Do you often get calf muscle pain? It’s a sign that your legs are overused. If you simply overlook the issue, it may affect your weight distribution and the pressure you put on other parts of your body as you move around. As a result, your legs, foot, and knee joints may not function as they should. This may lead to constant pain or major injury that could stop you from doing your favorite activities.
But, this is not the end of the world! There are many ways to relieve your calf muscle pain before it gets worse. Let’s dive into it!
What is calf muscle pain?
Calf muscle pain is a feeling of discomfort that’s conveyed by your body tissues, from below the knee to above the ankle on the back of your legs. It may affect your entire calf and body or only a localized area. You may feel dull, achy, piercing, or tingling sensations. It can last only for a short time or be constant depending on how you deal with it.
What causes sore calf muscle?
Sore calf muscles are usually the result of overuse, but there are more causes behind it. Let’s take a closer look at them.
- Muscle Cramp
Muscle cramp, also known as charley horse, usually occurs due to a sudden muscle contract. It sometimes strikes during your sleep without any notice. But it most likely is triggered by overuse, dehydration, or some minerals shortage. Muscle cramps usually go away quietly by themselves but you should be concerned if this happens too often.
- Muscle Strain
Calf muscles are made up of the gastrocnemius and the soleus muscle that meet at the Achilles tendon, which is attached to the heel bone. Overstretching or tearing either of these two muscles can cause calf muscle strain. This usually happens when you have recently started a new exercise or performed repetitive exercises. You may feel a sharp, sudden pain at the back of your legs, find your calves stiff, or even find bruising on your calf after a few days.
- Other Causes
- Achilles tendinitis – Due to injury, trauma, or overuse of a joint.
- Sciatica – Caused by a herniated disk compressing nearby nerve roots.
- Diabetic Neuropathy – Containing high blood sugar levels can harm your nerves in your feet, legs, and other parts of your body.
- Plantar Fasciitis – The pain that’s reflected by the plantar fascia tissue.
Do you see it? Calf muscle pain can result from a wide range of causes. They not only reflect your emotion but also cause physical inconvenience.
For example, if you get serious calf pain due to an injury, you’ll need to stop playing your favourite sports. So, it’s important to relieve your pain as early as possible.
Now that you know the causes of calf muscle pains, let’s move to the solutions.
Solution #1 – Stay Hydrated
Don’t leave your body dehydrated! It seems that people can always make excuses to avoid drinking water. And yes, you won’t feel any difference immediately, but negative effects gradually occur.
You may get dull skin, feel weak, and it could even cause death if you cut water for more than 5 days. Making sure your body is always hydrated can reduce the risk of getting muscle cramps or any other worse scenarios.
Solution #2 – Warm-up and stretches
As said before, any sudden or irregular moves can cause calf muscle pain. So it’s important to warm up your body before engaging in any intensive exercises. This can prevent you from muscle strain injuries.
For example, if you haven’t worked out for a while, don’t attempt a 80kg squat without any stretches. This can lead to a series of back and calf injuries including calf strain.
Sometimes you may find your calf muscles tight, regular scratches can ease the pain.
- Downward-Facing Dog – Stand straight. Using your hands to reach the floor and press the floor away from you as you lift through your pelvis. Align your ears with your upper arms, and hold for 5-100 breaths.
- Calf stretch with a resistance band – Sit on the floor with your legs extended. Loop a yoga strap around one foot and hold both sides of straps. Slightly pull your toes toward your shin till the maximum.
- Up-and-Down exercise – Stand on a step with your heel off the step. Slowly drop your heels down as you carry weight through the leg, hold for 20seconds, and repeat.
Solution #3 – R.I.C.E
R.I.C.E stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. It is the first of all treatments you should consider when facing muscle issues.
- Rest the area that’s experiencing the pain.
- Ice the area for 20 minutes with an ice pack, and repeat it every two hours.
- Compress the area with a bandage, but don’t tie it too hard.
- Elevate the area can further help reduce swelling.
This is the best treatment within the first 48 hours after you notice the pain. If you follow the above on time, the pain will go away and will not escalate to any further issues.
Solution #4 – Over-the-counter(OTC) Medication
Calf pain is similar to other pains that can be easily numbed and relieved with common pain relievers such as Naproxen and Ibuprofen. But, don’t rely too much on the medication, you should see a doctor if you have constant pains.
Solution #5 – Massage Therapy
Massages are well known for their pain-relieving effects. It improves your blood and body circulation and delivers you muscle-needed nutrients to prevent any muscle issues. The more often you experience massages, the fewer chances you’ll get muscle issues. This is why many people rely on physical therapy.
Instead of visiting a massage store, using an electric massager at home can also give you the same effect. What’s more? An electric massager is easier to access and operate, and you can use it at any time and anywhere.
Get rid of calf muscle pain now!
Hopefully the above has helped you understand the nature of calf muscle pain and discover a variety of solutions to it. Although medications can help you relieve pain immediately, you should take some steps to prevent yourself from suffering calf muscle pain. Using an electric massager at home gives you the greatest convenience while preventing calf muscle pain.
Are you looking for an electric massager? Check out our website for a range of electronic massagers including massagers that specifically target your legs and feet. If you are also interested in learning more about your health and wellbeing, visit OSIM’s Wellness Hub.