REMINDER: THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. has no obligation to monitor the Forums. However, THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. reserves the right to review any materials submitted to or posted on the Forums, and remove, delete, redact or otherwise modify such materials, in its sole discretion and for any reason whatsoever, at any time and from time to time, without notice or further obligation to you. THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. has no obligation to display or post any materials provided by you. THE ARENA PLATFORM, INC. reserves the right to disclose, at any time and from time to time, any information or materials that we deem necessary or appropriate to satisfy any applicable law, regulation, contract obligation, legal or dispute process or government request. Click on the following hyperlinks to further read the applicable Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Sidebar Sidebar

Torn calf muscle

M

montygoesbananas

Oct 5, 2021
61
109
33
Tore my calf muscle yesterday walking out into line up jumped off left foot to jump over whitewash and rip. I had strained it pretty bad 2 weeks prior but wasn’t sure that it was a full tear, felt like I was nearly recovered and then bang. First strain was pushing left foot on skateboard after having done some road cycling day before, assume calf was pretty tight. Had nearly recovered full range of motion but now I feel like I have torn way more than first one. Any recommendations on recovery time for surfing/time out of water/exercises from someone who has done this before?
Ive spent last 24 hours icing it amd resting, try to get to physio tomorrow. Just wondering if I’m out of the water for 2-3 months now and miss winter swells…
 
E

elcalvo

Michael Peterson status
Mar 16, 2004
3,320
440
83
NE
I did that to my calf on a diving board a number of years back.
When it happened, I thought I was going to be down for months.
Fortunately, recovery took a number of weeks, not months.
Keep icing for a few days. Then you can switch to heat.
Don't do anything that is painful. Rest it and let it heal.
If you had an external wound in your leg, you wouldn't keep pulling at it and stretching it to make it heal.
The same is true for an internal wound. Let it heal and you will be back surfing well before winter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: encladd, Aruka and Northern_Shores
GromsDad

GromsDad

Duke status
Jan 21, 2014
54,658
16,517
113
West of the Atlantic. East of the ICW.
montygoesbananas said:
Tore my calf muscle yesterday walking out into line up jumped off left foot to jump over whitewash and rip. I had strained it pretty bad 2 weeks prior but wasn’t sure that it was a full tear, felt like I was nearly recovered and then bang. First strain was pushing left foot on skateboard after having done some road cycling day before, assume calf was pretty tight. Had nearly recovered full range of motion but now I feel like I have torn way more than first one. Any recommendations on recovery time for surfing/time out of water/exercises from someone who has done this before?
Ive spent last 24 hours icing it amd resting, try to get to physio tomorrow. Just wondering if I’m out of the water for 2-3 months now and miss winter swells…
Click to expand...
I did the same exact thing about 15 years ago. Dawn patrol jumping over waves waiting for a set to pass to paddle out. Felt like a bomb went off in my calf. Had to be helped over the dunes to get back to my car. Hurt to even walk for two weeks and was 6-8 weeks before I surfed again.
 
$kully

$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
60,215
16,981
113
montygoesbananas said:
Tore my calf muscle yesterday walking out into line up jumped off left foot to jump over whitewash and rip. I had strained it pretty bad 2 weeks prior but wasn’t sure that it was a full tear, felt like I was nearly recovered and then bang. First strain was pushing left foot on skateboard after having done some road cycling day before, assume calf was pretty tight. Had nearly recovered full range of motion but now I feel like I have torn way more than first one. Any recommendations on recovery time for surfing/time out of water/exercises from someone who has done this before?
Ive spent last 24 hours icing it amd resting, try to get to physio tomorrow. Just wondering if I’m out of the water for 2-3 months now and miss winter swells…
Click to expand...
I had a partial tear (confirmed with MRI) with retraction. I did it snowboarding off piste on crappy snow at snowbird. Wasn’t doing anything particularly challenging, just traversing to a ridge in mineral basin that looked like it had better snow. I was on my toe edge, lost my edge and was sliding out onto my belly and on my way down my edge caught again putting a tremendous amount of torque on my leg in the wrong direction and I felt it tear multiple times in one motion. Hurt like a motherfooker. Closer to the back of my knee than my calf. That was Jan 28 2022. More than a year later, after 6 months of phys therapy it’s still not 100% I have a visible dent in my calf where the tear happened and it almost constantly feels super tight like I’m on the edge of a cramp. Sometimes I wonder if I actually needed surgery and my ortho missed it.
 
  • Sad
Reactions: One-Off
One-Off

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
14,211
10,419
113
33.8N - 118.4W
montygoesbananas said:
Tore my calf muscle yesterday walking out into line up jumped off left foot to jump over whitewash and rip. I had strained it pretty bad 2 weeks prior but wasn’t sure that it was a full tear, felt like I was nearly recovered and then bang. First strain was pushing left foot on skateboard after having done some road cycling day before, assume calf was pretty tight. Had nearly recovered full range of motion but now I feel like I have torn way more than first one. Any recommendations on recovery time for surfing/time out of water/exercises from someone who has done this before?
Ive spent last 24 hours icing it amd resting, try to get to physio tomorrow. Just wondering if I’m out of the water for 2-3 months now and miss winter swells…
Click to expand...
Let us know what your physio says.

Last Thursday I went for a run. I was going to do 13 miles but coming up to four miles my calf slowly started to hurt. While I was debating whether to continue I hit an short uphill and my calf decided for me. Hurt bad. Then I made the mistake of jogging (limping) the four miles back home (I should have just walked). Still sore four days later. Was debating surfing this AM but waves looked small and so not really worth risking making it worse.

I did my usual barbell work out on Saturday which made me realize that none of the lifts I do (DL, LBB, OHP, bent over rows and forward lunges) work the calves (well maybe the lunge a little). I was thinking of adding calf raises while holding the barbell (with, maybe, 115 pounds on it) to build strength and prevent (?) future injury. So , I am curious what your physio prescribes.
 
$kully

$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
60,215
16,981
113
One-Off said:
Let us know what your physio says.

Last Thursday I went for a run. I was going to do 13 miles but coming up to four miles my calf slowly started to hurt. While I was debating whether to continue I hit an short uphill and my calf decided for me. Hurt bad. Then I made the mistake of jogging (limping) the four miles back home (I should have just walked). Still sore four days later. Was debating surfing this AM but waves looked small and so not really worth risking making it worse.

I did my usual barbell work out on Saturday which made me realize that none of the lifts I do (DL, LBB, OHP, bent over rows and forward lunges) work the calves (well maybe the lunge a little). I was thinking of adding calf raises while holding the barbell (with, maybe, 115 pounds on it) to build strength and prevent (?) future injury. So , I am curious what your physio prescribes.
Click to expand...
My phys therapist had me doing a lot of calf raises. On one foot and two feet with slow release. A bunch of plyometrix work. And a lot of stability work. Stuff like stand on one foot and hold your balance while leaning forward and touching cones in varying positions, standing on one foot on soft foam pads to destabilize for extended periods. Also walking forward and backwards on my toes. I found the stability work to be the most difficult.
 
  • Like
Reactions: One-Off
One-Off

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
14,211
10,419
113
33.8N - 118.4W
Chocki said:
Click to expand...
What does wrapping the leg with the band do?

I went surfing despite my better judgement and could not lean into frontside bottom turns at all. Right now I can do calf raises with both legs but if I try to do just the right (injured leg) it hurts too much.
 
Chocki

Chocki

Phil Edwards status
Feb 18, 2007
6,487
7,010
113
Planet Earth
One-Off said:
What does wrapping the leg with the band do?

I went surfing despite my better judgement and could not lean into frontside bottom turns at all. Right now I can do calf raises with both legs but if I try to do just the right (injured leg) it hurts too much.
Click to expand...
benjaminjstevens.com

(How) Does Voodoo Floss work? - Dr Benjamin J Stevens

REPOSTED FROM MY OLD, NOW-DEFUNCT WEBSITE. THIS ARTICLE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2012. ***Disclaimer: I am not a Voodoo Expert (chiropractor, yes, but that’s another story). I am simply digesting out loud to stimulate my own thoughts on the matter. After having tried Voodoo Floss myself and seen...
benjaminjstevens.com benjaminjstevens.com
 
M

montygoesbananas

Oct 5, 2021
61
109
33
Sounds like I’m lucky grade 1 tear, only 12mm or so. Walking now one week after (carefully) and expects can return to surfing in around 4 weeks. Theraband for next couple of days to build up calf without gravity, build up to calf raises mid week. Keep off the Nurofen and Voltaren now which I had already, apparently bit of inflammation ok in helping muscle tears heal. Physio said both skating and jumping over a wave one foot whilst paddling out common ways to do a tear.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aruka and encladd
One-Off

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
14,211
10,419
113
33.8N - 118.4W
montygoesbananas said:
Sounds like I’m lucky grade 1 tear, only 12mm or so. Walking now one week after (carefully) and expects can return to surfing in around 4 weeks. Theraband for next couple of days to build up calf without gravity, build up to calf raises mid week. Keep off the Nurofen and Voltaren now which I had already, apparently bit of inflammation ok in helping muscle tears heal. Physio said both skating and jumping over a wave one foot whilst paddling out common ways to do a tear.
Click to expand...
He didn't recoomend anything past calf raises? Raises with weights? Or more dynamic, explosive movements? I mean you want to build enough strength that jumping over a one foot wave doesn't injure you, right? Box jumps, jump squats, burpees?
 
Last edited:
$kully

$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
60,215
16,981
113
One-Off said:
He didn't recoomend anything past calf raises? Raises with weights? Or more dynamic, explosive movements? I mean you want to build enough strength that jumping over a one foot wave doesn't injure you, right? Box jumps, jump , squats, burpees?
Click to expand...
Wrong!

At least not for a while. My tear was partial and not a full tear but I was warned that I was at an exponentially increased risk of it turning into a full tear which would require surgery and should avoid explosive movements for a while as it healed and I built strength.
 
  • Like
Reactions: encladd
One-Off

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
14,211
10,419
113
33.8N - 118.4W
$kully said:
Wrong!

At least not for a while. My tear was partial and not a full tear but I was warned that I was at an exponentially increased risk of it turning into a full tear which would require surgery and should avoid explosive movements for a while as it healed and I built strength.
Click to expand...
I understand you wouldn't do them until it's healed, but eventually. It seems jumping over a one foot wave should not tear the muscle.
 
need 4 speed

need 4 speed

Phil Edwards status
Nov 1, 2003
6,705
3,621
113
SoCal
GromsDad said:
Felt like a bomb went off in my calf.
Click to expand...
me too. Late to the calf issue party. Last day of my Nica trip jumping over some white wash to paddle out. The picture is 3-4 weeks since the injury (I didn't have the big divot in before). Thought about seeing a Dr., but assumed they would send me for an MRI, talk a bunch and then tell me there's nothing I can do but surgery or slow rehab. So I decided to do nothing. Thoughts from the erBB brain trust?

calf.JPG
 
  • Wow
Reactions: john4surf
$kully

$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
60,215
16,981
113
need 4 speed said:
me too. Late to the calf issue party. Last day of my Nica trip jumping over some white wash to paddle out. The picture is 3-4 weeks since the injury (I didn't have the big divot in before). Thought about seeing a Dr., but assumed they would send me for an MRI, talk a bunch and then tell me there's nothing I can do but surgery or slow rehab. So I decided to do nothing. Thoughts from the erBB brain trust?

View attachment 154201
Click to expand...
Yours is lower and closer to your Achilles. This is mine over a year later…

IMG_7855.jpeg
 
  • Wow
Reactions: john4surf
$kully

$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
60,215
16,981
113
need 4 speed said:
Crazy, its never going to be the same(I think ours are very similar location)
Click to expand...
I’m tripping how your calf divot is almost identical.

I’m still after a year plus wary about explosive activities. It never really hurts anymore but is tight on almost a daily basis at times feeling like it’s on the edge of a cramp that never comes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: need 4 speed
need 4 speed

need 4 speed

Phil Edwards status
Nov 1, 2003
6,705
3,621
113
SoCal
$kully said:
I’m tripping how your calf divot is almost identical.

I’m still after a year plus wary about explosive activities. It never really hurts anymore but is tight on almost a daily basis at times feeling like it’s on the edge of a cramp that never comes.
Click to expand...
same
 
M

montygoesbananas

Oct 5, 2021
61
109
33
One-Off said:
I understand you wouldn't do them until it's healed, but eventually. It seems jumping over a one foot wave should not tear the muscle.
Click to expand...
Yep more involved exercises to come down the track, need to focus on healing next week or so and build up from there. I can’t do a controlled calf raise at the moment without spasm/pain so just need to take it easy before going too hard (which is what I did first time then reinjured)
 
  • Like
Reactions: One-Off
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Share this page
Top Bottom