My calf muscle first went "boing!" on a 30-minute run around the neighborhood before dinner one Saturday evening in late January. There was no "pop", just what seemed like a low level cramp in the muscle between my heel and my calf. (I think the technical name is soleus muscle.) I ran through it, but it got worse, so I hobbled home. No pain the next day, but I figured it would be good to give it some rest.
Two weeks later, same thing. I gave it a month. Ditto while snowshoeing. I did a lot of research. I caved in and went to the doctor. She told me the muscle would tear, bleed and scar and I had to give it a couple of months so when I put stress on it (running), it would be strong enough to give. OK. Two months later... rip!
I went to the physio. The first one zapped the sucker with a laser. Rip. The next one gave me exercises. I also started to massage the sucker with my thumbs and jam it with a stick. (Deep tissue massage.) It got better! I ran the Knee Knacker 50K, but a week later while on a 30-minute run with the kids, it ripped again. I figure the thing has ripped eight (8) times. My wife tells me it has been more than that.
Sigh. All of the best-made plans for races and adventures during 2008 down the tubes.
Last week, Adam Janke at Active Orthopaedic set me up with a thing called TriggerPoint. These balls and rollers provide a way to give yourself deep tissue massage. It sure hurts like after a physio does deep tissue massage. Good hurt, if you know what I mean. I'm no physio, though. Makes me kind of wonder if I'm making more of a mess of myself?
Here are a few articles I could find that I hope will help you if you have the same problem:
Sportsmedicine.about.com
Physio Bob
Has anyone used the TriggerPoint system? Any thoughts? Any general thoughts on how to overcome a soleus tear?
Comments
Maybe Sibylle can give you 'active release'?