Calf Pain

Calf pain is a type of muscular pain that comes from a variety of causes. In this article, we'll list and describe the most common, along with providing quick information on how to differentiate one type of calf pain from another. 

The calf, of course, is the area of the leg below the knee, generally behind the bones. There are there major muscles in the area: the medial and lateral gastrocnemius muscles, and the soleus muscle. There's also a smaller muscle in the calf known as the plantaris muscle.

The most common and frequent causes of calf pain involve these muscles, but there are a number of other causes too. 

Calf Muscle Strain The calf muscle is a very touch muscle, and pain from calf muscles strains are often related to sports injuries or physical activity like vigorous exercise. Therefore, you usually know what happened to cause the pain. A calf muscle strain is characterized by pain, swelling, and bruising.

Plantaris Muscle Rupture This is a small thin muscle in the back of the leg that can cause a sudden, snapping pain when it ruptures. Curiously, some people (between 10 and 20 percent) don't even have a plantaris muscle.

Achilles Tendonitis/Rupture Some people would not even consider an Achilles heal injury to be calf pain because the Achilles is below the soft muscle that's considered to be "the calf." But the Achilles tendon is connected to the calf muscle, so we've included it here.

The Achilles tendon can rupture, causing pain in the back of the heel. Walking becomes difficult and uncomfortable. This type of pain, once again, is usually the result of sports activity or exercise.

Baker's Cyst A Baker's cyst is not actually a cyst, but rather a collection of fluid that accumulates behind the knee. This fluid can build up and cause pain in the back of the knee. It can also rupture, spilling the fluid into the calf region.

Symptoms include a bulge and a feeling of tightness behind your knee. Pain from a Baker's cyst increases when you fully extend your knee or when you're active. A Baker's cyst is usually caused by a problem with your knee joint, such as arthritis or a cartilage tear.

Blood Clots Blood clots can form is the deep veins of the leg, including the calf muscle. Clots can block circulation, causing swelling and pain in the calf. Blood clots typically occur in the days and weeks after injuries and surgery.

Cramps A muscle cramp occurs when a muscle involuntarily and forcibly contracts and doesn't relax. The muscle becomes hard and painful. Such cramps sometimes occur in the calf muscle.

Cramps often last a short period and can be relieved by stretching or applying heat.

Many times, these cramps happen during the night, for no known reason. They also sometimes involve not just the calf muscles, but muscles in the feet and thighs as well.

When to seek treatment for calf pain

It's important to determine the exact cause of your calf pain because the cause determines the treatment. You should seek medical attention for a diagnosis if

• the calf pain makes it difficult to walk,
• you notice swelling in the calf or ankle joint
• the calf muscle looks or feels misshapen or deformed in any way,
• pain occurs while you're resting
• pain lasts more than a few days
• You should also be sensitive to any signs of an infection, like a fever.

 
You can usually relieve most calf pain by

• resting
• applying heat or ice (discuss which treatment is appropriate with your doctor),
• taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, prescribed by your doctor.

Stretching the muscles and tendons may help, but do so gently, carefully, and once again, talk to your doctor about the best exercises for your situation.