Your calf muscle, located at the back bottom of your leg, can become pulled or strained easily. This muscle is susceptible to being overstretched and overworked. Participating in activities that require quick starting and stopping movements or repetitive pounding such as running, jumping, basketball, soccer and others put you at higher risk. Working out too hard without a proper warm-up and cool-down can also make this muscle prone to injury.
Pain
The main symptom of a pulled calf muscle is pain in and around the calf muscle or lower leg. The pain may be worse when pushing off to walk or run. Pointing your foot and pushing your toes against resistance also causes discomfort. The pain may be mild at first, and you may still be able to use the calf muscle for a few days. In other cases, the pain is sharp and immediate.
Visual Symptoms
After pulling your calf muscle, you may notice discoloration or bruising around the area. This is often caused by broken blood vessels. You may also notice swelling and inflammation. With a severe pull, you may notice part of the muscle in a ball at one end.
Other Symptoms
You may hear a popping sound when the muscle is injured. Your calf muscle may become weak, stiff and be hard to move. This may occur right away or it may take few days to develop, depending on the severity of the injury. If your injury is left untreated, the symptoms will progressively worsen.
