The calf muscle was swollen. Severe pain in the calf muscle: causes, symptoms and treatment. Manifestations and diagnoses

The gastrocnemius muscle provides movement of the foot in the sagittal plane and stabilization of the body during movement. Sharp pain in the calf muscle can occur for many reasons. When examining a patient, doctors at the Yusupov Hospital find out the cause of the pain syndrome using modern examination methods.

After the diagnosis is established, treatment is prescribed. The therapy is aimed at eliminating the cause of severe pain in the calf muscle, the mechanism of development of the pathological process and the elimination of pain. Rehabilitologists prescribe modern physiotherapeutic procedures, massage, acupuncture. The senior instructor-methodologist draws up a special program of physical therapy, conducts individual and group classes. Their goal is to relieve muscle spasm, increase the tone of the calf muscle and eliminate pain.

Causes of pain in the calf muscle

A sharp pain in the calf muscle at night or during the day can occur for the following reasons:

damage to the calf muscles after excessive exercise;
pathology of the vessels of the lower extremities (varicose veins, obliterating diseases of the arteries);
sitting or standing work, when oxygen starvation occurs due to venous stasis, toxins accumulate in the muscles of the legs.

Severe pain in the calf muscle when walking develops in patients suffering from obliterating atherosclerosis or endarteritis. Pain in the calf muscle behind is a sign of acute venous thrombosis. There may be pain in the calf muscle of the left leg with an injury. Heel pain radiates to the calf muscle with inflammation of the Achilles tendon. Pain in the calf muscles can be a symptom of ankylosing spondylitis.

Provoke pain in the calf muscles of the disease of the spine. When the structure and function of the intervertebral discs are disturbed, radiating pain occurs that radiates to the legs. Diseases of the peripheral nerves can also provoke pain in the calf muscles. With neuralgia, pain is paroxysmal in nature and occurs along the course of nerve fibers. In the intervals between attacks, the patient does not feel pain.

How to relieve pain in the calf muscle

In order to relieve pain in the calf muscle after an injury, it is necessary to provide rest to the lower limb, put an ice pack on the back of the lower leg, apply an elastic bandage and give the leg an elevated position. 72 hours after the injury to the calf muscle, a heating pad should be applied to the lower leg.

As soon as the swelling subsides, you need to rub the skin over the calf muscle with a pain-relieving balm ("Bengey", "Finalgon") and wrap it with an elastic bandage. With severe pain in the calf muscle, you should take a tablet of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug - ibuprofen, ketanov. If after 7 days the pain does not go away, you need to see a doctor.

With pain in the calf due to injury, you need to reduce the load on the heel. Heel pads can reduce stress on the tendons and calf muscles. You can also make them yourself. To do this, it is enough to cut pieces of cork 6 cm thick and put them in shoes. It is necessary to avoid activities that are associated with an additional load on the calf muscles. No need to walk to the upper floors, ride a bike. Reduces pain in the calf muscle by wearing comfortable shoes. Traumatologists recommend wearing sneakers, for the duration of the illness, refuse to use stiletto heels.

If the cause of pain in the calf muscles is varicose veins of the lower extremities, it is useful to use compression stockings. Arch supports that are placed in shoes under the instep of the foot help to correct imbalances that affect gait and cause pain in the calf muscles.

With a sudden appearance of acute pain in the calf muscles, it is necessary to stop, lie down on a bench, put a roller under your feet and call an ambulance. In this case, the patient needs to consult a phlebologist and provide emergency care. Sharp pain in the calves, like a blow from a whip, disappears after resting for a few minutes. If it reappears, you should contact an angiosurgeon.

Exercises to prevent calf pain

Stretching and strengthening the calf muscles will help prevent future pain. Warm up your feet before exercising. It is best to exercise immediately after a hot shower.

Stand facing the wall, touch it with your palms. Put the toe of one foot to the heel of the other. Leaning on the floor with the heel of the "back" leg and slightly raising your fingers, bend the knee of the "front" limb. Lean against the wall, resting your palms on it. Stay in this position for 30 seconds.

Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you, toes pointing up. If you can reach your toes, grab them with your hands and pull towards you, stretching the calf muscles. If you can’t reach your toes, you can hook your toes with a towel and pull on the ends for 30 seconds.

Sitting in a chair, raise and lower your heels. You can rise on tiptoe, fall, leaning on the back of a chair or table. Repeat each exercise 20 times, eventually increase the number of repetitions to 40. If during the exercise there is pain in the calf muscle, it must be stopped.

Strengthening the lower leg helps relieve pain in the calf muscle. Pour 1 kg of rice into a stocking and place it on your toes while sitting on a chair with your knees bent. Without lifting your heels off the floor, lean forward and pull your toes towards your shin. This exercise strengthens the extensor muscles of the fingers, as a result of which the load on the calf muscle is reduced.

Taping for calf pain

The gastrocnemius muscle is located on the back of the lower leg and consists of two heads that are parallel to each other. They smoothly pass into the Achilles tendon, which very often injures. Given this structural structure, for taping the gastrocnemius muscle, rehabilitation specialists at the Yusupov hospital use only Y-tapes or lymph-tape. Y-tapes are more effective for stretching or tearing the ligament. Lymph-tape is used to accelerate the resorption of edema and bruising after bruises.

Tape is applied for pain in the calf muscle caused by bruising of muscle fibers, stretching of the calf muscle, tears of ligaments and muscle fibers. You can stick the tape on the calf muscle in case of tear or stretching of the calf from the bottom up. When bruised, the lymph tape is glued from top to bottom. Before sticking the tape, the hairline is shaved off and the surface of the lower leg is thoroughly wiped with alcohol.

The position of the patient should contribute to the stretching of the muscles of the lower leg - the foot should be in the direction towards itself. This can be done while lying on your stomach with your leg bent and your foot pointing towards you, or while standing with your leg back and your heel on the floor.

The doctor selects the optimal length of the tape. It should correspond to the anatomical length of the calf muscle, taking into account the percentage of extensibility of the middle part of the elastic band. The tape is placed from the plantar surface of the heel to the knee joint. The first and last 2-3 cm are glued without tension. When stretched, the calf creates a tension of 20-30%, and when bruised, the tape is glued without any tension at all.

Tape beams should be located according to the location of muscle fibers in the gastrocnemius muscle - along the lower leg. If there are signs of an injury to the Achilles tendon at the site of attachment to the gastrocnemius muscle, a short tape is applied perpendicular to the axis of the leg.

Treatment of pain in the calf muscles

If you feel pain in the calf muscles, contact the Yusupov hospital. Doctors will prescribe anti-edematous and anti-inflammatory treatment. After a comprehensive examination using radiography, computed and magnetic resonance imaging, blood and urine tests, a collegial decision will be made on the treatment of the syndrome that causes pain in the calf muscles.

Severe cases of diseases that cause pain in the muscles of the lower leg are discussed by professors and doctors of the highest category at the Yusupov Hospital at a meeting of the expert council. Leading neurologists, rheumatologists, orthopedists, rehabilitation specialists establish an accurate diagnosis and jointly develop tactics for further patient management. Carry out complex treatment aimed at eliminating the cause of pain, the mechanisms of development of the pathological process and the removal of pain. Therapy is carried out with effective drugs that have a minimal range of side effects.

After treatment, patients are offered a comprehensive rehabilitation program. It allows you to get all the necessary procedures at a stable price and save money. If you experience pain in the calf muscle, call the Yusupov hospital, where the contact center is open daily 24 hours a day, seven days a week and a lunch break. Doctors provide emergency medical care around the clock.

Bibliography

ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases)
Yusupov hospital
Badalyan L. O. Neuropathology. - M.: Enlightenment, 1982. - S.307-308.
Bogolyubov, Medical rehabilitation (manual, in 3 volumes). // Moscow - Perm. - 1998.
Popov S. N. Physical rehabilitation. 2005. - P.608.

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Is it any wonder that your calves hurt if the day before you finally got out on a ski trip or danced with rapture all night in high heels? Unaccustomed to such loads, the legs indignantly reproach in the morning with painful sensations and resolutely refuse to obey.

However, pain in the calves can occur suddenly and for no apparent reason, bother for a long time, or be accompanied by additional unpleasant symptoms. And this is already a signal of trouble, to which you need to pay the closest attention.

Calves hurt - causes

The variety of reasons why the calves of the legs hurt does not allow even an experienced doctor to make a diagnosis during the examination. Only additional methods of examination can confirm his assumptions. Excessive activity or unnoticed injury, vascular problems or spinal disorders - the nature of the pain and the accompanying symptoms will tell you what could have caused the trouble. Let's consider some of them.

1. Myositis - inflammation of the calf muscles

The disease can be the result of a flu, injury, hypothermia, or too much stress. Initially, the pain is aching, not sharp, felt only when feeling and walking. However, it gradually intensifies and annoys even at rest. If myositis has developed against the background of an injury, an infection may be attached and the disease turns into a purulent form. In this case, in addition to local hyperthermia, general hyperthermia develops, with fever and signs of intoxication of the body.

2. Neuralgia

Attacks last from a few seconds to 2-5 minutes, in the intervals between them the pain is completely absent. Soreness is felt along the peripheral nerve fibers, it disappears as suddenly as it began.

3. Varicose veins

The calves of the legs hurt in a special way when the outflow of venous blood is disturbed. Long stay in one position - standing or sitting - leads to stagnation of blood, due to which the nerve endings become inflamed. Dull aching pain and a feeling of heaviness in the legs is characteristic of a gradually developing varicose veins. Unpleasant sensations are associated with an increase in pressure in the vessels. The appearance of cramps in the calf muscles and bluish veins is a confirmation of the development of the disease.

4. Thrombophlebitis

An extremely dangerous consequence of varicose veins is the formation of a blood clot in a vein, thrombophlebitis. With this disease, the calves of the legs almost constantly hurt - at first the pain is throbbing, later burning. If the process affects only superficial veins, the skin above them is reddened and painfully thickened. Involvement of deep - manifested by significant swelling of the lower leg. Inflammation is dangerous with the risk of a blood clot breaking off, which threatens with unpredictable consequences.

5. Atherosclerosis of the arteries

Uncomfortable feeling of constriction, calves of the legs hurt and even in summer icy feet - such complaints are typical for those suffering from atherosclerosis. The reason is the thickening of the walls of blood vessels. Pain is aggravated by walking.

6. Diseases of the spine

Various disc pathologies, inflammation of the sciatic nerve (sciatica) or its infringement, cause pain that radiates to the calf muscles. At the same time, the spine itself does not bother.

7. Endarteritis - inflammation of arterial vessels

The calves of the legs hurt, weakness is felt in them when walking - this symptom is called "intermittent claudication". It is often accompanied by seizures and is a sign of inflammatory vascular disease.

8. Micronutrient deficiency

The lack of certain elements often causes calves to hurt, and cramps often occur. This is especially true for future mothers, because they actively feed the baby with their own reserves. Yes, and not everything is in order with the weight, it has increased significantly due to the presence of the baby. Usually there is a lack of calcium or potassium, or several trace elements at the same time. This contributes to the appearance of night cramps and pain in the calf muscles. The nutrition of a pregnant woman should be balanced, but calcium supplements should not be prescribed to yourself, it is better to consult a doctor.

The occurrence of muscle pain in the calves is a rather serious symptom that requires consultation with a specialist. They can be a phlebologist, an infectious disease specialist, a traumatologist, an angiosurgeon or a neurologist.

Sore calves - diagnosis

Diagnosis of pathology, in which the calves of the legs hurt, includes clinical and instrumental studies. First of all, the doctor tries to exclude causes that are life-threatening - thrombophlebitis, arterial obstruction, thrombosis, cancer and various infections. Thrombophlebitis and varicose veins are not difficult to determine - Doppler ultrasound determines whether there are obstructions to blood flow, and transillumination shines through the superficial veins and unmistakably indicates the damaged one. Ultrasonic duplex angioscanning detects a thrombus, assesses its nature and "age", tells about the state of the lumen of the veins.

If it is suspected that the calves of the legs hurt because of the spine, the doctor makes an x-ray of the spine, hip joint and pelvic-sacral joints in several projections. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging help to make a diagnosis. A deficiency of microelements reliably allows you to determine a blood test, and myositis is accurately diagnosed by a neuropathologist.

Which doctor to contact when the calves of the legs hurt, you can try to determine yourself:

- the pain becomes weaker when the legs are raised - problems with the veins;

- tingling and numbness indicate problems with the spine;

- the pain gradually lets go when lowering the legs down - the arteries are to blame;

- frequent convulsions - a lack of iron, calcium or magnesium in the body.

Sore calves - treatment

If the reason why the calves of the legs hurt is established, the doctor prescribes conservative or surgical treatment:

- acute arterial insufficiency - urgent surgical intervention is required;

- deep vein thrombosis - inpatient treatment;

- prolapse of intervertebral discs and tumors of the spine - surgery is indicated;

- varicose veins - the use of special ointments and gels, drug treatment, the use of laser coagulation and sclerotherapy, phlebectomy.

However, the appointment of the necessary treatment is the prerogative of physicians. Regardless of why the calves of the legs hurt, doctors give general advice on alleviating the patient's condition and preventing the development of the disease:

2. Complete nutrition with salt restriction.

3. Compliance with the regimen, sufficient sleep, unhurried walks.

4. Ruthless struggle with excess weight.

5. Therapeutic gymnastics and contrast shower.

6. Rest with legs slightly raised, you can put a pillow or a comfortable cushion.

The calves of the legs hurt - treatment with folk remedies

Not all diseases allow the use of folk remedies. Thrombosis, for example, requires immediate medical attention. However, sometimes it will not be superfluous to use grandmother's secrets, especially in the initial stage of the disease and for prevention purposes.

1. When the calves of the legs hurt from standing for a long time and a feeling of heaviness appears, foot baths will help remove discomfort. To prepare them, pour a handful of mint and lime blossom into 1 liter of boiling water. After half an hour, pour the infusion into a bowl of water and hold your feet in it for about fifteen minutes. This will perfectly relieve fatigue, a feeling of heaviness and will serve as a prevention of the occurrence of varicose veins.

2. An infusion of plantain, nettle and coltsfoot helps from the feeling of fullness and heaviness. For 3 liters of boiling water, you need 4 tablespoons of herbal mixture. Keep the legs in the infusion for 15-20 minutes.

3. The calves of the legs do not hurt and swelling disappears after applying ice wrapped in a cloth to sore spots.

4. Quickly relieve pain in the calf muscles of the bath with the addition of a decoction of pine needles. Pour one hundred grams of healing needles with a liter of cold water, bring to a boil and hold in a water bath for half an hour. After pouring into a basin of water, allow the sore legs to relax in the solution for about fifteen minutes.

5. If the muscles of the legs hurt during spasms or after injuries, a mixture of aloe with various oils sold in a pharmacy helps a lot. Take clove, menthol, eucalyptus and camphor oil, mix with an equal amount of aloe juice. Twice a day, the mixture is gently rubbed into sore calves and covered with a woolen cloth. The duration of the procedure is not limited.

Sore calves - prevention

Some preventive measures not only help prevent dangerous diseases, but also greatly alleviate the patient's condition, stop the development of the disease.

- for normal blood circulation in the legs, it is good to do contrast foot baths, they also help with frequent cramps;

- shoes should be as comfortable and of high quality as possible, you should not get carried away with too high heels;

- vascular, muscular and articular systems react extremely painfully to overweight;

- good nutrition, a diet rich in protein foods with salt restriction, a sufficient amount of fluid consumed are an excellent prevention of a convulsive symptom;

- complete parting with cigarettes and alcohol, exclusion from the diet of too fatty foods;

- daily gymnastics, reasonable alternation of loads and rest;

- the use of compression stockings and stockings, it is better to refuse to wear ordinary ones that are too tight;

- worry about the presence of vitamin E in the diet, on which the tone of the vascular wall depends;

Calm walking, swimming and running are excellent helpers in the prevention of pain in the calves.

It is extremely important to understand that the calves of the legs hurt for a reason, they are trying to give a signal about the presence of possible malfunctions in the body. No need to try to find a suitable remedy in the home first aid kit or ask Aunt Tanya from the fifth floor for advice. You should not use folk remedies until the doctor makes a diagnosis.

If your calves are constantly hurting, put aside everything and consult a specialist. If severe pain occurs suddenly, and you are diagnosed with endarteritis, call an ambulance immediately, a blockage of the artery is possible.

Pain in the calf muscle appears suddenly. There are a lot of reasons that can cause such a manifestation. Many patients do not pay attention to the problem until the deterioration begins.

Reasons for the appearance

Characteristic pains are manifested in different people, at different ages, with different builds, performing different types of activities. Nobody is immune from this problem. Some attribute the pain to long walking, long standing, active sports, wearing high-heeled shoes.

As a rule, pain in the calf does not pose any danger to the body. If the pains are cyclical and recur with a certain frequency, then we can talk about a number of problems. The best option is to see a doctor and carry out a series of diagnostic procedures. The reason, which at first glance seems insignificant, may portend a serious illness.

Starting the diagnosis, doctors eliminate the physiological cause of the manifested pain syndrome in the muscles. What is not considered normal should be investigated immediately. If there is an edematous condition in the ankle area, slight pain in the calf area after prolonged standing or work, then you should not worry. The body naturally responds to stress.

If you give a short break to the legs, then the intensity of the pain will decrease or the discomfort will completely disappear.

The increased work of the muscles leads to the active production of lactic acid, an underoxidized product that is secreted in muscle fibers. It is he who causes the manifestation of pain syndrome.

To reduce the concentration of lactic acid, the legs should be given a break. A few hours of relaxation - and the pain syndrome will stop. You can speed up the process by giving the legs an elevated position. In this case, an increased outflow of blood from the calf muscles will begin, and through the arterial circulation, lactic acid will be more quickly excreted from the body. To reduce unpleasant symptoms, it is enough to take a cool foot bath.

A natural physiological process occurs when a muscle is stretched. In this case, treatment is not required, it is enough to observe peace and a minimum of physical activity. Stretching occurs due to sudden movements, at a time when the muscle did not have time to relax from the previous contraction. Athletes are prone to such pain. Each session should begin with proper stretching.

Possible pathologies

There are a number of other reasons that can cause discomfort. A significant place is occupied by:

Phlebeurysm.
Infectious pathology.
Side effect of the drug.
Infringement of the nerve fibers of the calf muscles.
Pathological processes in the field of the musculoskeletal system.
Inflammatory process and venous thrombosis.

Pain, which is permanent, most often manifests itself in the 2nd half of the day. The first symptom of varicose veins is swelling in the ankles. The disease itself can be suspected before the appearance of more serious symptoms. Unpleasant sensations and a vivid pain syndrome can occur when venous blood stagnation in the legs begins.

The veins that overflow with blood begin to compress the pain receptors. Treatment of varicose veins at the initial stage will avoid problems in the future.

In the case of diagnosing thrombophlebitis and phlebothrombosis, the pain is pulsating. There are a number of other symptoms that will help determine the ongoing inflammatory process. In the case of phlebitis, the skin becomes much hotter and redder, the patient's body temperature rises.

With thrombosis, the patient has an increase in swelling. The size of a diseased leg exceeds the size of a healthy one by 1.5-2 times. The pain syndrome has a pronounced character.

If you do not pay due attention, the problem will begin to progress. If the pain is intermittent, you should immediately seek help from a phlebologist.

Aching or sharp pain in the calf muscle is an unpleasant symptom of many diseases. Such a complaint appears in people due to the usual overwork after physical exertion or in response to a pathological process in the body. Having determined why the calves of the legs hurt, you can treat the underlying ailment, after which the symptom will go away and the condition will improve.

To search for the root cause, it will be necessary to identify concomitant disorders and, based on a complex of symptoms, conduct an 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. This will depend on the approach to treatment.

Why calves hurt:

inflammatory and destructive diseases of the spine;
vascular anomalies, varicose veins or thrombophlebitis;
neuralgia of the sciatic nerve.

With a symptom of neurological origin, there will be a short-term shooting pain. It appears in response to an irritant, when a muscle is struck or stretched. Pain in the calves will increase with physical exertion, and subside in a state of rest.

The source of the unpleasant phenomenon may be inflammation of the muscle tissue. In this case, we are talking about myositis resulting from damage or after surgery. With an injury to the muscles of the lower leg, there will be aching pain, which increases during walking and running.

Diseases of the endocrine system, including diabetes, can also be manifested by this symptom. This will be accompanied by numbness of the limbs, the appearance of convulsions mainly at night.

With persistent soreness in the calves, you should also be examined for the presence of osteoporosis, osteomyelitis, and a malignant tumor of the bones.

Diseases of the veins

Pain in the calf of the legs often accompanies varicose veins and thrombosis. Acute circulatory disorders in the shin area will be accompanied by edema, a pronounced pain syndrome due to compression of the nerve endings.

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

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

Varicose veins

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

It is necessary to be examined for such symptoms:

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

Vascular diseases

Violations of the arterial vessels give a symptom of soreness of the calf muscle with obstruction of the arteries. The symptom may also indicate a circulatory failure of the main artery.

In addition to pain, there are such symptoms:

The calves of the legs can hurt with chronic arterial insufficiency. This condition is manifested in the case of ischemia. The pain will intensify after walking or running for a long time and at night. The symptom subsides for a short time after rest.

Pathologies of joints and bones

People with persistent pain in the calves are advised to examine the joints first. This symptom is manifested in arthritis of various origins. This is an inflammatory disease of the joint and its surrounding tissues. In addition to pain in the calves, there will be an increase in temperature, a violation of motor function, an increase in symptoms in the morning and at night.

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

Osteomyelitis is a serious disease in which inflammation of the bone tissue occurs. All components are affected, including the brain. More often the legs are affected, which is associated with the peculiarities of the structure of the bone.

Alarm symptoms:

If you experience these symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor. With an exacerbation of the disease, the symptoms will be pronounced. In the remission stage, mild soreness will be present, including the calf muscle.

Diseases of the spine

Osteochondrosis, herniated disc, tumors, tuberculosis, traumatic injury - these are representatives of severe diseases of the spinal column, which, in addition to other symptoms, are manifested by pain in the calves.

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

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

With osteochondrosis, pain will also spread from the damaged area along the sciatic nerve. Uncomplicated disease is manifested by a mild pain syndrome without restriction 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 a loss of sensitivity, up to paralysis, which is why it is recommended to consult a doctor with constant pain in the calves.

Myositis and trichinosis

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

Inflammation can be suspected by the following signs:

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

Stretching and tearing of the muscles will also be manifested by pain that occurs immediately or develops within a day after the injury. Outwardly, you can see swelling, redness of the skin and hematoma. There are spasms and convulsions at night, which is why the headache and irritability from lack of sleep join.

Nerve inflammation

When there is acute 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 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 overweight people, pain can be not only against the background of increased load, but also due to diabetes. This severe disease, if left untreated, can 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 be to normalize blood sugar and eliminate the consequences.

With alarming symptoms, you need to contact an endocrinologist. If you have already had to deal with the consequences of diabetes, the surgeon will deal with the treatment of diabetic foot.

General principles of treatment

What to do with constant pain in the calves:

In case of vascular diseases, conservative treatment or surgical correction will be carried out. When diseases of the spine became the cause of the symptom, the doctor will prescribe therapeutic exercises and physiotherapy procedures. In inflammatory processes, drug treatment will be carried out.

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

In case of diseases of the joints or muscle tissue, it is useful to undergo a course of physiotherapy. When prescribing physiotherapy, the therapeutic effect will be directed directly to the cause of the pain.

To relieve pain syndrome is prescribed:

cryotherapy;
electrophoresis;
heat treatment;
therapeutic baths;
magnetotherapy and others.

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

How to get rid of pain yourself

With aching pain in the calves of the legs after a long walk or hard physical work, massage can be done. 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 herbal preparations. A decoction of immortelle flowers, birch leaves from carrot seeds copes well with soreness. It is necessary to mix these ingredients and pour boiled water. When the decoction has been infused for several hours, it can be heated and used as a foot bath.

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

Soreness can be caused by the deposition of salts. In this case, oral medications will help. For their preparation, you can use herbal preparations, having previously read the instructions and possible side reactions.

How to prevent calf pain

Here are some tips to help prevent calf pain:

Getting rid of excess weight. Obesity not only puts a lot of stress on the legs, but also causes many internal diseases.
To give up smoking. This habit leads to circulatory disorders, and the legs suffer the most from this.
Complete rest. Healthy sleep, regular walking, avoiding stress will help strengthen the body and increase resistance.
Nutrition correction. First of all, you need to limit the use of salt, which contributes to the appearance of edema.

The best way to forget about soreness in the legs is to do therapeutic exercises, which involves strengthening the muscles. Regular exercise in the morning will already 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, the doctor may prescribe painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. They will help only temporarily get rid of an unpleasant symptom, but their reception should not become a habit.

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

The state of pain in the calves may indicate normal overload, as a signal that it would be time to rest. But sometimes the occurrence of pain is a symptom of the disease. This part of the body accounts for the main burden when walking, playing sports, and any physical activity. From what calves can hurt, we will analyze in the 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, picked up something heavy. In a word overload. Lovely ladies suffer from such an ailment when they are in high heels for a long time. Pain can last from six hours to a day or more. It depends on the degree of overload. Sometimes a little rest is enough, and the pain subsides.
muscle strain. This is the "ailment" of athletes who train daily and increase the load. This state of affairs is common. However, you will have to postpone training for a while so that the muscles in the calves return to normal.

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

Phlebeurysm. Severe disease associated with blood stasis in the veins. You can recognize the disease at the initial stage, when the ankles of the legs begin to swell. The veins swell. The patient feels dull pain and heaviness in the legs. Arterial pressure rises.

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

Thrombophlebitis proceeds as an inflammatory process of the veins of the leg, accompanied by severe edema of the lower extremities. The skin of the legs becomes red with a hint of blue.
Phlebothrombosis It is characterized by the formation of blood clots in the veins, which causes reddening of the skin of the legs against the background of high temperature. In places of the affected veins, the legs become hot.

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

Curvature of the spine, herniated discs, osteochondrosis and other diseases of the spine affect the formation of pain in the calves. The spine - as the basis of the skeleton, takes on a large load. In case of violations of the functions of the spinal column, the load passes to the lower limbs, which causes inflammation in the calf muscles, accompanied by pain.

Neurological diseases. Violations in this area can create an imbalance of the whole body, in particular the legs. The defeat of the nerve fibers causes a sharp pain in the calf muscles, numbness and fever in the lower limb. The pain syndrome disappears as suddenly as it begins.

Circulatory disorder causing in 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 - toxic substances accumulate in the calves. All this leads to severe pain. when walking, and in night time to convulsions. Night cramps- a common occurrence. At this time of day, the limbs relax - the calf muscles begin to reduce.

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 muscles of the legs (video)

In a short video, Dr. Shperling M.M. talk about the causes of a convulsive condition 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 is difficult to get through the veins. Pain in the calves is pulsating in nature. The patient has cold feet at any time of the year.

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

Pain sensations of an intense nature intensify when walking and during palpation of sore spots. The main symptom indicating the presence of a worm is the patient's face - it acquires a "frog" shade. Urticaria appears on the skin.

Pain in the calf muscles in children

Pain in the calf muscles of a child is mainly associated with the characteristics of his growth. From the first days of life to puberty, intensive growth occurs. Metabolism occurs at a breakneck pace.

The development of the vascular system in childhood has its own characteristics and a 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 that 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. In sports, children overload themselves with physical exercises. The muscles of the calves are overstressed, causing pain.

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

Increasingly, there are cases diabetes mellitus disease in children. The endocrine system begins to malfunction, the kidneys do not work properly, the metabolism is disturbed. A sick child may fall from weakness while walking, injuring the feet and lower leg. In diabetes, the calf muscles become weak and sore from standing for a long time.
Small stress in children can cause lameness due to pain in the calves. Emotional children suffer the most. Practice shows that as soon as the child calms down, lameness disappears.
Intramuscular pain in the calves can be triggered by congenital and acquired diseases, such as: flat feet, scoliosis, posture disorder. 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 minerals, in particular, phosphorus and calcium delivers unpleasant pain in the calf muscle. Sports children are more often affected. Muscles and joints from a lack of substances or their improper assimilation become weak. With physical exertion and walking, pain in the calves intensifies.
Sharp shooting in the calf muscle of a child may indicate prolapse of the kidneys or varicose veins. In this case, urgent medical attention is needed.
Infectious diseases- influenza, SARS, tonsillitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis and others are accompanied by pain in the calf muscles. The pains are shooting in nature.
Shooting in the calf in the morning can be a symptom of the onset leukemia.
congenital and acquired cardiovascular diseases interfere with the child's circulation. The walls of the vessels narrow, blood stagnation occurs, which gives pain to the muscles of the legs. Varicose veins can become a complication.
Neurocirculatory dystonia by hypotonic type in childhood causes pain in the calves at night. The child does not sleep well, suffers from a lack of oxygen and heart failure.
Stretching muscles and ligaments is a common thing for teenagers. Due to their mobility, children often receive minor injuries and bruises. Moreover, the pain syndrome does not occur immediately. Pain in the calves is spontaneous when the legs are in a relaxed state.

If the child's lameness for no apparent reason does not go away for more than two days, be sure to contact a specialist.

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

Pain in the calf muscle can take you by surprise. Most often it is convulsions. You can remove pain cider by placing your feet on a cold floor and intensively rubbing your calves.

The second effective way is to prick the calves with a needle. This effect helps to restore blood circulation, and the pain goes away. The method of "acupuncture" is practiced by pregnant women. Future mothers deliberately put a pin under the pillow at night to give themselves first aid on their own.

Injuries, severe sprains and bruises are also spontaneous. If you feel a sharp pain, do not try to "hobble" to the house on your own. Sit in a comfortable position and call an ambulance to take you to the emergency room.

If you have a serious foot injury at home and feel severe pain, you can drink an anesthetic, lie down with your foot on a hill, and wait for the arrival of the doctors.

If the calf muscles constantly make themselves felt, and you do not see the reasons for this condition, be sure to contact the specialists.

With a pain syndrome in the calves of a child, it is necessary 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. The specialist will examine a small patient, and prescribe an examination, the results of which will make a diagnosis.

Diagnosis and treatment

In case of injuries, sprains and bruises, it is necessary to immediately contact a traumatologist, who will perform a visual examination and send a picture 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.
Ultrasonography which will allow you to fix 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 diseases associated with calf pain, diagnosis can be complicated. You may be offered to go to the hospital to undergo a comprehensive examination, to pass additional tests.

The treatment of muscle pain in the calves will depend on the cause of this condition and the severity of the disease, which resulted in pain in the muscles. 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, physiotherapy exercises, physiotherapy, massage, acupuncture, manual therapy are prescribed.