Calf Strains
Calf strains suck.
What Are The Best Ways To Treat A Calf Strain
To treat any acute soft tissue injury, there are 3 main components to the short term treatment. The goal of this acute phase of rehab is to get back to normal function as quick as possible
When you get injured, the effected joint does not get much weaker. Any weakness or inability to perform an activity is a result of the muscle being inhibited via pain and inflammation. Almost all sprains/strains follow this principle; if something is fully ruptured that’s a different conversation.
Isometrics
Restore ROM
Isotonic strength
Isometrics for Gastroc (main calf muscle)
Acute injuries love isometrics
Isometrics allow the tendon/muscle to be overloaded in a safe position
3 sets of 30 seconds
2x a day, separated by at least 6 hours
If body weight is easy, add weight
Isometrics for Soleus (smaller calf muscle)
Follow the exact same protocol as above. The only difference here is you want to hold the position near the bottom of the squat as shown in the video above.
The Soleus is more inclined to function when the knee is bent.
Calf Stretch
This is NOT a static stretch. This is going to be moving the muscle through as much pain free ROM as there is. What this does is get the body used to the movement again. Essentially by moving through the motion over and over, you tell the body that it’s ok to be in this position and then tolerance improves.
Perform this single leg if possible
Lower the heel off the step until you feel pain
Hold this position for 1 second
Release and go back to start position
Perform this again and find that painful range again
As you perform more and more reps, that painful sticking point will get higher and higher and full ROM is established
Perform 50 reps per session, twice a day
Repeat for as long as needed to restore full ROM
Loaded Calf Raises
Do not progress to this phase until you have full ROM. Strengthening a muscle in a limited motion will result in causing more dysfunction and increasing injury risk.
Complete 3 sets of 12 reps
Increase reps before weight
Calf raises can be loaded with anything
If you don’t have weights, hold literally anything with weight
A calf strain is treated very simply. You need to activate the muscle as much as possible early on with isometrics, restore tolerance/capacity for full ROM and then start to restore isotonic strength
The only caveat here is going to be the grade of injury. The more trauma and dysfunction, the longer it will take to restore function.