Torn Calf Muscle – forced to lie down with a book …. woe is me

Today life seems to be saying “There are ways and means to slow you down”.  As Cliff was taking Fjord to school I ran to the car with his school lunch as they were pulling out of the driveway.  As I ran I heard a pop and it felt like a tennis ball had hit me in the calf.  I turned around to see what had hit me, nothing to be seen.  I then realised that I had managed to do myself some damage.  I think that this post will have regular updates as it will be an interesting few days or weeks and others who find this post after the same experience my benefit from the information regarding whatever happens next.

After a quick google I found some treatment info, I put an ice pack on, elevated my leg, took ibuprofen, rubbed voltaren gel on my calf, and bandaged my calf for compression.  The pain was unbelievable and I have pins and needles in my foot on and off.  My daughter Domi has sourced some crutches from a work colleague and will be bringing them to me.  The pain has eased a little now,  I cannot walk, but I can hop, however hopping is tiring. I may just have to lie down and read a book, I’ve picked According to Queeny by Beryl Bainbridge, there are worse things in life than a bit of a lie down with a book.

If anyone reading this has experienced a torn calf muscle, please tell me what happened and how you treated it.  For now I am not going to the doc, I don’t think that more can be done over and above what I am doing and having recently moved to a hospital plan on our new medical aid, it seems silly not to wait a few days.  Of course I will be sensible nurse myself as best possible.  Fortunately my in-laws are staying here at present so I have help with the children etc.

Day 2 – My daughter has just moved into her first home and I had promised to go curtain shopping with her.  I went to several shops with her then walked around the Oriental Plaza on crutches.  Although I sat down at every shop I could feel that I had done my calf no favours.  When I got home the calf was sore and swollen and I was exhausted.

Day 3 – I am still on crutches and cannot walk without them.  The swelling is still present and my foot is swollen.  I rested most of the day and still used ice and elevation but I did have to spend some time standing in the morning cleaning the kitchen and later Cliff took me to do grocery shopping as the cupboards were very bare.  I have not seen a doctor and am not sure when I can try to exercise the muscle.  I would like to know if I should be trying to push through the pain and walk but can’t bring myself to try, 1 experimental step was agony.  I have never used crutches before and didn’t know how uncomfortable they would be, my arms feel bruised where my arm rubs against the arm holes, my hands feel bruised from pushing down on the crutches and the ball of the foot on my injured leg feels bruised as I have been resting on it when I use the crutches.

Day 4 – Today I have not had the supporting bandgage on my leg and the swelling is almost gone.  I can still only walk with crutches but can feel a dramatic improvement.  I can stand with both feet flat and the injured leg almost straight.  In the late afternoon, I managed to drive a very short distance.

Day 5-7 – There was not much change, I downscaled to 1 crutch and could limp short distances without but trying to take a normal walking step would result in a tugging pain in my calf.

Day 8 – I started the day limping with 1 crutch but during the morning, left the crutch and managed slow walking.  The muscle does ache and ‘pull’ a bit but it is great to be able to walk.

Week 2 – I walked without the crutch all week, a few times a day the muscle ‘pulled’ and hurt, a sort of sharp pain.  Cliff massages it for me every night which I think has helped.

Week 3 – I no longer get the spasms, occassionally my calf aches a bit but not much.  It is still tender when Cliff massages it.  I don’t think I could do a sprint but don’t have much cause for sprinting.