Advice after your nerve block for surgery
On this page…
A calf strain is a common injury and is often caused by overstretching or putting excess force through the calf muscles at the back of the lower leg. The muscles involved are either the Gastrocnemius or Soleus where the muscle fibres are stretched, thus weakened, resulting in swelling due to bleeding in the area.
Symptoms include mild to moderate pain, swelling, alteration of skin colour over the calf area with mild redness or bruising and difficulty rising onto your toes or pushing off from your foot.
Treatment
- Rest this will help prevent further injury and allows the healing process to begin. For the first few days, limit the amount of walking including strenuous activity and avoid too much use of stairs. Gently move your ankle regularly to avoid stiffness. Try to walk ‘normally’, i.e. your heel strikes the floor first, rock forward on your foot and then push off with your toes
- Ice this can help reduce swelling and pain. Make an ice pack by wrapping a small bag of frozen peas or crushed ice into a damp towel. Place the ice pack onto your injured calf for 10 minutes every 2 hours for the first few days (not when sleeping). You can then reduce this to 3 times a day until the swelling goes down. Ensure that you do not apply for longer than 10 minutes per time to avoid ‘ice-burns’ to the skin. You can refreeze the vegetables but ensure that there are not eaten!
- Painkillers It is important that you take these regularly to reduce the pain thus keeping you mobile. Paracetamol and Ibuprofen are effective painkillers if taken together. Please read the instructions on the packets carefully for the correct dosage and to check if there are reasons why you may not be able to take these medications.
- Elevation try to keep your leg raised above the level of your hips for the few days after the injury. Resting using a pillow in bed or on top of a foot-stall ensures comfort and this will help reduce the swelling and pain.
WE DO NOT RECOMMEND USING ELASTICATED BANDAGES TO THE CALF.
Although this can reduce swelling; if applied incorrectly, can reduce the circulation and increase the chances of developing a DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis)
Rehabilitation and Recovery
- The healing of muscles approximately takes 6 weeks, although everyone recovers from injuries at different rates. How quickly your muscles heal will depend on how severe your injury is, as well as other medical problems that you might already have.
- As healing gets underway, it is important that you begin a series of exercise to gently stretch the calf muscle. This will help your knee and ankle to get back into their normal position and help reduce the risk of further injury.
REFRAIN FROM RETURNING TO SPORT UNTIL THE PAIN HAS SETTLED.
Exercises
- Sit with your leg out straight, keep your heel on the floor and gently stretch your foot up towards you as far as possible, with your toes pointing up and towards you. Hold for 5 seconds. Then point your foot away from you as far as possible, again, holding for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
- Sit on a chair and straighten and bend your knee 10 times.
- Facing a wall, put both hands against the wall at eye level. Keeping your injured leg back with the heel on the floor, take a small step forward with your uninjured leg and then lean in towards the wall (bending you uninjured leg at the knee). Do this until you can feel a stretch in the back of your injured calf. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 4 times, several times a day.
Remember
- Seek medical attention immediately if the pain and swelling get drastically worse and your calf looks very red and is tender and hot to touch.
- You will be safe to return to normal activity when you have full strength, full range of movements and can walk briskly without pain or swelling.
For non-urgent medical advise please call 111 or visit https:/
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Emergency department (ED) service.
About this information
Service:
Emergency department (ED)
Reference:
A/005
Approval date:
1 November 2024
Review date:
1 November 2027
Click ‘show accessibility tools’ at the bottom of the page
Then click ‘select language’
Alternative formats
You can use the accessibility toolbar at the bottom of your screen to:
-
Change the text size
-
Adjust the font
-
Modify the colour contrast
-
Use the translate function
If you would like this information in another format, such as Braille, audio, or easy read, please speak to a member of staff.
You can also print as well as download as PDF using the “Print this page” button at the end of the page.
Staff will print a copy for you on request
Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.