Tore my calf muscle

[Gene_WI]

Shooting an indoor match today. Second stage of the match, the 19-01 classifier. Moving to the second array, I feel like someone or something hit me in the back of the leg. Felt very odd. Shot the second array, leg starts hurting. Unload show clear... excruciating pain by now. I was half expecting to see blood. Was thinking that I either caught frag, a ricochet, or I shoot myself? Anyway look down at my leg and see nothing. Oddest thing ever. After I finished the match limping and dragging one leg, get home to find out that I tore my calf muscle.

 

Out of the blue, without twisting anything or pushing too hard, my calf just ripped.

 

I had a great classifier run

[AR Gunner]

I did the same thing years ago. Sorry to hear it. 

[TK66]

It sucks!  You're lucky it wasn't your Achilles...   I completely ripped mine apart a couple years ago.  Hope you have a speedy recovery!     

[Gary Stevens]

I'm about 7 weeks into a calf muscle. About 90 percent healed. Only taking Naproxen twice a day and wearing a brace if I'm outside. Not too bad now.

 

Good luck.

 

Gary

[Tampa-XD45]

There are three grades of calf tears/strains.  My grade 2 tear took 4 weeks to fully heal.  I did Naproxen most of the 1st week plus ice & heat, and I bought a calf compression 

sleeve like this one:  Amazon Link

[Gene_WI]

Unfortunately it sounds like I am not alone in this kind of match screw up. I have been getting laser treatments for the tear, and they seem to help a ton. 

[Gene_WI]

8 hours ago, Tampa-XD45 said:

There are three grades of calf tears/strains.  My grade 2 tear took 4 weeks to fully heal.  I did Naproxen most of the 1st week plus ice & heat, and I bought a calf compression 

sleeve like this one:  Amazon Link

 

Thanks for the link. Might have to try these out.

[ClarenceOveur]

Tore a calf muscle a few years ago. Seemed like not much healing the first couple weeks, then it became noticeably stronger every week. Physical therapy 3X a week seemed to help. Not much you can do to speed up the recovery, but be very careful with it, easy to reinjure the muscle before it is fully recovered.

 

Good luck.

[Merldizzle]

This thread makes me want to stretch now. Sorry to hear you folks had injuries while trying to shoot and have fun.  

[Boudreaux78]

Tore my calf muscle at work in June last year. Was healed by August but not back to full strength till late September. Now I don’t even think about it. Crazy part is how easy it was, but thankful it wasn’t my Achilles. Good luck with the healing process and don’t forget to stretch!

[RH39]

On 12/12/2020 at 8:11 PM, Gene_WI said:

Shooting an indoor match today. Second stage of the match, the 19-01 classifier. Moving to the second array, I feel like someone or something hit me in the back of the leg. Felt very odd. Shot the second array, leg starts hurting. Unload show clear... excruciating pain by now. I was half expecting to see blood. Was thinking that I either caught frag, a ricochet, or I shoot myself? Anyway look down at my leg and see nothing. Oddest thing ever. After I finished the match limping and dragging one leg, get home to find out that I tore my calf muscle.

 

Out of the blue, without twisting anything or pushing too hard, my calf just ripped.

 

I had a great classifier run

Exact same thing happened to me at Limited Nationals two years ago.

[CGoodwin]

As a shooter and a physical therapist, I read this thread with great interest. I'm surprised that no one mentioned physical therapy. I treat athletes with calf strains frequently and help them get great results. My strongest suggestion for management of the injury is to get some PT!

 

As far as stretching, it is good to do so. However, two caveats about stretching. First, it, by itself, is useless for injury prevention. Coupling stretch activities with plyometric training is key. Secondly, never do a pre match stretch. Just like you wouldn't go lift weights as part of same day match prep, stretching can cause decreased muscle performance for several hours afterwards. While the difference may be marginal, it is real.

[UpYoursPal]

That’s interesting.  Usually I’ll do some active stretching for the hips and knees before a match.  Is there a proper way to limber up for increased mobility?  Or if you know there’s a low port coming up and you need just a little extra flexibility?

[Boudreaux78]

On 5/23/2021 at 10:43 AM, UpYoursPal said:

That’s interesting.  Usually I’ll do some active stretching for the hips and knees before a match.  Is there a proper way to limber up for increased mobility?  Or if you know there’s a low port coming up and you need just a little extra flexibility?

Before stretching, you should get your blood flowing through your muscles. Jumping jacks or a light jog for a minute or two should work. Moving stretches seem to be the best types of stretches. Focus on hip flexors, hamstrings, glutes, quads, and calves. Throw in a few trunk twist and shoulder rotations and you should be fine

[range_addict]

That's crazy how you can tear a muscle like that while stationary.  Hope you have a good recovery bud!

[Halen]

On 12/31/2020 at 11:21 PM, Merldizzle said:

This thread makes me want to stretch now. Sorry to hear you folks had injuries while trying to shoot and have fun.  

 

Stretch, get a massage, stretch again .. and run a warm up lap just to be sure!

[Vanniek71]

Older thread here but just tore my calf yesterday while aggressively moving from a shooting box to another shooting area.

 

Felt like what the OP said like I got popped by a ricochet or something. definitely pulled me up from my run, but was able to finish. Luckily was just one stage left which I hobbled through.

 

Seems to be mine isn't super bad, as today it is sore but I can flex my foot up and down and eventually the sore subsides and there is no visible bruising or swelling. I can put weight on it too so I am hoping it is just minor.

 

Sucks because I have 4 majors left this year and I am not sure the next 2 are going to be happening.

 

Its a fairly strange injury for me as I don't really have calf muscles I have cows and work out/stretch them regularly. I would have expected a groin or another MCL injury before I pulled a calf muscle (I've been an ice hockey goalie since I was 13-14).

 

Sucks getting old!

 

 

[viperpilot]

On 7/3/2023 at 2:18 PM, Vanniek71 said:

 

Sucks getting old!

 

 

I was RO'ing a competitor in a local 2 gun match. He finished the rifle section and went to run to the next array. He looked down/behind him and then at me as he left the position. He finished the stage will hobbling, then asked if I had kicked him in the calf!!

Early 40's guy that had never experienced a calf muscle strain. 5 weeks later and he is still only 70% healed.

[shred]

Similar happened to a friend of mine on a stage.  He pulled up partway through, limping like crazy and thought he'd been hit by a ricochet or stray bullet, but turned out to be a torn calf. 

 

[Vanniek71]

6 hours ago, shred said:

Similar happened to a friend of mine on a stage.  He pulled up partway through, limping like crazy and thought he'd been hit by a ricochet or stray bullet, but turned out to be a torn calf. 

 

Luckily mine wasn’t too bad, slapped on a brace and limped through a few major matches I had scheduled, was good again in 4-5 weeks

[Joe4d]

yeh back in my day we just rubbed some dirt on it and walked it off

 

[Vanniek71]

5 minutes ago, Joe4d said:

yeh back in my day we just rubbed some dirt on it and walked it off

 

I peed on it, didn’t help, then I stunk

[Joe4d]

12 minutes ago, Vanniek71 said:

I peed on it, didn’t help, then I stunk

not enough beer..

 

[Vanniek71]

32 minutes ago, Joe4d said:

not enough beer..

 

Later that night after it tore, I was feeling no pain LOL

[jmv_2alpha]

ooof that looked rough man.