The gastrocnemius muscle provides movement of the foot in the sagittal plane and stabilizes the body during movement. Sharp pain in the calf muscle can occur for many reasons. Doctors at the Yusupov Hospital, when examining a patient, find out the cause of pain using modern examination methods.
Once the diagnosis is made, treatment is prescribed. Therapy is aimed at eliminating the cause of severe pain in the calf muscle, the mechanism of development of the pathological process and eliminating the pain syndrome. Rehabilitation specialists prescribe modern physiotherapeutic procedures, massage, and acupuncture. The senior instructor-methodologist draws up a special physical therapy program and conducts individual and group classes. Their goal is to relieve muscle spasm, increase the tone of the calf muscle and eliminate pain.
Aching calves: causes of discomfort
Sharp pain in the calf muscle at night or during the day can occur for the following reasons:
- damage to the calf muscles after excessive exercise;
- pathologies of blood vessels of the lower extremities (varicose veins, obliterating arterial diseases);
- sedentary or standing work, when oxygen starvation occurs due to venous stagnation, toxins accumulate in the leg muscles.
Severe pain in the calf muscle when walking develops in patients suffering from obliterating atherosclerosis or endarteritis. Pain in the calf muscle at the back is a sign of acute venous thrombosis. Pain may occur in the calf of the left leg due to injury. Heel pain radiates to the calf muscle due to inflammation of the Achilles tendon. Pain in the calf muscles can be a symptom of ankylosing spondylitis.
Spinal diseases provoke pain in the calf muscles. When the structure and function of the intervertebral discs are disrupted, radiating pain occurs that radiates to the legs. Peripheral nerve diseases can also cause pain in the calf muscles. With neuralgia, the pain is paroxysmal in nature and occurs along the nerve fibers. During the intervals between attacks, the patient does not feel pain.
The most severe pain occurs with inflammation of the calf muscles - myositis. The patient is bothered by aching pain in the calves, which intensifies with movement. Often, dense nodules or cords can be felt in the calf. A peculiar form of the disease is parasitic myositis, which occurs when affected by muscle pain in the legs, fever, pain in the muscles of the limbs, tongue, face, chest. Acute, prolonged pain in the calf muscles occurs due to inflammation of the bone marrow - osteomyelitis.
Why does the lower leg hurt with varicose veins?
With varicose veins, blood stagnation develops in the vessels. Blood stops circulating through the vessels like in a healthy person. Stagnation leads to overstretching of the walls of venous vessels and edema. These consequences of venous stagnation are the cause of pain. Elevated position of the legs or the use of elastic compression products (compression hosiery, elastic bandages) lead to a decrease or complete disappearance of venous stasis and lead to the disappearance of pain.
Also, pain in the lower leg due to varicose veins decreases when walking or exercising on an exercise bike (riding a bicycle), which is also associated with stimulation of blood circulation in the veins and a decrease in stagnation. They intensify under static loads - prolonged standing or sitting, as well as when lifting heavy objects. If you notice signs of venous stagnation, you should consult a specialist in the field of vascular surgery, including phlebology.
How to relieve pain in calf muscles
In order to relieve pain in the calf muscle after an injury, it is necessary to provide rest to the lower limb, place an ice pack on the back of the shin, apply an elastic bandage and elevate the leg. 72 hours after the injury to the calf muscle, a heating pad should be applied to the lower leg.
As soon as the swelling subsides, you need to rub the skin over the calf muscle with a pain-relieving balm (Bengay, Finalgon) and wrap it with an elastic bandage. If there is severe pain in the calf muscle, you should take a tablet of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug – ibuprofen, ketanov – orally. If the pain does not go away after 7 days, you should consult a doctor.
If you have pain in the calf due to an injury, you need to reduce the load on the heel. Heel pads can reduce stress on the tendons and calf muscles. You can make them yourself. To do this, just cut out pieces of cork 6 cm thick and put them in your shoes. It is necessary to avoid activities that involve additional stress on the calf muscles. No need to walk to the upper floors or ride a bicycle. Wearing comfortable shoes reduces pain in the calf muscle. Traumatologists recommend wearing sneakers and avoiding stiletto heels during illness.
If the cause of pain in the calf muscles is varicose veins of the lower extremities, it is useful to use compression stockings. Arch supports, which are installed in shoes under the instep of the foot, help correct imbalances that affect gait and cause pain in the calf muscles.
If acute pain suddenly appears in the calf muscles, you must stop, lie down on a bench, place a cushion under your feet, and call an ambulance. In this case, the patient needs to consult a phlebologist and provide emergency care. Sharp pain in the calves, reminiscent of a whiplash, goes away after resting for a few minutes. If it appears again, you should contact an angiosurgeon.
Diagnostics
Considering that most cases of heaviness in the legs are associated with venous circulation disorders, an examination by a phlebologist is necessary. Often, a preliminary diagnosis is made during an objective examination, when varicose veins, edema, hyperpigmentation, and other typical manifestations are detected. To clarify the diagnosis and identify other etiological factors causing heaviness in the limbs, the following is carried out:
- Doppler ultrasound of veins
Duplex scanning of vessels is used to study the anatomical structure of the venous bed, assess the tone and function of the valves. Chronic venous insufficiency is manifested by slow blood flow, pathological blood reflux, and phlebothrombosis. - Rheovasography of the lower extremities.
A modern diagnostic method that shows even minor changes in hemodynamics and microcirculation. Based on the results of the study, the doctor gives an opinion on the condition of the peripheral veins during stress tests and at rest. Sometimes venography is prescribed for additional examination of blood vessels. - Lymphangiography.
Visualization of lymphatic vessels using a contrast agent is required to determine their patency and the functioning of the valve apparatus. The difference in diameter in different parts of the vessels and uneven contrast indicate pathology. For dynamic assessment of lymph circulation, lymphoscintigraphy is indicated. - X-ray of the foot.
If flat feet are suspected, an orthopedic traumatologist joins the diagnostic search. Based on X-ray images, the doctor measures the height of the arches and pathological angles between bone structures, establishes the type and severity of the disease. The diagnosis is clarified using plantography. - Additional research
. To diagnose osteochondrosis, which causes heaviness in the legs, an x-ray or computed tomography scan of the spine is performed. To confirm cardiac diseases, ECG, echocardiography, and chest X-ray are recommended. Survey and excretory urography are informative for excluding renal causes of edema.
Phlebologist consultation
Exercises to Prevent Leg Pain
Stretching and strengthening your calf muscles will help prevent future pain. Before classes, you need to warm up your feet. It is better to do the exercises immediately after a hot shower.
Stand facing the wall, touch it with your palms. Place the toe of one foot towards the heel of the other. Leaning on the floor with the heel of your “back” leg and slightly raising your toes, bend the knee of your “front” limb. Lean against the wall, resting your palms on it. Stay in this position for 30 seconds.
Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you, toes pointing up. If you can reach your toes, grab them with your hands and pull them towards you, stretching the calf muscles. If you can’t reach your toes, you can hook your toes with a towel and pull on the ends for 30 seconds.
While sitting on a chair, raise and lower your heels. You can rise on tiptoes, or lower yourself, leaning on the back of a chair or table. Repeat each exercise 20 times, eventually increasing the number of repetitions to 40. If during the exercise you experience pain in the calf muscle, you should stop doing it.
Strengthening your lower leg helps relieve pain in the calf muscle. Place 1 kilogram of rice in a stocking and place it on your toes while sitting on a chair with your knees bent. Without lifting your heels off the floor, lean forward and pull your toes toward your shins. This exercise strengthens the finger extensor muscles, which reduces the load on the calf muscle.
Taping
The gastrocnemius muscle is located on the back of the lower leg and consists of two heads that are parallel to each other. They smoothly transition into the Achilles tendon, which is very often injured. Given this structural structure, rehabilitation specialists at the Yusupov Hospital use only Y-tapes or lymph tape for taping the calf muscle. Y-tapes are more effective for sprained or torn ligaments. Lymph tape is used to accelerate the resorption of swelling and hematomas after bruises.
Tape is applied for pain in the calf muscle caused by contusion of muscle fibers, sprain of the calf muscle, tears of ligaments and muscle fibers. If the calf is torn or sprained, you can apply the tape to the calf muscle from bottom to top. In case of a bruise, lymph tape is applied from top to bottom. Before gluing the tape, the hair is shaved off and the surface of the shin is thoroughly wiped with alcohol.
The patient's position should help stretch the muscles of the lower leg - the foot should be in the direction towards itself. This can be done while lying on your stomach with your leg bent and your foot pointing towards you, or standing with your leg back and your heel on the floor.
The doctor selects the optimal tape length. It should correspond to the anatomical length of the calf muscle, taking into account the percentage of elongation of the middle part of the elastic band. The tape is placed from the plantar surface of the heel to the knee joint. The first and last 2-3 cm are glued without tension. When the calf is stretched, a tension of 20-30% is applied, and when there is a bruise, the tape is applied without any tension at all.
The rays of the tape should be located according to the location of the muscle fibers in the calf muscle - along the lower leg. If there are signs of injury to the Achilles tendon at the site of attachment to the calf muscle, apply a short tape perpendicular to the axis of the lower leg.
How to treat pain in the calf of the left or right leg
If you feel pain in your calf muscles, contact the Yusupov Hospital. Doctors will prescribe anti-edematous and anti-inflammatory treatment. After a comprehensive examination using x-rays, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, blood and urine tests, a collegial decision will be made on treatment for the syndrome that causes pain in the calf muscles.
Severe cases of diseases that cause pain in the lower leg muscles are discussed by professors and doctors of the highest category at the Yusupov Hospital at a meeting of the expert council. Leading neurologists, rheumatologists, orthopedists, and rehabilitation specialists establish an accurate diagnosis and jointly develop tactics for further patient management. A comprehensive treatment is carried out aimed at eliminating the cause of pain, the mechanisms of development of the pathological process and relieving the pain syndrome. Therapy is carried out with effective drugs that have a minimal range of side effects.
After treatment, patients are offered a comprehensive rehabilitation program. It allows you to get all the necessary procedures at a stable price and save money. If you experience pain in the calf muscle, call the Yusupov Hospital, where the call center is open every day 24 hours a day, without days off or lunch breaks. Doctors provide emergency medical care around the clock.
Treatment methods for leg inflammation
Inflammatory processes are treated in several stages. If the disease has progressed to a purulent stage, surgical removal of the pus and treatment of the wound are necessary. Further, and in milder stages, anti-inflammatory drug therapy is prescribed - a course of antibiotics in the form of tablets or injections, depending on the origin and severity of the infection. It is very important to choose the right drugs; for this, bacterial culture is done. The patient is prescribed to drink plenty of fluids to quickly remove toxins from the body.
At the recovery stage, physiotherapy is prescribed, aimed at regenerating the circulatory system and lymph flow. This can be successfully dealt with by a course of shock wave therapy, which promotes rapid restoration of soft tissues. You can take it at our Medcenter-Plus clinic.