A calf muscle in the lower leg can be strained during strenuous sports or working out in cold weather, or by a fall or blow to the leg. When the muscle fibers in the calf are stretched and torn, leg pain and weakness result.
Treatments for most...
The backs of our lower legs are made up of two muscles that comprise the calf: the two heads of the gastrocnemeius and the soleus. A calf muscle strain is a pull or partial tear of the small fibers of any of these muscles. There are three grades...
If you feel a sudden pain at the back of your lower leg, in your calf muscle, you may have strained it. The damage inflicted by a strain varies, but the most severe cases usually signify a complete tear or rupture of muscle fibers. If this occurs,...
Running, jumping and other sports-related movements can cause a calf strain in athletes, while less trained individuals can suffer calf strains from simple movements such as walking. Calf strains are a common injury that occurs when the force...
About 86 million Americans cycle, including 40 percent of adults, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. Cycling provides medical and social benefits, such as improved cardiovascular health, weight control and a stronger family bond....
Your soleus muscle, also referred to as the calf muscle, is located in the back of your lower leg. According to Aurora Health Care, a strained calf muscle occurs when there is a partial tear in the muscle fibers. Tight calf muscles, fatigue and...
A torn calf occurs when you stretch the muscle -- usually forcibly -- beyond its normal limits, causing a tear in the tissue. A Grade 1 injury involves just a few fibers and may not be painful until after your workout. Grade 2 is more serious and...
The calf, or lower leg, consists of two major muscles: the gastrocnemius, which is the large muscle on the back of the calf and the soleus, which is the smaller muscle that runs closer to the side of the calf. Calf muscle tears or strains are...
Calf strains are a common injury in sports and exercise. A calf sprain occurs when the calf muscle is forcibly extended or stretches beyond its natural limit and tears. Muscle strains are graded with each severity requiring a different level of...
According to the Sports Injury Clinic website, the calf muscles consist of the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The gastrocnemius is a bulky, powerful muscle situated on the posterior aspect of the lower leg. The soleus muscle, which is smaller than...
Your calf muscle is located on the back of your lower leg. Calf muscles can become strained or pulled due to excessive physical activity, overuse or a direct blow to the leg. Stretching before exercise often helps to prevent sore calf muscles. The...
Sore calf muscles are quite common among athletes and runners, according to HealthAndNutritionTips.net. In fact, even the most careful runners occasionally experience sore calf muscles when they stretch the calf muscle beyond its normal limit....
Injuries or abnormalities of the bones, muscles and blood vessels of the lower leg can provoke local pain. With severe pain, walking and daily activities may become difficult. The events leading up to the onset of lower leg pain, the presence of a...
Calf pain is a common and disconcerting symptom, making even simple tasks uncomfortable. Injuries, muscle problems and blood vessel disorders commonly present with calf pain. Accurate diagnosis of the cause of calf pain helps guide appropriate...
A pulled or strained calf muscle occurs when the calf muscle is stretched beyond its limit, causing partial tears of the small fibers in the muscle. Calf strains are common in sports such as running, soccer or football, as these sports require the...
Calf pain, or pain on the back side of the lower leg, can be mild, moderate or severe. According to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, calf pain can be caused by repetitive overuse of the calf muscles, calf trauma or certain medical...
Your calf muscles consist of the gastrocnemius, a large muscle in the back of your lower leg, and the soleus, a smaller muscle found under your gastrocnemius and lower in your calf. These muscles can become strained or torn from overuse or a...
Calf pain has many causes. According to MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, leg pain can be caused by numerous factors, including vascular or blood vessel disorders, traumatic...
Many conditions or injuries can cause pain in just one leg. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, leg pain can be caused by blood vessel disorders, nerve problems, ligament sprains, muscle strains and joint pain. In some cases,...
A calf strain or pull can sideline you from running, but there are several ways to help recover faster. In order to heal the injury properly, as well as to help prevent future injury, rest and stretching are key.
The calf muscles are located along the back of the lower leg. They are made of tiny fibers that, like a rubber band, are made to expand and contract. However, if too much pressure is put on the calf muscle it can become injured, or pulled. Heat is...
Calf injuries are frequently the result of a muscle strain. Calf muscle strains occur when there is a partial tear in the small fibers of the calf muscles. According to Aurora Health Care, strains can occur into two calf muscles: the gastrocnemius...
Your calf consists of two muscles: the gastronemius and the soleus. These muscles allow for movement of your foot and ankle. Tight calf muscles are a common complaint. They occur as a result of living a sedentary lifestyle or because of strenuous...
Calf raises strengthen your calf muscles, which are the soleus, gastrocnemius and plantaris. Over-exerting your calf muscles along with poor flexibility can result in calf tightness or stiffness and injury. Treatment consists of rest, ice and...
The calf muscles are the lean muscles at the back of the leg between the knee and the Achilles tendon. Walking, running, improper weight distribution and other lower-body activity can cause injuries or soreness in the calf muscles. If you sustain...
Running is a challenging sport, and the body requires adequate rest between runs to recover and adapt. Pain in the calf muscles during and after running may indicate any number of injuries, many of which are related to over-training. Calf muscle...
Torn calf muscles, or calf muscle strains, are a common injury of the lower extremity, especially in athletes who perform ballistic maneuvers. According to the Sports Injury Clinic website, calf muscle strains typically involve tearing of the...
A strained or pulled calf muscle means that you have torn muscle fibers in the calf muscle. It can occur as the result of an injury or blow to the area, from overuse or moving quickly and placing too much force on the muscle. Sports that require a...
Sports injuries to the calf muscle can cause immediate pain and weakness, often taking players out of the game. The most common injuries include muscle bruises and strains. The sports that most commonly cause calf injuries include those that need...
Healing and treating a calf strain can take time and patience. Learn how to treat sports injuries in this video on health and rehab.
Also known as pulled calf. Learn about the cause of calf muscle strain and how it differs from a torn Achilles tendon.
A Calf strain is a tearing or stretching of the calf muscle. Learn more about calf strains including treatments and symptoms in this medical video.
Achilles or calf muscle strains occur in the back of the leg or back of the ankle. Learn about the causes, symptoms and treatments for Achilles or calf muscle strains in this health video.
Overextending a calf stretch can lead to a possible injury. Get tips on proper calf stretches from a former professional athlete in this free video.