Calf Contrusion aka Corkie!!

Oh my god!!!! I never had one before, but at bball a week ago some chick slammed her knee into my calf, and it floored me! I thought I was alright to play yesterday, started to run, and lasted 5 minutes! any ideas for treatment? How long does it take to heal?
Have school camp today and another next week and that one is full of walking up hills. I’m scared!!

Arnica cream AND tablets (chemist)

Thats all I know - oh and it takes ages to heal (remember that from when Ashstix thought she had one)

If its really bad a physio can do an ultrasound treatment. Massage also helps, breaks down the contusion.

Hey Billy, I’ve sent this thread to Becky so I’m sure she will reply soon.

When I had a really bad thigh cork, the doc gave me a compression bandage and told me to ice it. I’m guessing the RICE principle applies here but don’t quote me on it. Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.

As NL mentioned, massage definitely helps. Get some cream on it and work it with your fingers.

Since the initial damage is done using ice now will only make healing take longer.

Stretch - a step, brick or any thing that will allow you to pull the ball of your foot back while dropping your heal down. Once that feels ok use a wall and get your heal close to the wall with your toes pointing up while you stand, do it with your supporting leg bent then slowly straighten it so your calf gets a good stretch.

Heat packs will increase blood flow and help break up and remove the deep bruising, alternate the heat on/off every 10min-15min.
A hot bath or shower followed by elevation.
Compression stocking will help in a big way especially while doing exercise. Compression will also help remove the bruise and support the muscle while it tries to work around the cork/bruise.

Sounds like the correct diagnosis. A calf contusion is the result of a direct impact either from another person or object into the muscle. This damages the muscle fibers resulting in a muscle ‘bruise’/contusion.
Initial management (first 72 hours) is definately R.I.C.E. Ice is vital to decrease blood flow to the area. Anti inflamms can also be taken (although if you have done this injury a week ago, may not be necessary)
The good news is that healing is relatively quick with the correct treatment/management and physiotherapy. Depending on the severity of the contusion, of course. Can vary anything from roughly 2-3 weeks to 8 weeks with a serious contusion.
It’s paramount to rest, allowing the muscle to heal. This means not doing anything that causes an increase in pain or anything that aggrevates your symptoms. Especially anything that places the calf muscle under too much stress/activities where the calf is activated or loaded, for example, running or jumping activities. Physiotherapy can accelerate the healing time.
Physio treatment includes the use of ultra sound, soft tissue massage (after the initial inflammatory phase this is safe) as well as a gradual flexibility program (calf stretches) and strengthening program (for the calf, you can do ‘heel raises’) Keep in mind these exercises should not aggrevate your symptoms and be pain free. I would not recommend returning to bball until you are entirely pain free.
Any questions, shoot them my way

Thanks guys!!! oz, will try that cream…

Thanks Becky, yup I’ll hold off the bball - my team is going to love me!!!

And the tablets!!

Aiiiiiight!