Third Party materials included herein protected under copyright law. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. A muscle strain is an injury to a muscle or a tendon the fibrous tissue that connects muscles to bones. Ultrasound often can help distinguish among several different types of soft tissue injuries. 2nd ed. Mayo Clinic on Incontinence - Mayo Clinic Press, NEW The Essential Diabetes Book - Mayo Clinic Press, NEW Ending the Opioid Crisis - Mayo Clinic Press, FREE Mayo Clinic Diet Assessment - Mayo Clinic Press, Mayo Clinic Health Letter - FREE book - Mayo Clinic Press, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education. The symptoms of a pulled calf muscle vary depending on the severity of the injury. Theyre one of the most common injuries people experience. Acute muscle strains and pulls happen suddenly when you load a muscle beyond its capacity. Try one of these 12 great options. Walking on recovering calf muscles can also increase recovery time. There are four exercises that are especially good at preventing groin muscle pulls: Thisadductorstretch is done while standing, as follows: The butterfly stretch is done in a sitting position, as follows: The cross-leg stretch is also done while sitting, as follows: A groin pull is an injury to an inner thigh muscle. Gastrocnemius strains (near the middle of the calf) are more common than soleus strains (the lower calf, closer to the heel). Early symptoms of deep vein thrombosis include swelling and tightness in the leg. Find out about psoriatic arthritis. A torn calf muscle may require surgery. Sudden pain in the back of your lower leg. Most commonly, gluteus muscle injuries heal with time and no further treatment. Muscle strains and tears are generally graded from less severe (Grade 1) to more severe (Grade 3). Muscle Tweaks generally hurt and ache. If this happened to you, you would completely lose muscle function. Healthgrades Can Help. Accessed 5/29/2021. You may think you pulled a muscle during a physical activity, but if you experience these other symptoms at the same time, make an appointment to see a doctor: Bruising Swelling Signs of infection, like itchiness and red, raised skin. A more serious pull or tear will show swelling almost immediately. Mild muscle strain can cause pain that feels similar to post-workout soreness. Jonathan Cluett, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with subspecialty training in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery. Muscles located in the Back of the thigh are the Hamstring muscles. Another study of soccer players identified gastrocnemius strains as making up 12% of all muscle injuries. A pulled calf muscle refers to strains within the two muscles in the lower back of your leg that make up your calf. Signs and Symptoms . Pulled Hamstring: A Pain Real Pain in the Leg! 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). Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 01/28/2022. They're more common after surgery and among people on bed rest or those who sit for long periods without stretching. Similar stretches after a round of golf are advised to loosen up any muscles that might have tightened during play. DOSAGE. A calf strain can cause pain and prevent you from running, jumping and doing other activities. Read our. Should the gluteal injury be due to a direct blow or fall, resulting in a contusion, treatment aims to decrease the inflammation in the area. Begin wrapping at the end farthest from your heart. Sprains and strains. Allow your opposite leg to extend behind you.. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Available for Android and iOS devices. Some groin pulls can be severe and cause a muscle to completely rupture. On the other hand, you might have to wear a brand-new pair a few times before they feel comfortable. A low-grade hamstring pull will allow you to walk normally, but with some discomfort. Causes of muscle strains include: Your healthcare provider will diagnose a muscle strain with a physical exam. Here are 14 foods and supplements to help you recover from an injury more. Muscle fatigue or weakness from overuse or underuse. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. Coming to a Cleveland Clinic location?Hillcrest Cancer Center check-in changesCole Eye entrance closingVisitation, mask requirements and COVID-19 information, Notice of Intelligent Business Solutions data eventLearn more. But a full recovery may take up to six weeks, according to Oxford University Hospitals. Paralysis generally . Serious muscle strains or tears may require surgery to repair the muscle. You can still walk with a mild strain, but it may be uncomfortable. Grade II strains may take two to three months. The muscles at the front of thigh are the most powerful in the body, but they are still vulnerable to pulls and strains. Previously, he worked as a newspaper reporter and editor, covering issues ranging from the environment and government to family matters and education. You can even have a pulled muscle in the chest. Appointments 216.444.2606 Feel the stretch along your inner thigh. A sudden sharp pain in the lower leg. Stretch your knees down toward the ground. Your experience can vary and may involve: 1 . Learn about symptoms and treatment. The groin muscles, called the adductor muscle group, are made up of six muscles that run from the inner pelvis to the inner part of thefemur (thigh bone). No need for water and no stomach discomfort. The chief symptom of a strained or torn hip flexor is pain in the area at the front of your hip where it meets your thigh. Follow an exercise program aimed at stretching and strengthening your leg muscles. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Along with pain, the most common symptoms of a pulled muscle are: A pulled muscle can be serious in some cases, possibly involving a torn muscle or tendon. Biceps. A severely pulled calf muscle can result in partial or complete tears. Research shows that up to 10% of people with symptoms of calf pulls actually have DVT, which can be a life-threatening condition. Anyone can get a pulled calf muscle. If your primary care provider cannot pinpoint the cause, ask for a referral to a sports medicine specialist or an orthopedist who specializes in diseases and disorders of the skeleton and muscles. New bungee cords and healthy muscle fibers have plenty of give and stretch. Symptoms include: leg pain or discomfort that may feel like a pulled muscle, tightness, cramping or soreness. Numbness. However, if the diagnosis is in doubt, X-rays or a magnetic resonance imaging scan may be necessary. A hip strain occurs when one of the muscles supporting the hip joint is stretched beyond its limit or torn. The groin muscles are called the adductor muscles. General principles of orthopedic injuries. Severe strains sometimes require surgical repair. Simple stretches--not any that tax your flexibility too much, though--will help prepare your muscles for a few hours of exercise. Quick pivots, jumps or abrupt stops can cause strains. After a knee injury, it is common for the damaged area to be stiff and to experience a decrease in your range of motion. You can strain muscles anywhere in your body. Sprains, strains and other soft-tissue injuries. Make sure to tell them what you were doing when you first noticed your symptoms. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. Sensations like tingling, cramps, and numbness may also occur. This damage can be acute or chronic and these two scenarios have different causes. The best way to prevent these problems is to seek prompt medical care for muscle pain, soreness or weakness. While you shouldnt resume normal activities until your calf muscle heals, there are some stretches that can complement rest and other treatment measures. Leg feels weak when you try to lift or do squats. Check out the list of soleus muscle pain causes below to see what we mean . These are usually short term. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Safran MR, et al. There are many reasons for mild to severe pain behind the knee. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission Heres our process. The equivalent injury to a ligament is a sprain. These muscles pull the legs togetherand move your hip in other ways. A muscle strain, or pulled muscle, occurs when your muscle is overstretched or torn. Athletic dogs get strains, but this injury also can happen when a. Symptoms that always occur with repetitive strain injury of the quadriceps: thigh pain from overuse Symptoms that never occur with repetitive strain injury of the quadriceps: upper leg injury, severe upper leg pain Urgency: Self-treatment Repetitive strain injury of the hamstring A torn calf muscle may require surgery. Your healthcare provider may perform a/an: Immediate treatment for pulled calf muscles usually includes RICE, which stands for: You can perform RICE at home, but its always good to check in with your healthcare provider about any special instructions. Unless theyre very severe, you can treat a muscle strain at home with rest, icing and over-the-counter medicine. Chronic muscle strains and pulls develop gradually over time. Need a Telehealth Visit? When a strain occurs, muscle fibers are torn to some degree. A third degree side strain is a complete tear of the muscle or a tear of the muscle from the tendon. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. A pulled muscle is a type of soft tissue injury called a strain. Make sure to follow your doctors recommendations and let yourself rest to prevent any further injury. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. rest, ice, compression, and; elevation. In the leg, muscle strains happen when a muscle is either stretched beyond its limits or forced into extreme contraction. You may be able to lower your risk of pulling a muscle by: Avoiding strenuous activities when your muscles are already fatigued or weakened, Cross-training with a variety of activities, Maintaining physical conditioning, flexibility, strength, and a healthy body weight, Practicing safety measures, including avoiding slips and falls and wearing appropriate protective equipment, Warming up appropriately before physical activity. Hamstrings are long muscles that extend down the back of the thigh. Sit with your feet together and knees bent. A knot-like feeling. Safran MR, et al. Theres no difference between a strained muscled and a pulled muscle. Alessandrino F, et al. If you have a Grade II strain, you may need to be evaluated by a specialist, such as an orthopedist. Compression is especially important to try to minimize swelling and bleeding into the muscle. Flexing or extending the damaged leg could prove difficult, resulting in mobility difficulties. This content does not have an English version. 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. Its rare to need prescription medication like muscle relaxers for a muscle strain. When you overuse a muscle, the strands of muscle fiber are stretched beyond their limit and tear apart. Once youve pulled a muscle, you have an increased risk of hurting it again in the future. Pulled calf muscles may be chronic from long-term injury or acute from brief overpulling. Most calf strains heal with rest, ice, compression and elevation. Hyland's quick-dissolving tablets melt in your mouth instantly to relieve symptoms of pain and cramps in legs and calves, pain in limbs and joints, and cramps in your feet. Sedaghati P, Alizadeh MH, Shirzad E, Ardjmand A. Ask your healthcare provider when you can gradually start to do light activities again. These tears have to be repaired with surgery. The amount of pain and other symptoms will depend on the severity of the strain. 3 Are there any activities I should avoid while Im recovering? Pain/ache in the calf, usually mid calf. Restlessness and trouble getting comfortable. Its a common injury with athletes that do a lot of stop-and-go movements, but it can also affect older, active individuals. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Sometimes called pulled muscles, strains commonly occur in the lower back and in the muscles at the back of the thigh (hamstrings). Hernias usually dont get better on their own, and youll probably need surgery to repair one. Recovery times can vary based on the severity of the injury and your physical condtion before the injury. Warm up before you participate in high-risk sports. Also called calf muscle strains, this injury can involve mild overstretching or complete tearing of the muscle. Your dog might whimper in pain when you touch the tender area; this is a sign that something is wrong. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/, National Athletic Trainers' Association A pulled calf muscle occurs when you overstretch the muscles in the back of your lower leg. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. Your doctor may suggest that you immobilize the area with a brace or splint. Bite marks in the area of soreness. Muscle spasms in the thigh or groin areathe muscle suddenly tightens. Radiology Case Reports. Make a donation. Strains are classified with three grades to indicate how severe they are. The symptoms of a pulled muscle range from mild to severe, depending on the extent of the injury. A pulled calf muscle happens when you overstretch the muscles in the back of your lower leg. Strains injure tendons that link muscles and bones. In rare cases, calf muscle tears require surgery. Often an athlete will feel a sudden grabbing or tearing sensation in the muscle, and will then be unable to continue their activities. If youve ever tried to use an old bungee cord to hold something in place youve seen this happen. You may feel the blood clot pain is constant, and if you have any of these serious DVT symptoms, you must call a doctor immediately. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Stretching not only helps with recovery of your affected muscles, but it can also help your knee and ankle joints remain stabilized and mobile. You may need imaging exams to determine if there are any partial or complete tears in your calf muscles. Pulled Calf Muscle: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment - Knee Pain Explained Home Diagnosis Diagnosis Guide Diagnosis Chart Knee Symptoms Front Knee Pain Lateral Knee Pain Medial Knee Pain Pain Behind Knee Kneecap Pain Calf Pain Burning Knee Hyperextended Knee Knee Locking Leg Cramps Knee Pain Bending Pain Kneeling Pain At Night Pain On Stairs Its common to have a pulled neck muscle, pulled back muscle, or pulled calf muscle. Talk to your healthcare provider before resuming any intense physical activities. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. INGREDIENTS. If you have a physically demanding occupation, regular conditioning can help prevent injuries. A hip flexor strain occurs when one or more of the hip flexor muscles becomes stretched or torn. Your provider might recommend you use over-the-counter NSAIDs like aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin and Advil) or naproxen (Aleve). 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Also occur your doctor may suggest that you immobilize the area with a brace or splint among several types.