For a quick recovery?
It's in my calf. And it bloody hurts when I play football. Not playing football is an option, of course (but a depressing one).
Please help!
I think I'm correct in so far as this is what i do.... And sure someone will be along to correct me if not!
Ice pack on affected area for the first 24hrs or so, for 20mins every half hour or so. Then warm packs for approx 20mins at a time.
I just paid out £35/h for 3 sessions of Physio on a torn Gastrocnemius. Amazing difference. Combined with stretching and ice (1/2h daily) has essentially cured it.
[i]Ice pack on affected area for the first 24hrs or so[/i]
In it's 3rd week.
What did the physio do TW? Maybe I should visit the doc and get a referral...
If you're in the third week it's something 'proper', i.e. requiring treatment, rather than just a 'pull' which'll heal itself with rest and stretching.
You don't need a referral for physio if you're prepared to pay. You will if you have health cover and if you're after NHS treatment you'll be waiting ages I'd imagine...
I was going to say that in its third week, it sounds like something more than a pull as well.
I paid for private Physio on advice of GP. Was seen next day. Physio seemed to inflict 1 hour of extreme pain whilst talking calmly. My palms were sweating...
Seriously though, focussed massage and ultrasound, plus stretching. She somehow got her fingers right in and around the tear, and I could feel the swelling like a massive lump in my calf. Once she highlighted it, it was kind of obvious. I have been doing calf stretches at every opportunity - my colleagues at work think I'm (more) weird.
I 'pulled something' in my thumb in mid December.
I had my 2nd bike ride since then this lunchtime and it's still not 'right'.
Biggest thing I can recommend is resting it. In my case switching my mouse to the other hand seemed to make the buggest difference.
Continuing to use it as before is just going to delay the healing process, imo.
(I am not medically qualified)
[i]I was going to say that in its third week, it sounds like something more than a pull as well[/i]
It could be, but I haven't been resting it 😳
Will book up the docs tomorrow (do have healthcare cover).
+1 for Physio. Had hamstring pain before the London to Brighton Off Road last year, and within 3 sessions she'd fixed me. Thought I was going to have to pull out. Money well spent.
In it's 3rd week
Depending on the severity of the strain it is either getting better (only you know the answer to this) or it's healed up 'wrong'. Like bones, muscle fibres break under strain and then knit back together. How they knit back together depends on how much they were broken and what you do to help them mend.
If you feel it's getting better then fair enough it sounds like a mild strain on an important muscle and three weeks is not unreasonable - if it really is improving.
If it's not improving then you will need some help to reduce the muscle scar tissue/get it working properly and this is where an osteopath or physio comes in. Have a word with your lbs see if they can recommend one. Most are registered to a professional organisation which helps with the healthcare.
Good luck
Good advice. Thanks chaps.
Use PNF..... always a winner...
Physio is about £30-40 per session,. You'll be seen straight away, and likely have 2-3 sessions...
GP [i]could [/i]refer, but you'd wait an age and most likely be disappointed...
I know it's a pain to pay for 'healthcare', but you'd pay for new cycling shoes or a pair of tyres (at a similar price), if that helps....!
DrP
Did exactly the same to my calf recently - think it was a lack of warming up before running.
Tried to continue using it gently for a few weeks (playing football, short runs etc) and it didn't improve. Frustrating!!
A business trip forced me to have a couple of weeks off, and now it seems to be all healed again.
I would lay off running/football and just cycle for a few weeks.
heal itself with rest and stretching.
Dont stretch it, wont do any good and may exacerbate it. Stretching is overrated and sometimes counter productive.
Also time on its own wont necessarily cure it.
I'm no expert but a good physio may recommend ultrasound and if its minor muscle damage frictional massage. A foam roller may also be useful.
The waiting thing depends on local demand I would imagine.
The good lady got a referral in 4 working days recently.
The quality of service relates to the skill of the physio, not to their employer.
If it's still painful then do ice it - 10 minutes every 2 hours - certainly no longer than that or icing will start to have the opposite effect. Dont bother with heat.
Then start a wee programme of gently stretching and strengthening your calf muscles - then after a bit add in some balance work.. If you have access to it some good quality deep tissue massage will help - probably better given by a physio than a massage therapist though.
DrP - the physios must be pretty cheap in your part of the world. It's £50 for a follow up and £70 for an initial assessment here.
I had physio paid for by a driver's insurance company, but I asked them how much a session would be if I was paying for it myself and it was either £30 or £40, certainly not £70.
The private physios in Edinburgh that I know, who are any good, charge that amount. My wife being one of them.
[i]DrP - the physios must be pretty cheap in your part of the world[/i]
Free for me - GP refers me, company healthcare insurance pays. Never had to wait long.
So that is what I will do tomorrow.
Gonna ice it now while watching Sons of Anarchy. 🙂
DrP - the physios must be pretty cheap in your part of the world. It's £50 for a follow up and £70 for an initial assessment here.
😯 Maybe I'm in the wrong profession 😉
If you can afford it, go to a good private physio.
I've had fairly useless physio from the NHS in the past -they just don't have the time, and blokes with sporting injuries aren't a priority.
mulv1976 - we already know you're in the wrong profession. Although saying that, a number of your profession like to keep patients/clients/mugs coming back for repeated mumbo jumbo treatments, so make their money that way.
mulv1976 - we already know you're in the wrong profession. Although saying that, a number of your profession like to keep patients/clients/mugs coming back for repeated mumbo jumbo treatments, so make their money that way.
And I see many disillusioned/disappointed physio 'patients' (private and nhs) who have had their time and money wasted by poor diagnosis and treatment. Theres good and bad in both professions so let's not go there (again) eh?
mulv1976 - Member
And I see many disillusioned/disappointed physio 'patients' (private and nhs) who have had their time and money wasted by poor diagnosis and treatment. Theres good and bad in both professions so let's not go there (again) eh?
Are we talking crystal healing or good, honest homoeopathy?