Spasms. You use crutches or an assistive device to move around. Compress the muscle with an elastic bandage. Sit with your feet together and knees bent. Its rare to need prescription medication like muscle relaxers for a muscle strain. Because muscle strains come from physical activities, its important they know what led to yours. This eventually causes wear and tear on the muscle leading to a strain. Harwin JR, Richardson ML. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. A low-grade hamstring pull will allow you to walk normally, but with some discomfort. . They may even have you do mild stretches while they look at your calf muscle to see if its pulled. Severe or rapidly worsening pain. Self-management advice Thigh problems Thigh problems can cause a range of symptoms including: pain swelling bruising In many cases, new pain or a flare-up of long-standing thigh problems should begin to settle within 6 weeks without the need to see a healthcare professional. A pulled calf muscle is diagnosed with a symptom check. Pulled Hamstring: A Pain Real Pain in the Leg! Pain and swelling behind the knee can also cause stiffness in your knee joint, inflammation, and possibly, a lump at the back of your knee. Your favorite pair of jeans have plenty of flexibility to them because youve stretched them out over years. A muscle strain is a stretch or tear of muscle fibers. What are the signs and symptoms of muscle strain? Symptoms include: Limping, sudden lameness, or stiffness Whining or being more vocal Refusing to eat Trouble standing up or sitting down Swelling around the affected muscle Theyre one of the most common injuries, especially among athletes. Tingling. Strains injure tendons that link muscles and bones. In general, almost all Grade I strains heal within a few weeks. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/sprains-strains-and-other-soft-tissue-injuries. A strain of the thigh/hip is a stretching or tearing of a muscle and is commonly referred to as a "pulled muscle.". If there is severe pain from a grade 3 injury, a prescription opioid drug like fentanyl or Oxycontin (oxycodone) may be used for a short period to help minimize pain. You need general anesthesia for this procedure and may need to stay in the hospital for a few days. Calf. The chances are greater among athletes who continue to play the same sports and people using the same muscles over and over again. Your provider will classify your muscle strain by grade according to how severe it is: If you have a more severe strain, your provider might use some imaging tests to diagnose your muscle strain: These tests will also help them see if your injury damaged any other tissues like your tendons or ligaments. The calf muscles are in your lower leg behind your shin bone and extend from the base of your thigh down to your heel. Accessed April 27, 2018. Get useful, helpful and relevant health + wellness information. The hip flexors are a group of muscles toward the front of the hip.They help you move, or flex, your leg and knee up towards your body. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content does not have an Arabic version. People use the terms interchangeably. Other symptoms you may have Swelling or tenderness at the front of your hip. Recovery times can be extensive, lasting up to 12 weeks or more. As pain gradually subsides, your doctor may recommend a rehabilitation program to restore the normal range of motion in your leg and to gradually strengthen the injured muscle. This damage can be acute or chronic and these two scenarios have different causes. A pulled calf muscle occurs when you overstretch the muscles in the back of your lower leg. DIAGNOSIS William C. Lloyd III, MD, FACS. It is intended for informational purposes only. Muscle spasms in the thigh or groin areathe muscle suddenly tightens. For some injuries, such as a torn tendon, surgery may be considered. the affected area feeling warm to the touch. Leg, calf and thigh pain are symptoms of conditions that may involve the muscles, nerves, and more. Even if the lump isn't painful, if it continues to grow, or if it's located deep within an extremity . Medically Reviewed By William C. Lloyd III, MD, FACS. To help prevent muscle strains in your legs, you can: If you have a Grade I or Grade II strain, your doctor will probably recommend that you follow the RICE rule: In addition, you can take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and other brand names) or naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn and others), to ease pain and relieve swelling. Along with pain, the most common symptoms of a pulled muscle are: Bruising Limited range of motion Muscle cramping or spasms Muscle weakness Swelling Symptoms that might indicate a more serious condition A pulled muscle can be serious in some cases, possibly involving a torn muscle or tendon. If youre feeling pain for a few weeks after your injury or have severe symptoms, see your healthcare provider. Theyre common in athletes and people who are especially active. Headaches. National Institutes of Healthhttps://www.niams.nih.gov/, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Mild to moderate muscle pulls typically heal without complications. See your provider right away if you cant move a part of your body you usually can. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. Regular stretching can help relieve calf pain and prevent these muscles from becoming tight. You may need imaging exams to determine if there are any partial or complete tears in your calf muscles. Symptoms of a muscle strain include: Pain. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have any of the following serious symptoms: Hearing a pop sound at the time of the injury, Inability to use the muscle (complete loss of muscle function). Chest. 7,752,060 and 8,719,052. All Rights Reserved. A hamstring injury is a strain or tear to the tendons or large muscles at the back of the thigh. In: Instructions for Sports Medicine Patients. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. But you can have a strained muscle in other areas, including the groin, thigh, feet, ankles, arms and hands. 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44195 |, Important Updates + Notice of Vendor Data Event. Radiology Case Reports. Most of the time, these strains involve small tears to the muscles and can usually be treated with rest, gentle stretching, and over-the-counter pain medications. Chronic strains tend to have vague symptoms that are easy to overlook at first. You know you should stay off it for a while. Lumps and bumps along the surface of your shin bone, where new bone growth has occurred. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. ouh.nhs.uk/patient-guide/leaflets/files/10921Pcalfstrain.pdf, nbt.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/attachments/How%20to%20treat%20your%20injured%20calf_NBT002257.pdf, frankgilroyphysiotherapy.co.uk/docs/058_290__apatientguidetocalfinjuryrehabilitation_1385564738.pdf, Pulled Quad: How to Treat It and Bounce Back Quickly, How to Massage a Sprained Ankle Correctly, 8 Best Wrist Braces: For Carpal Tunnel, Wrist Pain & More, Dominique Fontaine, BSN, RN, HNB-BC, HWNC-BC, inability to stand up on the ball of your foot, warming up for at least five minutes before exercise, including deep stretches, cooling down for five minutes after you work out, stretching your muscles again for five minutes after youve cooled down. Chronic muscle strains can result from repetitive injuries when you stress a muscle by doing the same motion over and over. This places excessive strain on the adductor muscles. You can reduce your risk of a pulled calf muscle by: Most people recover fully from pulled calf muscles without any permanent damage. Your muscles are made of thousands of small fibers woven together. Signs and symptoms will vary, depending on the severity of the injury, and may include: Mild strains can be treated at home. Symptoms of a Grade III strain may last until the torn muscle is repaired surgically. Recovery involves an extended period of rest followed by physical therapy to help strengthen the muscles and ensure stability. This occurs when your calf muscle protrudes underneath your skin, creating a visible bump. You may want to write a list that includes: Your doctor may ask some of the following questions: Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. The hamstring and quadriceps muscle groups are particularly at risk for muscle strains because they cross both the hip and knee joints. Refusal to put any weight on one or more limbs. Medical Reviewer: Pain in the back of the thigh and lower buttock when walking . Quadriceps muscles on the front of the thigh. Redness. Copyright 2023 Healthgrades Marketplace, LLC, Patent US Nos. Difficulty positioning for grooming, which may cause matting in fur. People might also experience visible bruising if surrounding blood vessels are damaged. Muscular Calf Injuries in Runners. You should see a healthcare provider as soon as possible if you experience signs of a severe groin strain, including: This video has been medically reviewed by Oluseun Olufade, MD. Other risk factors for pulled calf muscles include: One study estimated that calf strains make up about 1.3% of all lower limb injuries in runners. Swelling. Other signs of a pulled calf muscle include: mild swelling redness bruising inability to stand up on the ball of your foot A severe pull in your calf muscles can leave you with feelings of. Your experience can vary and may involve: 1 . Anyone can get a pulled calf muscle. Calf muscle strains usually occur when someone suddenly moves or overstretches their calf after standing still. When to seek help Urgent advice: When done correctly, stretches should cause a gentle pulling sensation but never pain. The key symptoms of a muscle strain are: sudden pain that worsens while contracting the muscle, swelling and bruising, loss of strength and range of motion. Sometimes the injury is called tennis leg.. Muscle Strains generally hurt and ache too. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Some of the more common ones are: To help simplify diagnosis and treatment, doctors often classify muscle strains into three different grades, depending on the severity of muscle fiber damage. Use this list to select a high quality, effective wrist brace that matches your needs. But golfers can pull a hamstring, too. swelling in the affected leg. Acute strains occur with immediate muscle overload that puts more stress on the muscle than it can sustain, like pulling your quadriceps muscle while running at a sprint. Symptoms of a pulled calf muscle can depend on the severity of the injury. Third Party materials included herein protected under copyright law. In: Instructions for Sports Medicine Patients. Its common to have a pulled neck muscle, pulled back muscle, or pulled calf muscle. You can help prevent muscle strains and pulled calf muscles by: You can also prevent pulled calf muscles by avoiding strenuous activities youre not ready for. Also called calf muscle strains, this injury can involve mild overstretching or complete tearing of the muscle. Check with your provider before resuming any intense activity. However, if the diagnosis is in doubt, X-rays or a magnetic resonance imaging scan may be necessary. Here are 14 foods and supplements to help you recover from an injury more. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. Symptoms and Causes What are muscle strain symptoms? After surgery, you may wear a cast in plantarflexion for three weeks, and then a gentle dorsiflexion stretch cast for another three weeks. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Quadriceps strain. Pain/ache in the calf, usually mid calf. He teaches as an Assistant Professor of Orthopedics at Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. A hip flexor strain occurs when one or more of the hip flexor muscles becomes stretched or torn. 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