Calf Pain !!

Why does my Calf hurt?

One of the most common questions that we hear day to day basis, in this blog we will try to simplify the causes of calf pain and things that u can do to improve the pain.

Calf pain generally starts with mild discomfort and increases at night and if neglected leads to so severe pain that we find it difficult to walk even a few steps or sleep at night !!

These are the common causes of it:-

1. Muscle Cramp:

Generally seen in People who exercise a lot or in persons who walk a lot. 

This is generally temporary and gets cured on its own !!

The main causes of Muscle cramp are:

• Not warming up/stretching your muscles before exercise.
• Excessive sweating resulting in flush out of Minerals from body
• Dehydration.
• Weak Muscles

Treatment:

• Drink Plenty of Water !!
• Stretch your Hamstrings and gastrocnemius and the soleus ( the Calf muscles) before exercise
• Warm up before exercise        

2. Dehydration:

Yes, its one of the main causes of Calf muscle pain. Dehydration or less water intake reduces blood volume and hence your calf muscles get less blood so less food and nutrition to the muscles and as a result it Pains !!

Treatment:

• Drink Plenty of Water !!
• ORS helps too.

3. Muscle Strain:

Sometimes, a few muscle fibers tear causing pain in the calf. They may be caused by any heavy injury or sometimes due to sudden stretch or stress to the muscle and may go unnoticed.

Treatment:

•   Resting the muscle and ice application.
•  If Pain persists visit a doctor for assessing the amount of injury. 

4. Neurogenic claudication:

This is something serious!! The nerves that communicate from the spinal cord to the lower limbs (legs) are affected. Smoking is one of the main causes of it. It can occur due to Spinal stenosis and various other causes. The symptoms mainly are

• Pain in calf on walking,
• Pain generally decreases on rest or leaning forward.
• May be associated with back pain.

Treatment :- It's serious Visit a doctor !!

5.Vascular Claudication:

Here, The blood vessels(arteries) that bring blood to the legs get narrowed due to various causes (Smoking again is the Number one cause) and due to less blood (i.e. less nutrition) to the muscles it pains. The symptoms are almost similar to Neurogenic claudication.

Here generally you don't have a backache.

Treatment:- It's serious Visit a doctor !!

6. Diabetes:

Diabetes again may result in calf pain by damaging the nerves. 

Treatment:-Control your blood sugar.

7. Planter Fascitis: 

Here mainly people experience pain in foot due to inflammation of planter fascia under the foot. Sometimes Some patients along with foot pain complain with pain in the calf due to tightness of the calf muscles.

 Treatment: 

• Use soft-soled shoes or chappals inside and outside your house.
• Planter fascia stretching exercises
• If not relived, visit a doctor. 

8. Deep Vein Thrombosis:

Another serious condition that requires urgent medical attention or may result in Death even!!

Here blood clots inside your veins supply the calf muscles, therefore blocking the blood supply to muscles partially or completely.

Generally occurs in people with a history of prolonged rest or having hypertension or suffering from blood clotting disorders.

The calf is painful as well as sometimes turns red and is warm if touched.

Treatment:- It's serious Visit a doctor !!

9. Varicose Vein:-

Here some veins in the calf muscles are prominent as the valves which prevent the backflow of blood are defective as result veins become tortuous and prominent.

The Main Causes are:

• Age
• Pregnancy
• Lack of Physical activity
• Congenital defective valve
• Obesity
• Others

Treatment:- Depends on the cause of the varicosity

 Sometimes few simple exercises and lifestyle modifications decrease the symptoms whereas long-standing or chronic cases may require surgery.

10. Compartment Syndrome:

This is again a very serious condition and requires medical consultation.

This usually develops after trauma where fluid builds up within the tissue and as a result presses the nerve and blood vessels over the calf causing damage to it.

Sometimes may occur due strenuous and prolonged exercise.

Treatment:- It's serious Visit a doctor !!

Stretching Exercises:

This is one of the most helpful ways to reduce calf pain.

Always warm up before going for intense exercise.

Take a Towel and Pull your foot as shown, Count 10 and Relax. Repeat for 10 times.

Do it Two to Three times a day.

When to Consult a Doctor?

• If there is redness over the Calf.
• There is Fever along with calf Pain.
• Long-standing > 2 weeks) calf pain.
• There is Swelling over the calf.
• There is history of injury.