Pulled Calf Muscle Symptoms & Causes

The specific symptoms you’ll experience with a pulled calf muscle depend upon the severity of the muscle strain. They are typically painful and potentially nagging, because you involve your calf with every step.

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Common pulled calf muscle symptoms include:

  • sudden, sharp pain in the lower leg during exercise – most usually felt during sprinting or bursts of speed and potentially accompanied by a “popping” feeling.
  • a spasm or stiffness in the back of the lower leg, especially felt when stretching.
  • swelling and tenderness
  • bruising in the calf, foot, or ankle (indicates blood vessels have been broken). Sometimes the bruise may appear below the calf pain. The bruise is a collection of spilled blood and other toxins, and with gravity it can occur below the source of the actual problem.
  • overall weakness in the calf muscles
  • irregularity in the muscle (in the event that the muscle fibers ruptured.)

There are numerous possible causes of a pulled calf muscle, however, let’s take a look at some of the most common causes:

  • lack of flexibility in the calf muscles
  • poor calf strength
  • being overtired or not warming up prior to training or a competition
  • overstretching the calf (pushing the muscles past their tension threshold)
  • sudden stress upon calf muscles
  • impact to the calf muscles by an outside force

Additionally, you are at risk for a calf strain if you are exercising during cold weather, while over-tired or if you’ve had a history of calf injuries.

For information on treatment on pulled calf muscle ailment read:

Pulled Calf Muscle Treatment

 

Related Pulled Hamstring Articles:
Pulled Calf Muscle
Severity of Pulled Calf Muscle
Pulled Calf Muscle Treatment & Therapies
Preventing Pulled Calf Muscle