re: Just shredded my calf

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Second sprint pushing off and there was a very audible pop and my calf went dead.

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I would be concerned about an audible pop and would think it would have to be a pretty tight tendon or muscle for it to make noise. Every calf injury I have had has been sudden, but never audible so take the comments about the Achilles seriously. But like was mentioned, it will probably take an MRI to confirm that one, but if it is you aren’t going to want to let it go.


On Ice and NSAID

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It’s out dated, but for so long thought to be correct. Almost as if it’s tradition.

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people utilize ice for too long and do not begin the healing process quick enough. Not a PT or trainer or doctor, but I have had my share lower leg issues and the recipe is always the same. When an injury first occurs, NSAID and Ice is good to help with the initial inflammation and should be done for a day or so. But then you need to begin getting blood flow to the area to help the healing process. The sooner you can begin the better, but it may be a few days. Warm up a little and then stretch 15-20 min a day and a foam roller will do wonders over a few weeks. Also wouldn’t start running at the same pace and length you were at, start very slowly and build it back up. It took me a good 4-6 weeks for my last calf injury.

A few years back I was playing BBall with my son and went to move sideways and thought someone threw a baseball and hit me in the calf (what it sounded like) and I toook a step and hit the ground.
Ended up pulling/partially tearing 2 calf muscles bad. Dr said it was one of the worst he'd seen, but no surgery needed.
Someone mentioned a compression sleeve, get one and wear it.
Also Ice and elevation. As soon as the swelling went down I slowly started stretching it out every day for 10-15 minutes. (All of this was what the Dr told me to do)

It took a few months to heal and I still stretch it every day. If either of my calves tighten up at all, I stop now. That was miserable.
Good Luck, but definitely get a Dr to check it out just to make sure no surgery is needed.

I had the EXACT same symptoms you're describing, except my injury happened while demonstrating a drill coaching youth basketball. I felt it pop and I'd describe the feeling as similar to being shocked or like an intense and sudden muscle twitch followed by an inability to walk without intense pain. When I tried to walk, my calf would immediately spasm.

It was extremely painful for the first couple days. I have a friend of a friend that's an Ortho and was able to get in to see him on day 2 post injury. I feared it was a torn achilles, but he ruled that out quickly and confirmed it was a calf muscle tear. Not a complete tear, but a partial. He just said take it easy for a few days and follow the standard RICE protocol. I was walking fine after about a week.

That was a few months ago, but I still think about it every time I do calf raises.