can severely inhibit a person's ability to walk and participate in sporting events. Recovery from a sprained calf muscle can take time, effort and patience. Following some simple guidelines can help a person recover quickly.-
RICE
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Follow the R.I.C.E. method, which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Rest the calf as soon as the sprain is detected. Symptoms of a strained calf include stiffness in the muscle, pain and tenderness to the touch and well as pain when putting pressure on the foot. Lie down and allow yourself plenty of rest to prevent further injury. Ice the injury regularly throughout the day with a cold pack wrapped in a towel. Compress the calf with a compression bandage. These can be bought at a pharmacy. Elevate the leg slightly higher than the heart to prevent swelling and alleviate pain.
Stretching
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After letting the calf rest for 24 to 48 hours, begin stretching the muscles to prevent stiffness. Stretch the calf muscle by standing near a wall and placing your hands onto the wall. Keep the good leg under the shoulder with the knee slightly bent and bring the injured leg behind the body with the toe touching the floor. Push your hands into the wall and put light pressure on the back foot attempting to bring the heel toward the floor. Do this stretch slowly. If you feel any pain, ease off the stretch until it is comfortable. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds and work your way up to 30 seconds.
Strengthening
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Once your calf has begun to heal and the pain has begun to subside, do calf strengthening exercises to prevent future injury. Do calf raises to strengthen the muscles. Stand on a set of steps with your toes on the edge and your heels hanging off. Bend the good leg at the knee so that you are standing on the injured leg only. Hold on to a railing for support. Slowly lower the heel of the injured leg down until you feel a stretch in the calf. Bring your body weight up onto the toe using the calf and repeat this action 10 times, working your way up to 20.
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