Pain in the calves may indicate normal overload, as a signal that it is time to rest. But sometimes the occurrence of pain is a symptom of a disease. This part of the body bears the brunt of walking, playing sports, and any physical activity. We will look at what causes your calves to hurt in this article.

What causes pain in the calf muscles: diseases and injuries

In a healthy person, pain in the calves can appear in two cases:

• The man walked or ran for a long time and lifted something heavy. In a word from overloads. Dear ladies suffer from such a disease when long time are in high heels. Painful sensations can persist from six hours to a day or more. It depends on the degree of overload. Sometimes it is enough to rest a little and the pain subsides.
• Muscle strain. This is a “disease” of athletes who train daily and increase their load. This condition is common. However, you will have to postpone training for a while to bring the muscles in your calves back to normal.

Next, we will consider pain in the calves associated with pathological changes in the body.

Varicose veins. A serious illness associated with blood stagnation in the veins. The disease can be recognized at the initial stage, when the ankles begin to swell. The veins swell. The patient feels a dull pain and heaviness in the legs. Blood pressure rises.

Venous insufficiency, in turn, may cause thrombophlebitis and phlebothrombosis:

• Thrombophlebitis occurs as an inflammatory process of the veins of the lower leg, accompanied by severe swelling of the lower extremities. The skin of the legs becomes red with a hint of blue.
• Phlebothrombosis characterized by the formation of blood clots in the veins, which causes redness of the skin of the legs against the background high temperature. In the areas of the affected veins, the legs become hot.

In both cases, the patient feels severe pain in the calf muscles in the form of “hammer blows.”

Curvature of the spine, herniated discs, osteochondrosis and other spinal diseases affect the formation of pain in the calves. The spine is the basis of the skeleton heavy load takes over. In case of dysfunction spinal column, the load passes to the lower limbs, which causes inflammatory processes in the calf muscles, accompanied by pain.

Neurological diseases. Disorders in this area can create imbalances throughout the body, particularly in the legs. Damage to the nerve fibers causes sharp pain in the calf muscles, numbness and heat in the lower limb. The pain syndrome goes away as suddenly as it begins.

Poor circulation causing in the calves. Such indicators are typical for people who spend a long time at work in a sitting position. The lower limbs become numb, oxygen starvation begins - they accumulate in the calves. toxic substances. All this leads to severe pain when walking, and in night time to convulsions. Night cramps- a common phenomenon. At this time of day, the limbs relax - the calf muscles begin to cramp.

Convulsions may also occur for other reasons:

• dysfunction of the thyroid gland;
• dehydration of the body;
• low immunity;
• climate change;
• lack of vitamins;
• during late pregnancy;
• uncomfortable shoes.

Cramps in the leg muscles (video)

In a short video, Dr. Sperling M.M. will tell you about the causes of cramps in the legs. How to get rid of the disease yourself. How to treat disorders in the calf muscles.

Arterial atherosclerosis. The walls of blood vessels thicken and narrow at the same time. Blood has difficulty making its way through the veins. Pain in the calves is pulsating in nature. The patient's feet are cold at any time of the year.

Damage to the calf muscles, indicating the presence of serious diseases:

Intense pain intensifies when walking and while palpating sore spots. The main symptom indicating the presence of a worm is the patient’s face – it takes on a “frog” hue. Hives appear on the skin.

Pain in the calf muscles in children

Pain in the child’s calf muscles is mainly associated with the characteristics of his growth. From the first days of life until puberty, intensive growth occurs. Metabolism occurs at breakneck speed.

Development vascular system V childhood has its own characteristics and direct connection with the muscles of the lower extremities. Any imbalance in the child’s body sends pain signals to the legs.

If we talk about a healthy baby, due to his inherent restlessness, leg injuries are possible, which parents do not immediately notice. The most traumatic places are the foot and lower leg.

At school age, children try to prove to each other which of them is stronger. On sports activities children overload themselves with physical exercise. The calf muscles become overstrained, causing pain.

There are a number of diseases that influence the occurrence of muscle pain in childhood:

• Cases are becoming increasingly common diabetes mellitus in children. The endocrine system begins to malfunction, the kidneys do not work properly, and metabolism is disrupted. A sick child may fall from weakness when walking, injuring the feet and lower legs. In diabetes, the calf muscles become weak and sore from standing for long periods of time.
• Small stress in children it can cause lameness due to pain in the calves. Emotional children suffer most often. Practice shows that as soon as the child calms down, lameness disappears.
• Intramuscular pain in the calves can be caused by congenital and acquired diseases, such as: flat feet, scoliosis, poor posture. There is a violation of the center of gravity. As a result, a large load falls on one of the legs, which causes muscle pain.
• Lack of vitamins and microelements, in particular, phosphorus and calcium cause unpleasant pain in the calf muscle. Athletic children are more often affected. Muscles and joints become weak from a lack of substances or improper absorption. With physical activity and walking, the pain in the calves intensifies.
• Sharp lumbago in the area of ​​the child’s calf muscle may indicate prolapse of the kidneys or varicose veins. In this case, urgent medical attention is needed.
• Infectious diseases– influenza, ARVI, tonsillitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis and others are accompanied by pain in the calf muscles. The pain is shooting in nature.
• Shooting in the calf area in the morning may be a symptom of the onset leukemia.
• Congenital and acquired cardiovascular diseases interfere with the child's blood circulation. The walls of the blood vessels narrow, causing blood stagnation, which causes pain in the leg muscles. A complication may be varicose veins veins
• Neurocirculatory dystonia of hypotonic type in childhood it causes pain in the calves at night. The child sleeps poorly, suffers from a lack of oxygen and heart failure.
• Sprained muscles and ligaments are common among teenagers. Due to their mobility, children often suffer minor injuries and bruises. Moreover, the pain syndrome does not arise immediately. Pain in the calves occurs spontaneously when the legs are relaxed.

If the child's lameness is without visible reasons does not go away for more than two days, be sure to consult a specialist.

What to do for pain in the calf muscles (first aid)

Pain in the calf muscle can take you by surprise. Most often these are convulsions. You can relieve pain by placing your feet on a cold floor and vigorously rubbing your calves.

Second in an efficient way is the tingling of the calves with a needle. This effect helps restore blood circulation, and the pain goes away. The acupuncture method is practiced by pregnant women. Expectant mothers intentionally place a pin under their pillow at night to administer first aid to themselves.

Injuries, severe sprains and bruises also occur spontaneously. If you feel sharp pain, you should not try to “hobble” home on your own. Sit in a comfortable position and call an ambulance, which will take you to the emergency room.

If you have suffered a serious leg injury at home and feel severe pain, you can take a painkiller, lie down with your leg on a hill, and wait for the doctors to arrive.

If the calf muscles constantly make themselves felt, and you see no reason for this condition, be sure to consult a specialist.

If your child has pain in the calves, you need to take him to a doctor, to whom you can tell about your recent observations: how the baby sleeps, eats, what he complains about, at what time the pain appears. A specialist will examine little patient, and will order an examination, based on the results of which he will make a diagnosis.

Diagnosis and treatment

In case of injuries, sprains and bruises, you must immediately contact a traumatologist, who will perform a visual examination and refer you to an X-ray of the lower extremities to determine the severity of the injury.

If the cause of pain in the calf muscles is unknown, you will have to contact several doctors: an infectious disease specialist, a neurologist, a cardiologist, a rheumatologist, a phlebologist, an angiosurgeon.

An examination is prescribed, as a rule, you will have to pass general tests and go through some procedures:

• X-ray examination legs and spine in several projections.
• Ultrasound examination, which will allow you to record changes in muscles and joints.
• Electroneuromyography. Such an examination is prescribed by a neurologist to establish an accurate diagnosis if the pain is associated with disorders of the nervous system.

Due to the variety of conditions associated with calf pain, diagnosis can be complicated. You may be asked to go to a hospital to undergo a comprehensive examination and take additional tests.

Treatment for muscle pain in the calves will depend on the cause of the condition and the severity of the disease that caused the muscle pain. Medicines are prescribed: antibiotics, vasodilators, anti-stress, painkillers, antipyretics, warming and other drugs.

If the pain is associated with problems of the spine and joints, prescribe physical therapy, physiotherapeutic procedures, massage, acupuncture, manual therapy.

• Watch your posture.
• Switch to proper nutrition.
• Play sports.
• Don't overload yourself with training.
• Distribute the weights you carry evenly on both sides.
• Women should wear high heels as little as possible.
• Get rid of extra pounds.
• Try to maintain a balance between work and rest.

People often experience pain in their legs after physical activity or standing for a long time. But pain syndrome does not always arise due to physiological reasons. Unpleasant sensations can develop due to pathologies. With serious illnesses, pain often manifests itself not only in one area - right or left, but affects both limbs at once, so the symptom cannot be ignored.

Why does pain occur?

There are different factors that can cause calf pain on the left or right side. These may be physiological reasons: standing for a long time, getting injured, wearing uncomfortable shoes, excessive physical activity. But often pain becomes a consequence of pathological processes.

Venous diseases

Vascular diseases can lead to pain in the lower extremities. The most often “culprits” are the following ailments:

• Varicose veins. There is congestion in the dilated vessels, which causes an inflammatory process and strong pressure in the veins. The disease causes aching pain, accompanied by a feeling of heaviness in the legs.
• Atherosclerosis. With this disease, the lumen of the blood vessels is blocked by a plaque, which leads to a failure of blood circulation. Patients feel pain and coldness in their feet.
• Thrombophlebitis. The pathology is characterized by the formation of a blood clot in the vessels, which causes burning, pulsating pain and redness of the skin in the affected area.

The latter disease is the most dangerous, since a blood clot can break away from the vein wall at any time and cause death.

Damage to arterial vessels

The arteries of the legs are often subject to endarteritis. The disease is an inflammatory process in blood vessels. She is bothered by pain in the calf area, muscle weakness, and cramps at night.

Acute occlusion may also occur in arterial canals. This means that the blood supply is cut off in a certain area. The disease develops due to thrombosis.

Muscle pathologies

If there is aching pain in the calves of the legs, then the cause may be myositis, characterized by inflammation in muscle tissue. Symptoms become more pronounced during physical activity and palpation. In advanced cases, the leg becomes completely immobilized.

Neuritis and polyneuritis

Such diseases cause severe pain. This occurs due to damage to the nerve ending. The pain spreads over the entire area of ​​the affected nerve. The cause of root damage may be osteochondrosis, infectious pathologies, diabetes mellitus, oncological and benign neoplasms.

Damage to nearby tissues

Sometimes the pain can radiate to the calf area when other parts of the limb are affected. Often the cause of this is an inflammatory process or poor circulation in neighboring areas.

The following diseases may cause pain:

1. Osteomyelitis of the tibia or fibula.
2. Diseases of the joints of the knees, ankles - arthritis, arthrosis.
3. Damage to the Achilles tendon.
4. Inflammation of the skin or subcutaneous tissue shins.

All these pathologies are accompanied by their characteristic symptoms.

Spinal diseases

With damage to the spinal column nagging pain in the calves of the leg it also has a reflected character. Its occurrence is provoked by compression of the nerve endings. This syndrome is called radicular.

When it appears, the pain has some characteristics. It can become stronger during coughing or sneezing, as well as at night. The relationship of the symptom with the movements of the spine is also noted. With some actions the pain decreases, with others it increases.

Diabetes mellitus

People suffering from this pathology often encounter its complication – diabetic foot syndrome. The disease develops due to the influence of several factors, due to which it was maintained for a long time high level blood sugar. These include arterial insufficiency, in which the pain intensifies while walking and calms down at rest. This also includes neuropathy, accompanied by paroxysmal pain, and inflammation of the skin, characterized by aching pain.

The occurrence of pain during pregnancy

Women carrying a baby often suffer from pain in the calves. This phenomenon can be provoked by factors such as a lack of nutrients in the body and increased load on the limbs due to the growth of the child.

As the baby's body weight increases, in addition to pain, cramps also occur. More often they appear at night. This is caused by poor circulation in the legs.

To prevent the development of unpleasant symptoms during pregnancy, it is necessary to monitor your diet so that there is no deficiency of vitamins and minerals, and take vitamin and mineral complexes. It is also necessary to give your legs more rest, especially in the last stages.

Diagnostics

If you experience pain in the calf muscles, you should visit a therapist. He will conduct an external examination, prescribe laboratory tests and, if necessary, refer you to a specialist. Which doctor will treat you depends on the cause of the development of the painful symptom.

Diagnostics is carried out using the following methods:

1. Doppler ultrasound. With its help, vascular diseases are identified, blood clots are detected in blood vessels, and blood circulation in the legs is assessed.
2. Radiography. It is used for suspected damage to the spinal column and joints of the lower extremities.
3. Computed and magnetic resonance imaging. Helps in identifying diseases of the spine and tumors.

To detect a lack of microelements, a blood test is sufficient. To diagnose myositis, you need an examination by a neurologist.

General principles of treatment

Therapy is carried out depending on why the calves hurt. Various treatment methods are used:

• taking medications;
• exercises;
• dietary nutrition;
• folk remedies.

Regardless of the factor that provoked the pain, the following recommendations must be followed during treatment:

1. Completely give up alcohol and cigarettes.
2. Eat a balanced diet.
3. Do not disrupt your daily routine.
4. Get a good night's sleep.
5. Take walks in the fresh air every day.
6. Keep your body weight under control.
7. Accept contrast shower.
8. While resting, elevate your legs slightly using a pillow.

Following these rules will help enhance the effect of therapy.

Medicines

Medicines are selected depending on the cause of the pain. The following groups of drugs can be used:

• Anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs when inflammation is detected.
• Antibiotics for the infectious nature of the pathology.
• Analgesics to relieve severe painful sensations.
• Chondroprotectors for cartilage restoration in joint arthrosis.

To replenish a sufficient amount of useful substances in the body, vitamin and mineral complexes are prescribed.

Gymnastics

To treat pain and eliminate fatigue in the legs, doctors advise doing exercise daily. The complex may include the following actions:

1. Lie on your back in front of the wall, raise your straight legs up and lean them against the wall. Stay in this position for several minutes. This promotes blood flow and prevents the development of varicose veins.
2. Stand up and rise on your toes for 30 seconds. Then lower yourself and stand on your heels for the same amount of time.
3. Place a small ball on the floor and roll it with your sole.
4. Sit down, stretch your legs in front of you, pull your toes towards you, then away from you.
5. In a standing position, bend one leg at the knee joint, put it forward and make circular movements with your shin.

A gymnastics complex can include a variety of exercises. It is better to draw it up together with a doctor.

Diet

Pain in the calf area often occurs due to a lack of microelements. This occurs due to improper nutrition. This circumstance also provokes various pathologies, causing pain in the lower extremities, especially vascular diseases.

• Fast food.
• Fatty dishes.
• Fried food.
• Smoked meats.
• Semi-finished products.
• Carbonated drinks.
• Confectionery.

It is imperative to limit your intake of salt and sugar. The menu includes more plant foods that are rich in nutrients: vegetables, fruits, herbs, berries. It is recommended to consume low-fat dairy products, lean meat and fish, and cereals.

Folk remedies

To eliminate pain in the calves, people often use methods alternative medicine. Many natural products and plants have healing properties and have the ability to relieve unpleasant symptoms.

Compresses and wraps

For leg pain, wrapping with dandelion leaves is effective. It is necessary to pick fresh leaves, crush them to release the juice, cover the sore area of ​​the leg, and secure with cling film.

The following recipe also works well: pass the onion through a meat grinder to make a paste, add a large spoonful of sea salt to it. Place the mixture on gauze and apply to the affected area for 4 hours.

Rubbing

Rubbing relieves pain well. Various decoctions and infusions are prepared for the procedures. The most effective remedies are those made according to the following recipes:

1. Grind the chestnut fruits to make 50 g, pour in a bottle of vodka. Let it brew for 3 weeks, then use for rubbing.
2. Separate the yolk, mix it with a teaspoon of turpentine and tbsp. spoon of apple cider vinegar. Beat thoroughly and rub the caviar mixture.
3. Fill a half-liter jar with fresh wormwood, fill it with vodka up to the neck, and let it sit for 3 weeks. Then strain and lubricate your feet before going to bed.

Rubbing not only helps with pain, but also prevents cramps.

Baths

Foot baths help relieve pain in the legs. The following decoctions and infusions are used for their preparation:

• Pour a liter of boiling water over a handful of mint and linden blossom, let stand for 30 minutes and pour into a basin. Hold your feet for 15 minutes.
• Make a mixture of equal amounts of immortelle flowers, birch leaves, and carrot seeds. Separate a tablespoon and brew with a liter of boiling water. Then leave for 3 hours and keep your feet in the infusion for 10 minutes.
• 1 tbsp. l. Dissolve the salt in a liter of warm water and soak your feet for 10 minutes.

Foot baths help not only get rid of pain, but also relieve swelling, eliminate the feeling of heaviness, fatigue, and prevent the occurrence of problems with veins.

For oral administration

For pain relief, not only local but also oral agents can be used. Doctors recommend the following home remedy: chicken and quail eggs rinse well, fill a liter jar with them, add lemon juice up to the neck. Let the product sit for 2 weeks. During this time, the shell will completely dissolve. The mass must be mixed, strained, add 100 ml of cognac and a large spoon of honey. Take the resulting product one tablespoon before each meal 30 minutes.

For internal use for pain in the calves, another recipe is used: take 100 ml of tinctures of hawthorn, peony, valerian, motherwort, as well as 50 ml of eucalyptus tincture and 25 ml of mint tincture. Mix everything in a glass jar, add 10 g of cloves.

Let sit for 2 weeks, shaking daily. After this, strain the drink, take 25 drops before each meal half an hour.

Prevention

Preventing leg pain involves preventing the occurrence of external factors and diseases that can cause it. Doctors advise the following:

1. Give up bad habits.
2. Control body weight.
3. Exercise.
4. Avoid overstraining your limbs.
5. Avoid hypothermia.
6. Eat right.
7. Maintain a daily routine.

Regular pain in the calves is a reason to consult a doctor. The causes of the symptom can be very serious and dangerous to human life and health, so diseases must be treated in a timely manner.

The gastrocnemius (calf) is a biceps muscle on the back of the human lower leg. Located above the soleus muscle, together with which it is attached to the heel through the thick Achilles tendon.

Functional activity primarily involves movement of the foot in the sagittal plane and stabilization of the body during movement (walking and running).
When the calf muscle is overstrained, cramps may occur in it. In addition, spasms may indicate disorders of their arterial and venous blood supply. Injuries to the calf muscle can occur when a load exceeds its capabilities, sometimes from a blow to it.

What diseases cause calf pain?

There are several reasons that cause pain in the calves.

Any injury to the calf area, for example after overuse, causes pain in the calf muscles. Sudden pain in muscles occur during periods of physical activity, in particular during walking.

Most often, the appearance of pain in the calves is associated with vascular diseases. This happens due to a violation of the outflow venous blood and the resulting increase in pressure in the vessels. The resulting venous congestion causes irritation of nerve endings and the development of pain. Most often, such pain is “dull” in nature, and heaviness is felt in the legs. Thus, varicose veins gradually develop.

Dull, aching and stabbing pain in the calves of the legs, cramps and heaviness in the legs are very often the result of standing or sedentary work, when due to stagnation in the veins of the legs, normal blood circulation of the venous and arterial blood in the human body, oxygen starvation occurs, harmful toxins accumulate in the legs.

With another vascular disease - thrombophlebitis, there is pain in the calf muscles of a pulsating nature, often turning into a burning sensation under the skin. With thrombophlebitis, the pain is constant, especially for pain in the calves.

Another cause of pain in the calves is atherosclerosis of the arteries. With this disease, the walls of blood vessels thicken, and the patient feels squeezing pain in the calf muscles. Most often, atherosclerosis causes pain in the lower leg muscles. The pain intensifies when walking. A characteristic symptom of atherosclerosis is the feeling of cold feet, regardless of the time of year.

The next group of diseases that provoke the appearance of pain in the calf muscles are diseases of the spine. Existing disorders in the functioning of the spine, for example, in the intervertebral discs, lead to the appearance of so-called radiating pain, i.e. giving to the feet. The spine itself may not hurt. This type of pain can include sciatica (inflammation sciatic nerve). With this disease, pain from the spine along the sciatic nerve is transmitted to the legs.

Diseases peripheral nerves may also cause pain in the calves. With neuralgia, pain is paroxysmal in nature and occurs along the nerve fibers. In the intervals between attacks, there is practically no pain, and the painful attack itself can last from several seconds to several minutes.

Pain in the calves can be caused by: infectious disease bones as osteomyelitis. The pain in this disease is acute and prolonged. In this case, the cause of pain is the bones themselves.

Cramps in the calf muscles are involuntary contractions of individual muscles or muscle groups. They can be caused by prolonged physical stress, fatigue and most often occur in the calf muscle. To stop them, it is recommended to relax your muscles. To do this, just lie down or sit down, thereby changing the position of the limb, and strongly rub the cramped muscle with your hands. Then apply a towel soaked in cold water or stand with your bare feet on the cold ground.

Fibromyalgia may be various localizations, but the area of ​​the back of the head, lower back (lumbago), neck, area is especially often affected. shoulder joints, chest and thigh areas close up knee joint. This pain occurs mainly in women. It can be caused or aggravated by physical or mental overload, sleep disturbances, trauma, dampness or cold, and sometimes systemic, usually rheumatic diseases.

Neurogenic myopathy.

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.
In individuals who do not have neurological abnormalities, the causes of muscle syndrome are inflammatory or metabolic myopathies. According to the existing international classification There are three groups of myopathies: idiopathic inflammatory, drug- and toxin-induced, and infection-induced.
Among idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, about 95% are dermatomyositis, polymyositis, myositis due to systemic diseases connective tissue, paraneoplastic myositis and myositis with intracellular inclusions.
Consultation with a rheumatologist excludes myositis due to systemic diseases.

Drug-induced myopathies.
The most relevant today are myopathies associated with taking statins and fibrates.

Which doctors should I contact if I have pain in my calf?

Phlebologist
Neurologist
Traumatologist
Infectious disease specialist
Angiosurgeon

What you need to know about leg muscles? Painful sensations in the leg muscles do not often force the patient to immediately seek medical advice. Discomfort is attributed to physical activity, simple fatigue and uncomfortable shoes. The cause of muscle pain is not always fatigue of the lower extremities. Often, even minor but regular unpleasant sensations may indicate the onset of serious illness. Some of the pathologies, which are characterized, among other things, by discomfort in the leg muscles, if not properly treated, can cause paralysis of the lower limbs or require urgent surgical intervention.

Muscle pain can be caused by fatigue due to prolonged or intense physical exercise, fatigue of the lower extremities from long walks and daily stress, and minor injuries. In women, painful sensations and heaviness in the legs are the reason for wearing uncomfortable shoes, high heels, especially in combination with very tight jeans, trousers or skirts. Often there is a nagging discomfort, which is characteristic of congestion in the blood vessels caused by a sedentary lifestyle in general or long stay in one pose in particular.

All of these conditions (except for serious injuries) most often do not require medical care. The painful sensations go away on their own after some time, usually after good rest. You can speed up the normalization of muscle function and relieve pain, if it is really caused by banal fatigue and overexertion, using traditional methods.

But sometimes the cause of muscle pain is more dangerous conditions than intense physical activity. The following can provoke discomfort of varying nature, localization and intensity:

• vascular pathologies;
• diseases of the spine;
• direct muscle pathologies;
• joint diseases;
• bone pathologies;
• neuralgia.

Factors predisposing to the development of diseases, the symptom of which is pain in the leg muscles, also provoke many other pathologies. The following factors contribute to the development of pathologies with clinical manifestations in the form of muscle pain in the lower extremities:

• excess weight;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• unsystematic sports activities;
• performing exercises without preliminary warm-up;
• bad habits;
• age: older people are more likely to have chronic diseases, and middle-aged and young people are more likely to suffer from muscle pain due to overexertion;
• the influence of toxic compounds (in areas with poor environmental conditions, industrial zones, representatives of “harmful” professions);
• the presence of concomitant chronic diseases or acute inflammatory processes;
• frequent physical or emotional stress.

As already mentioned, some conditions do not require mandatory medical attention, although consultation with a specialist is still advisable, just in case. You can use traditional methods to relieve muscle pain in the legs in cases where there is complete confidence that the discomfort is caused solely by physical fatigue of the lower extremities, and heaviness occurs not in one, but in both legs at once.

This pain syndrome occurs after long walks, especially active day, too intense exercise or physical activity in an untrained person. A buzzing, aching pain affects both legs and intensifies with movement. The localization of discomfort depends on the muscle group that experienced the greatest tension. So, after squats, pain is felt in the front of the thigh, and when standing on your toes for a long time, pain is felt in the calf muscles or calves.

Prolonged immobilization of limbs can also cause discomfort. Heaviness, partial loss of sensitivity and dull pain are observed after being in one position for a long time. The main reason for the appearance of such symptoms is stagnation of venous blood, which is characterized by oxygen starvation in muscle cells, impaired microcirculation and irritation of pain receptors in the venous walls.

People who are most susceptible to this pain syndrome professional activity involves constant static tension and forced immobilization of limbs (mainly office professions or work in the service sector). Sometimes discomfort can also appear during a long flight in a sitting position, traveling on a bus over long distances, and in other similar situations where there is no opportunity to warm up.

Painful sensations that most likely caused by fatigue, congestion or physical overexertion, can be reduced with home remedies. There are many methods that not only relieve pain, but are also good remedy to strengthen the immune system.

A common way is to raise your legs above the level of your heart and lie in this position for about 20-30 minutes. The method has positive impact, because under the influence of gravity, excess fluid flows from the lower extremities to the abdominal area, from where it is easily removed from the body by the kidneys in the form of urine. The outflow of fluid allows you to relieve swelling, which will improve blood circulation and allow your legs to rest faster after overload.

Use any traditional methods should be done with extreme caution and only in cases where there is complete confidence in the origin of the pain syndrome in the leg muscles. It is best to first consult with a specialist regarding a specific diagnosis and the appropriateness and method of using a particular home remedy.

Another common remedy that not only reduces pain, but also helps strengthen the immune system, and is also a caring (cosmetic) procedure that has a beneficial effect on rough skin of the feet is baths with medicinal plants and essential oils:

• nettle or linden, honey and chamomile will help relieve swelling (70 g of dried nettle leaves per 3 liters of hot water or 20 g of chamomile and linden and 40 g of honey per required quantity water - up to ankle level);
• oak bark will eliminate excessive sweating (100 g of dry crushed bark per 2 liters of hot water);
• calendula, mint, chamomile and lemon balm will help reduce fatigue (10 g of herbs per 1 liter of water, leave for half an hour, and then add the required amount of hot water directly into the basin);
• linden has a calming and relaxing effect (60 g of linden blossom per 0.5 liter of boiling water, you can add 40 g of sea salt);
• salt baths with essential oils will help get rid of fatigue (orange, mint, fir, tea tree or eucalyptus oil is suitable).

It is recommended to do baths before bedtime so that the leg muscles can fully relax and recover after the procedure. Keep your feet in warm water with added essential oils, medicinal plants or their compositions should be for at least 20 minutes and no more than three times a week.

If you experience regular pain in your legs, you should consult a doctor.

Such home remedies will not have a positive effect if you have any diseases.

At home, you can also use contrasting foot baths. It is necessary to alternately place your feet in a bowl with either cold (for 1-2 minutes) or hot water (for 3-5 minutes). The optimal water temperature to begin with should be 20 and 30 ºС, respectively. The temperature difference should be increased gradually, it is advisable to lower the temperature cold water, and not increase the heat. You need to alternate baths at least 11 times.

Ice compresses are very soothing. To carry out the procedure, you should first freeze the decoctions. medicinal herbs in regular ice cube trays. Sage leaves, yarrow, linden flowers, dry nettle leaves, lemon balm and chamomile are suitable. It is recommended to wipe tired feet with ice cubes wrapped in gauze or any other thin cloth in a circular motion for 5-10 minutes. Exposure to cold improves blood circulation and quickly relieves pain.

Apple cider vinegar will help improve blood circulation in the lower extremities after long walks or exercise. Vinegar contains useful trace elements, acids and vitamins, which makes it an effective remedy that is used in folk medicine and cosmetology. A positive result (relieving swelling, improving blood flow and alleviating discomfort) can be achieved in the following ways:

1. Compresses and wraps. Soak a piece of gauze or cotton wool apple cider vinegar and wipe your feet or apply it as a compress to problem areas (above the knees, ankles or shins), covering with plastic wrap.
2. Foot baths. Apple cider vinegar is added at the rate of 0.5 l per 10 l cool water, the procedure should be done for 10-15 minutes, and then remain at rest for about 20 minutes.
3. Pouring. Rinse your feet 2-3 times a day for a month with a solution of vinegar and water at the rate of 1 tbsp. for 1 liter of water;
4. Ingestion. Regarding the ingestion of apple cider vinegar, which not only helps relieve pain in the leg muscles, but also has a general tonic effect, you should consult your doctor.

There are no methods that would allow you to forget forever about muscle pain caused by physiological reasons. It will not be possible to completely eliminate situations from your own life that provoke discomfort in the lower extremities. It is impossible, and it is not necessary, to completely avoid physical activity in order to prevent physiological muscle pain, because such discomfort is the norm if it occurs due to reasons, and not for no reason and regularly.

The main rule is to try to lead a healthy lifestyle. When playing sports, you should follow the exercise technique, do not forget about the preliminary warm-up, conduct regular training, and not exercise haphazardly. In addition, it is necessary to monitor your own weight - obesity provokes not only excessive tension in the leg muscles, but also has a significant negative impact on the cardiovascular and endocrine systems, and on the entire body in general.

It is important to know how to choose the right shoes, i.e. one that corresponds to the anatomical structure of the foot. For some ladies, of course, it will be difficult to completely give up high heels, but this is not required: usually it is enough to just give your feet proper rest by changing into comfortable pumps or sneakers for at least 3 days a week.

You should not often wear pants or skirts that are too tight or too tight. Such clothing disrupts normal blood circulation in the lower extremities and can provoke not only physiological pain in the leg muscles, but also various vascular diseases.

If your leg muscles hurt for no apparent physiological reason, especially in cases where the discomfort is quite strong, appears regularly and does not go away after proper rest, you should visit a specialist. Such symptoms may indicate the presence of a disease that affects blood vessels, bones, joints, nerve fibers, or the leg muscles themselves.

Only a physician can determine pathology based on examination and questioning of the patient, anamnesis (medical history) and additional research. You should not try to diagnose the disease yourself, and even more so you should not self-medicate - this can have much more detrimental consequences than simply the lack of result of such therapy.

Pathologies, characteristic symptom which is muscle pain in the legs, can be diseases:

• vessels (we are talking about varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, atherosclerosis, progression of diabetes mellitus with vascular damage);
• directly muscle tissue as a result of infectious and inflammatory processes such as myositis, paratenonitis, myoenthesitis, etc.;
• bone tissue - insertitis (inflammatory muscle disease with bone complications) or osteomyelitis;
• joints, including gout, destruction of knee cartilage, individual weather sensitivity;
• spine and nerve fibers, which include displacement of intervertebral discs (radiating, radiating pain appears), fibromyalgia, inflammation of the sciatic nerve.

In addition, muscle pain nonspecific symptom may occur in some patients in the following situations:

• when taking certain medicines(as a side effect);
• during hormonal changes(during pregnancy and lactation, puberty or menopause in women, during menstruation);
• during periods of active growth of children;
• with insufficient physical activity;
• for postural disorders (scoliosis, flat feet);
• with bone damage due to leukemia;
• for osteoporosis;
• with heart failure;
• at endocrine diseases accompanied by disturbances in mineral and electrolyte metabolism.

An important factor that allows us to establish an accurate diagnosis is the nature and location of pain. Thus, the feeling that the legs are twisting occurs due to weather sensitivity or damage to the joints, and discomfort above the knee may often indicate pathologies of the spine.

Muscle pain of various types, localization and intensity in the vast majority of cases is a characteristic symptom of varicose veins, the result of flat feet or scoliosis, they speak of vascular atherosclerosis, thrombophlebitis or myositis.

Varicose veins of the lower extremities are an extremely common disease that is characterized by deformation and loss of elasticity of the veins. Impaired blood circulation and other provoking factors lead to weakening of the venous walls and valves, which is manifested by swelling, pain, protrusion of veins onto the surface of the skin, and the formation of nodes and convolutions. Malnutrition of the skin can lead to trophic ulcer or varicose eczema, and a decrease in blood flow speed provokes the formation of blood clots.

Women are more likely to suffer from varicose veins; it is of great importance hereditary factor. The main causes of varicose veins: decreased elasticity of the walls and valves of blood vessels and impaired blood circulation. Other factors that provoke the development of varicose veins include:

• being overweight;
• wearing too tight, constricting clothes, especially in combination with high heels or uncomfortable shoes, which create additional stress;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• lifting weights;
• long periods of standing or sitting;
• pregnancy (creates additional stress);
• smoking and alcohol abuse.

In men, varicose veins usually occur in a more severe form. This fact is due to the fact that representatives strong half of humanity turn to doctors, as a rule, in the later stages of the disease, without noticing the first (cosmetic) signs of the development of the pathological process.

Early signs of varicose veins are rarely regarded as alarm signal, therefore, the disease is most often diagnosed already at the stage when characteristic skin pigmentation appears on the affected areas, veins begin to protrude and even be palpated.

In the early stages of the development of the disease, swelling appears, the legs ache very much when walking, a constant feeling of fatigue is typical, the legs are pulled above or below the knees. At first, the symptoms are similar to signs of banal overexertion or stress. However, over time, discomfort in the leg muscles accompanies a person every day, intensifies at night, does not go away after a long rest (long weekend or vacation with a minimum of stress), and the pain is no longer relieved by folk remedies or over-the-counter painkillers. Varicose veins can appear only on the right or left leg or on both at once.

Further, night cramps are observed (in general, the pain intensifies significantly at night), lumps appear on the skin of the legs and spider veins, there is a feeling of distension in the calves, heaviness, protruding veins become visible, swelling appears in the calves, the skin acquires an abnormal color (dark purple, dark brown, black). The patient often becomes irritable and anxious, suffers from sleep disorders, and experiences stress more often. Similar symptoms are characteristic already of the third and fourth stages of the disease, when the formation of blood clots and trophic ulcers is possible.

The disease is aggravated by excess weight, sexually transmitted infections, chronic constipation, abortions, liver and biliary tract diseases. Varicose veins of the lower extremities have a negative impact on the condition of the entire body; often patients diagnosed with varicose veins have concomitant pathologies of the liver and biliary tract, chronic headaches and dysfunction of the pelvic organs.

Varicose veins significantly worsen the patient’s quality of life and necessarily require qualified treatment, because may have serious health consequences. Therapy depends on the stage of development of the disease, the presence of concomitant pathologies, individual characteristics body, tolerance to specific medications or their components and many other factors.

In any case, treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremities requires complex therapy aimed not only at relieving symptoms and preventing complications, but also at eliminating the causes of the disease. Under the guidance of the attending physician, the patient should adjust the existing lifestyle, most often it is necessary to:

• get rid of excess weight;
• normalize diet;
• do swimming or water aerobics;
• ensure the elevated position of the legs during night sleep;
• wear special underwear (compression stockings and tights);
• take a contrast shower, but avoid hot baths.

In addition, external treatment is indicated (use of medicinal ointments, creams and gels), drug therapy(blood thinners, anti-inflammatory drugs and medications that improve the tone of the vascular walls).

In some cases, surgery is indicated to remove damaged varicose veins. The operation is performed for extensive damage to the veins, pathological expansion, disturbances in the normal outflow of blood or trophic changes in the skin.

Another very common cause of muscle pain in the lower extremities is flat feet. Foot deformation in itself is not a pathology dangerous to health, but the consequences of flat feet can already be quite serious diseases.

With insufficient development of the muscles and ligaments of the leg, which cannot support the foot in the correct position, a significant additional load occurs on the entire musculoskeletal system. Because of insufficient blood supply back pain and headaches appear, up to fainting states, gait is disturbed.

A typical sign of first-degree foot deformity is swelling and heaviness in the legs, which appears in the evening. If flat feet are not treated, a sharp pain soon appears just above the ankles, in the area of ​​the shins and knees. Acute pain intensifies when walking, then gait disturbances or even significant difficulties with independent movement may occur.

Treatment for flat feet involves:

• massage (manual or hardware sessions);
• special gymnastics (a specialist will select a set of exercises individually);
• physiotherapy (mud treatment, hydrotherapy);
• baths and compresses that can be done at home;
• application medicinal ointments, creams and gels for feet with an anesthetic and warming effect;
• sanatorium treatment.

Traditional medicine offers the use of wormwood compresses as an effective remedy for flat feet and muscle pain caused by the disease. For therapeutic effect You should wash and apply wormwood leaves to your foot, securing them with a soft cloth.

Another recipe traditional medicine, which helps relieve pain and fatigue in the legs with flat feet: mix freshly squeezed lemon juice with a 3% iodine solution in equal proportions and add a couple of crushed aspirin tablets. The ointment should be applied to the sore spot, covered with film and a warm cloth.

Myositis is a group of diseases that affect connective tissues body. There is a huge variety of forms of myositis. They are classified depending on the location (localized or diffuse), the nature of the disease (acute or chronic), origin (occupational or infectious) and clinical manifestations(purulent or not purulent). Muscle pain in the legs is caused by myositis of the extremities.

Characteristic signs of a disease localized in the lower extremities are:

• dull pain that intensifies with movement;
• severe swelling of the legs;
• muscle weakness;
• limited joints.

With myositis, the legs hurt most often in the lower leg area.

Treatment of inflammation of the muscles of the lower extremities involves medications (vitamins, analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs) and manual therapy, physiotherapeutic procedures (electrophoresis, magnetic therapy). In some cases, acupuncture, treatment with bees or leeches is used.

Myositis is dangerous due to the possible transition to a chronic form of the disease, in which unpleasant symptoms persist for a long time, and the muscles significantly weaken and shorten. Chronic myositis of the lower extremities requires sanatorium treatment, regular massage sessions and a complex of physical therapy.

Any ailment that appears for no reason and regularly brings significant discomfort and over time ceases to be relieved by folk remedies or over-the-counter medications, and therefore requires mandatory consultation with a doctor. Even minor pain in some cases is a harbinger of a serious illness, which can become chronic in the absence of appropriate treatment.

Very often, among people leading active image life, various injuries and dislocations occur. The most common injury is to the ankle. With such injuries, the lack of proper fixation can lead to long-term inflammatory processes in the damaged area, and sometimes degenerative changes, which carry with them a number of serious consequences.

• Types of fasteners
• How to properly bandage an ankle
• Video on the topic

A fixing bandage on the ankle joint is a first-line remedy for damage and injury to this area. In case of ankle injuries, it is very important to remove the load from this area and fix the leg in stable position. Depending on the complexity of the injury, the means of fixation may vary.

Types of fasteners

Regardless of the nature of the injury, the figure-of-eight bandage for the ankle joint is the most reliable and optimal. Each type can only be applied by a specialist. The fact is that there are special rules for fixing the ankle, non-compliance with which can cause irreparable harm to the health of the victim.

How to properly bandage an ankle

The application of a bandage to the ankle joint is carried out according to rules that must be strictly followed. Before you start fixing, prepare everything you need: a fixator, clamps for it. Place the victim on a flat surface and place his leg on your lap. Such a system can be used in emergency situations and in the absence of clinical conditions.

A cruciate bandage on the ankle joint is applied as follows:

• We start with circular movements in the shin area, make several rotations, make sure there are no creases;
• Then the bandage moves towards outside feet, no need to tighten, just fold the end in gently;
• Next, through the instep of the foot, the bandage is directed to inside ankles;
• We make one and a half turns around the foot and move the bandage to the outside of the ankle;
• We make a few more turns and fix it with special staples.

A properly applied bandage can help an injured person and maintain joint mobility. All tourists and extreme athletes, as well as ordinary citizens, need to buy an ankle bandage and place it in the first aid kit.

Very often, fixation has to be applied in difficult conditions; special dressing materials are not always available, so you need to know some features. My patients use a proven remedy that allows them to get rid of pain in 2 weeks without much effort.

A bandage or elastic bandage is best applied to the sock. This will eliminate the victim’s discomfort and prevent the ankle area from being overtightened. If there is excessive density, blood flow is impeded, and the condition of the injured person may worsen.

In case heavy bleeding, it is necessary to apply a tourniquet, cover the wound and contact the medical specialist. You can apply a bandage only if there are no visible injuries or open wounds.

If you find obvious displacement in an injured person, it is best not to use bandages. Apply cold compress and call a doctor. If your ankle is injured, you should not walk or even step on your foot, in order to avoid additional injuries and undesirable consequences.

The main thing to remember is that for any damage, only a doctor can recommend the correct method of treatment, as well as recommend a means for fixation.

Why do the calves on the legs hurt: conditions and diseases that can cause such a symptom, their treatment

Aching or sharp pain in the calf muscle is an unpleasant symptom of many diseases. This complaint appears in people due to normal fatigue after physical activity or in response to pathological process in the body. Having determined why your calves hurt, you can begin to treat the underlying ailment, after which the symptom will go away and the condition will improve.

To find the root cause, it will be necessary to identify associated disorders and, based on a set of symptoms, carry out the appropriate diagnosis.

Causes of pain in the calf muscles

Among the main causes of pain at rest or when walking are vascular diseases, inflammatory processes in the spine or large joints and neurological disorders. When this symptom appears, it is important to determine whether it is the result of normal fatigue or indicates some kind of disorder within the body. The approach to treatment will depend on this.

Why do my calves hurt:

• inflammatory-destructive diseases of the spine;
• vascular abnormalities, varicose veins or thrombophlebitis;
• neuralgia of the sciatic nerve.

With a symptom of neurological origin, a short-term shooting pain will be present. It appears in response to an irritant, when a muscle is struck or stretched. Pain in the calves will intensify during physical activity and subside during rest.

The source of the unpleasant phenomenon may be inflammation of muscle tissue. In this case, we are talking about myositis resulting from injury or after surgery. If the leg muscles are injured, there will be aching pain that intensifies while walking and running.

Diseases endocrine system diseases, including diabetes mellitus, may also present with this symptom. This will be accompanied by numbness of the limbs and the appearance of convulsions, mainly at night.

If there is persistent pain in the calves, you should also be examined for the presence of osteoporosis, osteomyelitis and malignant tumor bones.

Vein diseases

Pain in the calf of the legs often accompanies varicose veins and thrombosis. An acute circulatory disorder in the lower leg area will be accompanied by swelling and severe pain due to compression of the nerve endings.

At chronic illness There is a metabolic disorder in the diseased area, toxins accumulate in the tissues, and inflammation additionally occurs.

All this leads to aching pain that disturbs a person while moving, before going to bed and at night. If vascular abnormalities are suspected, an examination by a surgeon is prescribed.

Varicose veins

Insufficiency of the valve apparatus leads to the appearance of a disease such as varicose veins. In this case, pain in the calves will be accompanied by swelling of the damaged tissues. In addition, the patient will have a feeling of fullness, itching, and tingling. This disease is characterized by pain in the calves at night and after heavy load on the legs.

You should be examined for the following symptoms:

• chronic heaviness in the legs;
• swelling of the lower leg;
• constant aching pain;
• increasing discomfort and fatigue after walking.

Vascular diseases

Disorders of the arterial vessels give the symptom of soreness of the calf muscle due to obstruction of the arteries. The symptom may also indicate a circulatory failure in the main artery.

In addition to pain, the following symptoms are present:

The calves of the legs may hurt due to chronic arterial insufficiency. This condition occurs in the case of ischemia. The pain will intensify after long walking or running and at night. Symptoms subside for a short time after rest.

Pathologies of joints and bones

For people with persistent calf pain, it is recommended that the joints be examined first. This symptom manifests itself in arthritis of various origins. This is an inflammatory disease of the joint and surrounding tissues. In addition to pain in the calves, there will be an increase in temperature, impaired motor function, and increased symptoms in the morning and at night.

In case of acute inflammatory process it will be alarming general weakness, loss of appetite. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, joint deformity will be visible.

Osteomyelitis is a serious disease in which inflammation of the inert tissue occurs. All components are damaged, including the brain. The legs are more often affected, which is due to the structural features of the bone.

Alarming symptoms:

If you notice such symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor. As the disease worsens, the symptoms will become more pronounced. During the remission stage there will be mild soreness, including in the calf muscle.

Spinal diseases

Osteochondrosis, intervertebral disc herniation, tumors, tuberculosis, traumatic injury– these are representatives of severe diseases of the spinal column, which, in addition to other symptoms, manifest themselves as pain in the calves.

With a benign neoplasm or malignant tumor, pain spreads to both legs. As the tumor grows, it begins to compress the surrounding tissues and nerve roots. This causes severe pain with irradiation to the lower extremities. Unpleasant sensations occur along the entire length of the sciatic nerve. The soreness of the calf muscle will increase while walking, running and when applying pressure. This is accompanied by muscle weakness and decreased skin sensitivity.

A tumor of the spine leads to severe consequences, complications concern the organs of the urinary system and gastrointestinal tract.

With osteochondrosis, pain will also spread from the damaged area along the sciatic nerve. An uncomplicated disease manifests itself as mild pain without limitation of movement.

With a spinal injury, pain in the calves will indicate a serious disorder with damage to the nerve roots. This will be complemented by loss of sensitivity, even paralysis, which is why it is recommended to consult a doctor if constant pain in the calves.

Myositis and trichinosis

Myositis is the main causative factor soreness of the calf muscle among all diseases of muscle tissue.

Inflammation can be suspected based on the following signs:

Most often, the localization of myositis is the calf muscle. As inflammation develops, pain during walking and at rest also increases. At the same time, it hurts to step on the leg, touching the skin is also accompanied by pain.

Muscle strains and tears will also be manifested by pain, which occurs immediately or develops within 24 hours after the injury. Externally, you can see swelling, redness of the skin and hematoma. There are spasms and convulsions at night, which is why it joins headache and irritability from lack of sleep.

Nerve inflammation

When present sharp pain in the calf area, it can be assumed that there is an inflammatory process in the nerve fibers. With neuritis, along with a painful syndrome, there is a deterioration in sensitivity and muscle weakness. The symptom appears during walking, running and at rest. This is accompanied by a limitation of motor function and a decrease in the tendon reflex.

Rare causes

Why else can your calves hurt for no apparent reason:

• Achilles tendon rupture;
• polyneuritis;
• atherosclerosis;
• endarteritis;
• inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue;
• spinal tuberculosis;
• endocrine disorders (especially diabetes mellitus).

These deviations may not appear immediately. In people with overweight pain can occur not only due to increased stress, but also due to diabetes. This is a serious illness without proper treatment may lead to diabetic foot syndrome. The basis of this disease is vascular damage, the development of an infectious process and polyneuritis. Treatment in this case will consist of normalizing blood sugar and eliminating the consequences.

If you have alarming symptoms, you should contact an endocrinologist. If you have already had to deal with the consequences of diabetes, a surgeon will treat your diabetic foot.

General principles of treatment

What to do if you have constant pain in your calves:

At vascular diseases will be held conservative treatment or surgical correction. When the cause of the symptom is spinal disease, the doctor will prescribe therapeutic exercises and physiotherapeutic procedures. At inflammatory processes Drug treatment will be carried out.

The principle of treatment will depend on the underlying disease. In addition to taking medications prescribed by your doctor and undergoing procedures, you need to take care of the general health of the body and strengthen the calf muscle. This also applies to those cases where pain is caused by overwork without an aggravating disease.

If you have a disease of the joints or muscle tissue, it is useful to undergo a course of physiotherapeutic treatment. When prescribing physiotherapy therapeutic effect will be aimed directly at the cause of pain.

To relieve pain, the following is prescribed:

• cryotherapy;
• electrophoresis;
• heat treatment;
• medicinal baths;
• magnetic therapy and others.

Important! When the cause of pain is any disease, self-medication is unacceptable; any prescription is made by the attending physician.

How to get rid of pain on your own

For aching pain in the calves after a long walk or heavy physical work you can do a massage. Rubbing the painful area will promote blood flow and eliminate congestion. Daily foot massage will prevent swelling and fluid accumulation, this will help to quickly remove toxic substances from under the skin.

To relieve fatigue, you can prepare foot baths using infusions of medicinal plants. A decoction of immortelle flowers, birch leaves and carrot seeds copes well with pain. You need to mix these ingredients and add boiled water. When the decoction has been infused for several hours, it can be heated and used as a foot bath.

It is useful to use aromatic oils and aloe juice for joints and muscle tissue. They can be used to rub the skin during massage. You can also prepare a compress for the calf muscle using eucalyptus, menthol oil, aloe and cloves.

Soreness may be caused by salt deposits. In this case, oral medications will help. For their preparation, you can use herbal teas, having previously read the instructions and possible adverse reactions.

How to prevent calf pain

The following recommendations will help prevent pain in the calves:

1. Losing excess weight. Obesity not only puts a lot of stress on the legs, but also causes many internal diseases.
2. Quitting smoking. This habit leads to poor circulation, and the legs suffer the most from this.
3. Complete rest. Healthy sleep, regular walking, eliminating stress will help strengthen the body and increase resistance.
4. Correction of nutrition. First of all, you need to limit the consumption of salt, which contributes to the appearance of edema.

The best way to forget about pain in the legs is to do therapeutic exercises, which involve strengthening the muscles. Regular exercise in the morning will help prevent sprains, and performing a special set of exercises during the day will guarantee normal tissue nutrition and sufficient blood supply in order to prevent various diseases.

If you cannot cope with the pain on your own, your doctor may prescribe painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. They will only help you get rid of the unpleasant symptom temporarily, but taking them should not become a habit.

The gradual elimination of harmful factors, correction of diet and creation of a correct daily schedule will soon eliminate the need for pain relief, and the condition of muscles and joints will be completely normalized.

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The gastrocnemius muscle belongs to the biceps category and is located on the front of the lower leg. Thanks to it, a person can stand, walk, run, rise on his toes, and do squats. Let's take a closer look at the cases in which the calf muscles may hurt and what symptoms arise.

The calf muscles often feel painful. This happens for a number of completely different reasons: illness, tired legs, poor nutrition. In any case, such a deviation always requires attention and effective treatment.

Why do my calves hurt when walking?

Pain felt in the calf muscles is very common. Their appearance is influenced by a fairly large number of factors. The degree of pain itself also varies. In order to accurately understand the cause of the pain, you should carefully study the main problems of this part of the body.

If any of the listed pains, you should consult your doctor for detailed advice so that he can prescribe necessary treatment and was able to rule out the possibility of serious illness.

Why do my calves swell and hurt?

Often the painful condition of the legs is complemented by unpleasant swelling. In such cases, you should carefully study all the causes of such unpleasant symptoms and find a worthy solution to them. Swelling can happen to absolutely anyone and there are a number of reasons for this:

• Use large quantity too salty foods and subsequent drinking of large amounts of water. Salt retains water in muscle tissue without releasing it from the body. This is what swelling looks like
• Violation of water-salt balance in the body. This violation leads to frequent swelling because the body does not have enough water
• A woman's pregnancy often causes her body to accumulate a large supply of fluid.

Other causes of swelling in the legs and calf muscles are the presence of diseases such as:

• Heart failure. This disease often causes swelling of the lower extremities. It is quite easy to identify - swelling begins to appear on the ankle and gradually rises up. You should not assume that such swelling can only affect left leg, because it very often appears on both legs. A characteristic feature of such swelling is the remaining pit, which is very visible when pressing on the leg. This swelling is especially noticeable towards evening.
• Lymphedema. This disease very often affects the lower extremities and its main symptom is swelling in the calf area. In this case, fluid accumulates in the lymphatic vessels. A person who is experiencing this disease also experiences a particular heaviness in the legs and sometimes even a feeling of distension in the limbs. This swelling appears in the ankle area and moves up the leg. This swelling appears in the evening and tends to disappear in the morning.
• Itching failure. If a person has this disease, his kidneys do not work normally, which leads to stagnation of fluid in the body and provokes swelling. Such swelling has characteristic feature appear in any part of the body, but the lower limbs are most subject to it. Such swelling can appear day and night and can only be eliminated when the body gets rid of excess fluid.
• Varicose veins . As already mentioned, varicose veins provoke poor blood flow in the veins, which leads to high blood pressure and swelling as well. It has been noticed that swelling is more pronounced in the evening and most of it is concentrated on the left leg
• Thrombophlebitis. This disease is characterized by asymmetric swelling in different parts body, which is very easy to notice visually. This swelling may be accompanied by an increase in temperature and discomfort while walking.

Why do my calves hurt after training?

More than one person has noticed the peculiarity of feeling muscle pain after playing sports. The same applies to the calf muscles. This often happens to athletes and people who want to play sports, but do not know how to give the correct load to their legs.

Characteristic muscle pain most often appears one or two days after the workout itself. The reason for this is partial damage muscle cells during stress and their subsequent recovery after a while.

The strength and intensity of the pain that appears depends only on how strong your training was. Please note that the more often you exercise your muscles, the less often you will experience any discomfort at all. It should also be noted that muscle pain becomes less noticeable and less severe during muscle growth. It is for this reason that many bodybuilders have completely forgotten what it is.

The following ways can help reduce calf pain after training:

• Warm-up , which you will do every time before playing sports. Its principle of operation is very simple - warming up allows you to improve blood circulation, which delivers more nutrients to muscle tissue
• Contrast shower - which also has a positive effect on blood flow and general circulation, which in turn allows the calf muscles to recover faster
• Massage - which can relax the muscle and at the same time improve blood circulation
• Sleep during the day - Surprisingly, this method has a positive effect on all processes in the body and thereby indirectly helps muscles recover after training

Why do calf cramps and pain occur at night?

The most common cramp is the one that occurs at night. The reasons for this unpleasant sensation may be various factors, from the simplest lack of vitamins in the body, to the presence of a serious and complex disease in the body.

The most common cramp can last from a few seconds and can last up to as much as fifteen minutes at a time. Most often, such pain occurs completely suddenly and all the time during the cramp the muscles are in a solid and even “stony” state.

How does a cramp appear:

• Sharp pain affects not only the calf, but may also affect the muscles of the foot
• This can happen when the leg is overstrained, or it can happen completely unexpectedly during sleep when the leg is in a calm position.
• It has been noticed that the older a person gets, the more often he develops this feature- experience muscle cramps

A cramp that occurs during sleep naturally disrupts sleep. Usually a person wakes up abruptly and grabs the sore spot, trying to eliminate the pain.

Cramps at night can occur for various reasons:

• You have a neurological disease that tends to manifest itself with seizures at night and during the day
• Your body is experiencing a deficiency of minerals, in particular calcium and phosphorus. During sleep, the blood circulation process is disrupted and slows down, and that is why the influx of beneficial elements is hampered
• Poor blood circulation in older people around the clock is the cause of frequent cramps during sleep
• Another reason is taking medications that also negatively affect the blood circulation process.
• People with metabolic disorders
• People taking diuretics
• Pregnancy

Why do pregnant calves hurt?

Swelling and pain in the calf muscles are a common symptom during pregnancy, especially if the due date is just around the corner.

There are several reasons why women often feel this unpleasant sensation while in position:

• a growing fetus and with it a growing body, which increases in volume and weight, puts double stress on the legs, and in a short period of time - this puts pressure on the lower limbs, causing swelling and pain
• due to the fact that a woman’s weight increases and changes her center of gravity, swelling and excessive stress on the legs occur
• the natural elasticity of the ligaments decreases, which leads to pain in the calves
• Pregnancy often provokes the appearance of varicose veins on the legs - this leads to pain
• the fetus puts pressure on the inferior vena cava and provokes pain in the lower extremities
• it is also possible that the sciatic nerve is pinched - hence the pain
• During pregnancy, a woman’s body experiences a disruption of normal water-salt metabolism, resulting in a lack of calcium and phosphorus.
• During pregnancy, there is a significant change in hormonal levels, which also leads to changes and shortages of nutrients in the body

The following will help relieve pain and avoid unpleasant pain:

• wearing only comfortable and light shoes where the foot will be relaxed
• wearing special compresses and elastic bandages
• staying in a horizontal state and not being able to stand on your feet for long periods of time
• regular contrast showers and foot baths
• daily morning exercises and evening light exercises that improve blood circulation
• gentle sports or swimming

Eating foods high in calcium and phosphorus will help you get rid of night cramps during pregnancy.

What to do if your calves hurt badly?

At the moment when you are struck by pain in the calves, you need to know about ways to remove it so that you can continue your normal life activities. There are a number of simple but effective home techniques that reduce swelling and eliminate pain:

It is important to know that if pain has been haunting you for a long time and you cannot eliminate it in any way, you should immediately seek advice from a specialist. Only a real doctor can prescribe you a number of effective drugs or creams that will be effective in your individual case.

Tips for eliminating pain and swelling in the legs:

• Try to wear it regularly or wear special ones at least at night compression socks or stockings
• Avoid shoes with high platforms or heels if you regularly suffer from pain and cramps in your calves.
• Book a session with a specialist who will massage your calf muscles regularly
• Frequently give your feet a contrast shower, douche or bath.
• If you have a “sedentary” job, try to arrange simple walks or warm-ups as often as possible
• Balance your diet, include as much food as possible that contains vitamin E, phosphorus and calcium.

Pain in the calves of the legs in men, causes and treatment

• The pain that occurs in the calf muscles in men most often appears due to overwork. Men's specificity of work, work and lifestyle allows them to always be on the move and often do hard work
• The entire load that a man takes on is reflected in the condition of his legs, since it is the calf muscles that are responsible for supporting the body. As a result, the man overstrains his muscles and they respond to him with pain after a while
• A relaxing massage and a hot bath will help relieve discomfort from your legs.
• After this, it is recommended to apply a series of auxiliary drugs- ointments and creams of deep action, penetrating into tissues and having an antispasmodic effect

Pain in the calves of the legs in women, causes, treatment

If a woman regularly experiences pain in the calf muscles, this may be evidence that she is leading an unhealthy lifestyle:

• Her muscles are too weak to support any weight or stress. If this is the case, you need to exercise your legs a little every day: walking, climbing stairs, jogging
• Often, calves hurt because a woman wears very uncomfortable shoes - heels, stilettos and platforms. The leg is in constant voltage. It is urgent to review all your shoes and regulate the load on your feet, wear comfortable shoes or walk a little in uncomfortable shoes
• Another reason for pain in the legs for a woman is being overweight. It also causes a woman’s legs to swell and prevent her from moving normally. In this case, you should follow a diet, exercise more often and drink enough water per day so that the body does not retain excess fluid in the body.

What to do if your child’s calves hurt?

The causes of pain in the legs and calves in a child can be very diverse:

• This could be pain associated with growth - that is, the child increases in size, literally stretches in length, and the muscles are simply not ready for such a leap. Simply put, such pain is the reason rapid growth tissues: muscle and bone
• For the same reason, pain can occur at night, because during the day the legs received good blood flow, but at night it slowed down and limited the supply of beneficial microelements. Such pain can be easily eliminated by gentle stroking to improve blood flow or a gentle massage.
• Pain can occur due to the presence of many pathological diseases development in a child: scoliosis, flat feet, osteochondrosis. In such cases, a shift in the center of gravity occurs - this affects the fact that the body weight does not rest completely on the legs and they hurt
• Diseases of the endocrine system also affect the fact that the child feels pain in the calf muscles. Everything happens because the kidneys may show malfunctions of the thyroid gland. The child may have diabetes. All these diseases disrupt the mineral composition of the blood, which should nourish the muscles with trace elements.
• Neurocircular dystonia limits physical activity child, which leads to the fact that the muscles are not developed and cannot withstand the entire load of the body
• Congenital pathologies cardiovascular system that disrupt normal blood circulation in the body

Other causes of problems and pain in the calf muscles can be physical activity, as well as an unbalanced diet.

Sore calves, treatment with folk remedies

In some cases, traditional medicine can provide particularly strong and effective treatment:

• A compress of young birch leaves - to do this, you need to collect the leaves, pour boiling water over them and apply them to your calves, wrapping them in a bandage. You need to keep this compress for at least several hours.
• Compress from fresh leaves dandelion is one of the most effective and efficient ways. To do this, you need to pick the leaves, crush them finely and apply them to your calves; wrap your legs in a thick cloth. This compress lasts all night
• Rubbing ficus leaves also helps. To do this, cut the leaves, pour vodka and leave for a week. After this, rub the sore feet with the product daily.
• You can also use chestnut tincture, which must be prepared in advance: a liter jar is completely filled with chestnuts and filled with vodka. This rub is used to wipe sore feet.
• It is also recommended to rub your feet with apple cider vinegar - this helps warm up the muscles and relieve pain in them.
• Daily salt baths, which should be given to your feet before bed, will also help. It is best to use sea salt dissolved in warm water
• The same useful baths can be done for feet by adding tansy tincture to them

Drugs and medications for the treatment of calf muscle cramps

The following medications will help relieve pain in the calf muscles:

• Panangin - (can be replaced with “Asparkam”) - in this drug contains sufficient amounts of magnesium and potassium, which can prevent cramps in the lower extremities and eliminate pain
• Vitamin D and Magnesium B6 - in pure form or a mineral complex can have a preventive effect on muscle and bone tissue, eliminating discomfort
• External preparations (ointments and creams): Troxevasin, Vasoketom, Diosmin, Venoflebin

In any case, register effective treatment and only a procedural doctor with sufficient experience can prescribe a number of effective drugs. Only he will be able to clearly identify the cause of your pain and understand the nature of its occurrence. Pain and swelling should always be treated; if you ignore it, you can cause complications in the body’s functioning.

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