Treatment for Calf Muscle Strain??

My mum who is 77 years old has been suffering from calf muscle strain for about 15 years now and has never managed to cure the problem. She experiences and aching pain from the middle of her calf muscle down to her ankles and after excessive walking the pain is more pronounced and a lot worse.

I know she had some physio for a short while on the NHS and then she tried some accupuncture too with little success at a private chinese herbal clinic and I just wanted to know what`s the best treatment for this type of condition and if someone could recommend a specialist treatment centre where she could get the appropiate treatment.

Also is there a cure for calf muscle strain? Or do you simply have to get the correct treatment?

Many thanks.

Hello. The cause of the calf pain needs to be figured out prior to figuring out the best treatment. It is possible that her calf pain is caused by vascular issues, so the pain occurs due to blood vessel issues, rather than muscular.

There are numerous ways to treat tight calf muscles, from stretching to heat to acupuncture to massage, and so on. If the issue is vascular none of these will help. To help figure it out, head in with your mom to see the doctor.

Hi Violablue,

My mom has been to the doctor to discover if the problem is being caused by vascular factors and they have informed her that it is not.

What are her options now? What would be the most effective treatment for this problem?

Many thanks,
Gordon.

Hi Gordon,

You'd want to rule out disk issue in the back as well, which can cause pain radiating down the legs, though usually this doesn't occur with walking, which puts the back into extension. Hopefully the doctor checked that out as well. Is your mom diabetic?

Here's a link to a well-balanced tight approac to tight calves that looks at not just the calves (you'll need to check out deeper links) but issues that also arise around them (weak core and back, tight hamstrings). Looking at all of these things will likely be an excellent approach for your mother, as these are also issues that come up with older people. So looking at a strong core, as well as releasing other muscles that are tight in the chain, and then I'd add in some good lower body strengthening too. Something as simple as sitting to standing from a chair is a functional way to begin. Starting with what she can do numberwise. And working up to sets of ten, done at various times throughout the day.

To get an idea of your mom's muscular state, going to a good massage therapist can be very helpful. A physio can help guide your mom on the path of muscle rebalancing. And can also set her up in a program that can help her do very well as she ages.

You could definitely seek a podiatrist and get a gait test, that would see if it's anything to do with footwear or walking. The maybe try some massage on the calf and as the physio and some gentle stretch exercises.

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p.s. ask the physio to work the achilles as well.