Need advice. I hurt my calf

karenvictoria

Cathlete
I hurt my stinking calf doing step. I pulled a muscle and then went back to early and now I really hurt it. Anyway I took off Sat and Sunday this weekend and my calf still feels burised. When I do any heavy lifting lower body squats, lunges anything my calf is totally fine. It's the movement of the calf coming off the step. Like on the box lunges ( it will hurt when I'm using that leg to push off the floor) Anyway what are some suggestion for cardio this week. Normally I always do an Imax at least once and then two other days will do some type of step workout. I don't have a treadmill ( Although one would be so awesome right about now). I could do Taebo or KPC but don't really care to much for kickboxing. My friend offered me Leslie Sansoe's 4 mile walk but I don't think it will get my heart rate up enough to be effective. If it comes down to it I will do the Tae bo and KPC but really want to do somthing else. Anyone have any suggestions? Do you think the four mile walk would be ok. I am starting a one body part a day rotaion this week adding on 30 to 45 min of cardio at the end. Thanks for the suggestions. Karen

www.picturetrial.com/karenvictoria
 
I'm so sorry to hear you hurt your calf!!!! That blows! I hope it feels better soon! Have you tried massaging some Arnica gel on it? I think GNC carries it and it has been nicknamed "miracle cream" in our house! Love this stuff!!!

If you hurt your shoulder or an arm muscle I would have PLENTY of cardio suggestions but since you are hurting in the lower leg...you have really tied my hands!LOL!! I would bite the bullet and tried KPC and see how it goes. Keep the walking workout as backup!

Keep us updated on your healing! I hope it happens super FAST!!!!
 
I'd say do whatever doesn't hurt your calf! Stay away from what does, or consider seeing a Physical Therapist. One thing I do anytime something hurts is ice the area for 15-20 min 3 times a day. That usually helps a non serious injury...:)...Carole
 
Thanks Ladies I appreciate it. This morning I did gym stlye chest and tri's and through in some pilates at the end. About 20 min. or so. I didn't do any cardio at all. I tried to do the walking last night just to give it a go and I felt the pressure. I thought man this injury is really a lot of trouble ,but then I looked on the bright side. It could always be worse. Right. Thanks a bunch. You hear me trying to convice myself to have a postive attitude about this. Don't You!!!!karen
 
Hi Karen,

The exact same thing happened to me about 4 months ago. At first I kept trying different types of cardio to see if any could work. I tried KPC too and that definitely did not work for me. I think I got to the windmills before I gave up. In the end I had to lay off cardio for a couple of weeks in order to completely heal. I did the Gym style workouts, some yoga, pilates, stretching, and light walking outside etc. It actually ended up being a nice break, although I was really frustrated at first.

Don't get down on yourself, it will get better.
Good Luck!
 
Thanks Noelle, My oldest daughter's middle name is Noelle spelled like that. Anyway that is a good word for me fustrated. I don't want to lose any of the cardio benefits and start from scratch. That is my biggest fear. It's taken along time to get the endurance I have. I have never had an injury before so this is new territory for me. What do you think of doing a step workout with no step. HUH!!! I know rest is best but maybe by week two I'll give it a shot. Thanks. Karen
 
Karen, you are starting to sound like me!!!LOL!!! "Come hell or high water, I am going to get a sweaty workout in"LOL!!!! Now I see why you have had such amazing and incredible success!

...and yes, I do see you looking on the bright side...it could be your back and then you would be totally screwed!

This may be a blessing in disguise...the change with some rest may be a boost for your metabolism.
 
Before I came to check my email to see what was up, I was sitting there stewing about a way to work around this whole thing to get in the cardio. Hopefully the rest will boost my metabolism. I have hit a platue lately so this may be just what I need. Even if it's not what I WANT. LOL Karen
 
Hi, Karen:

I feel your pain. I have injured myself a couple of times, and it takes every ounce of self-control I have to actually allow myself to heal. I didn't do this at first and really paid the price for it; I messed up my elbow pretty badly earlier this year and had to lay off weights for about two weeks. Even then I lost a lot of strength gains, not because my MUSCLES can't handle it, but because my elbow gives out! It is still a tender area and as you can imagine I am now a fanatic about every little twinge. :)

I also pulled my achilles tendon doing step. Is that what you injured? (Your achilles tendon is down near your ankle and you'll feel the pull or twinge in the back, under the calf.) I stopped stepping for a few days, took a lot of Advil/Alleve, and iced it a couple of times a day. I am trying a higher pair of sneakers this time around - Ryka N-Gage. I am hoping they provide the extra support that I need.

Anyway, I just wanted to say, it's okay to be frustrated but your body is trying to tell you that it really needs a break, so maybe this is a good stretch/pilates/yoga week... It may also be time for new sneakers!

Hang in there!
Marie
 
Try biofreeze. When i get sore or my shoulders or something hurts i roll it on.
Nothing else seems to help. I bought one from a chiropractor . I love the stuff.
Icy hot and mineral ice and heet .None of them seem to work like this stuff.
Anne
 
I hurt my calf from stepping too much a couple years back. It was terrible. What really helped was a heating pad. It did wonders.

Good luck and I hope you feel better soon!
 
I just got up from heating the sucker up. Thanks for letting me be fustrated. Marie, it's defiently the calf. I did some pilates today and it still felt a tiny bruised. I was hoping some yoga would stretch it out for me but it looks like I have to wait on the downward dog for now. Dani, when you injured your calf on the step did you take a rest completely or did you walk and find other ways to keep up on the cardio. I'm hoping to keep up on my weights and add a walk by this weekend. HOPEFULLY. I have to heal for Cathe's new dvd's. Karen
 
>
>I just got up from heating the sucker up. Thanks for letting
>me be fustrated. Marie, it's defiently the calf. I did some
>pilates today and it still felt a tiny bruised. I was hoping
>some yoga would stretch it out for me but it looks like I
>have to wait on the downward dog for now. Dani, when you
>injured your calf on the step did you take a rest completely
>or did you walk and find other ways to keep up on the cardio.
>I'm hoping to keep up on my weights and add a walk by this
>weekend. HOPEFULLY. I have to heal for Cathe's new dvd's.
>Karen

Karen, I remember doing a lot of walking and Pilates. :)
I actually lost weight by easing up some on the exercise. Isn't that weird?

I think it took about 8 weeks for it to go back to normal. :eek:
 

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