Gastrocnemius helps us to bring our body forward while we walk or run. Gastrocnemius works in conjunction with soleus and helps our body to maintain balance while we stand or indulge in other leg movements such walking, running or jumping. If any of these muscles get strained, one's mobility gets adversely affected. Running, sprinting and various activities can put strain on the muscles of the lower leg, this is why sports persons are extremely susceptible to tightness and pain in calf muscles. Though one might be able to recover quickly from a mild calf muscle strain, an injury that causes the calf muscles to rupture will give rise to distressing symptoms. In this article, we will look into the common causes of lower calf pain.
Causes of Lower Calf Pain
Now that you have some idea about the function of these muscles, let's find out what causes calf pain.
Pulled Calf Muscle: A pulled calf muscle is most likely to cause lower calf pain when walking. Those who indulge in sports that involve substantial leg movement in the form of running, sprinting and jumping are definitely at a great risk of suffering from a strained calf muscle. It is also important to perform warm up exercises before indulging in sports or any strenuous activity. Warming up helps the body prepare itself for the increased muscle activity, and those who don't follow a warm up routine are likely to suffer from pain.
Wearing Ill-fitting Footwear: Many a time, muscles in the lower leg might get strained due to wearing shoes that don't fit perfectly. This is the reason why women who wear high-heeled shoes are likely to suffer from calf muscle pain. If you go for jogging everyday, make sure that you buy running shoes that are properly cushioned and also facilitate shock absorption. If your shoes are not well-equipped with cushioning and don't provide proper support to the ankle, the stress on muscles, ligaments or tendons might increase and give rise to calf pain.
Achilles Tendonitis: Since the calf muscles attach to the heel bone through the Achilles tendon, the pain around ankles and calf muscles, could arise due to inflammation of this tendon. Overzealous running could stretch the muscles beyond normal limits and cause sore calf muscles. Overuse of leg muscles, running on uneven surfaces or wearing improper shoes could cause an inflammation of the tendon. People suffering from flat feet are also more susceptible to Achilles tendonitis.
Blood Circulation: Various parts of the body need oxygenated blood to be able to perform their functions. If the supply of blood is cut off, then serious problems can arise. At times, formation of blood clots in the deep veins in the lower leg can block the supply of blood. This condition is medically referred to as deep vein thrombosis. Calf pain, tenderness and swelling in the affected leg are some of the common symptoms that might arise due to this condition. Other peripheral vascular diseases such as venous or arterial insufficiency could also affect the blood circulation and cause pain in lower calf muscles.
Nutritional Deficiency: Lower calf pain could be caused due to the deficiency of essential vitamins and minerals. Tight calf muscles or cramps in the lower legs might be caused due to the deficiency of nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium and phosphorus. An inadequate intake of water might also be responsible for pain in the calf muscles.
Treatment of Lower Calf Pain
Now that you are aware of the common causes of lower calf pain, let's move on to the treatment options. An injury might cause development of tears in the calf muscles, and lead to calf muscle strain. So, if you have been experiencing lower calf pain after running or on walking, consult a doctor immediately. An X-ray examination will help the doctors determine the extent of damage to the structures present in the lower leg. Since overuse of muscles is the most common cause of upper as well as lower calf pain, it's best to take rest till you recover. RICE approach is often the best for treating muscle strains. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. Application of ice and use of compression bandage can help in alleviating the pain. Keeping the legs elevated will also help in reducing the swelling. Doctors might also prescribe painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs. If the pain is too severe, steroid injections might be prescribed. Going for massage or physiotherap y sessions will also prove beneficial in the treatment of calf muscle pain.
Overuse of calf muscles is the most common cause of lower calf pain. At times, pain in lower calf muscles might arise from use of an improper running technique, use of ill-fitting footwear or over-stretching of muscles without warming up. So, make sure that you don't indulge in anything that stretches the muscles beyond their limits. Prepare your muscles with warm up sessions and also give your body proper rest to recuperate from the effects of increased muscle activity as well.
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