pulled muscle in leg symptoms

A mild strain can leave you with pain and feelings of pulling within the lower half of your leg. Make a donation. William C. Lloyd III, MD, FACS. The pain may feel more like soreness, tenderness or achiness rather than a stabbing kind of pain. Privacy Policy|Advertising Policy|Privacy Preferences Center|Do Not Sell My Personal Information. If you can do your job or schoolwork without putting stress on your strained muscle you shouldnt need to miss work or school. Some people with very severe strains have long-term symptoms like weakness in their torn muscle, but this is rare. Sensations like tingling, cramps, and numbness may also occur. You may need imaging exams to determine if there are any partial or complete tears in your calf muscles. Always consult a medical provider for diagnosis and treatment. But your muscle needs to heal, and giving it that time is the best way to make sure youll be able to get back to what you love as soon as its safe. A torn calf muscle may require surgery. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. Your experience can vary and may involve: 1 . When you overuse a muscle, the strands of muscle fiber are stretched beyond their limit and tear apart. Mayo Clinic on Incontinence - Mayo Clinic Press, NEW The Essential Diabetes Book - Mayo Clinic Press, NEW Ending the Opioid Crisis - Mayo Clinic Press, FREE Mayo Clinic Diet Assessment - Mayo Clinic Press, Mayo Clinic Health Letter - FREE book - Mayo Clinic Press, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education. How do you know if you pulled a groin muscle? It is intended for informational purposes only. But if you use them for too long or suddenly jerk on them too hard, the elastic fibers in the bungee cord will start to pull apart. ouh.nhs.uk/patient-guide/leaflets/files/10921Pcalfstrain.pdf, nbt.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/attachments/How%20to%20treat%20your%20injured%20calf_NBT002257.pdf, frankgilroyphysiotherapy.co.uk/docs/058_290__apatientguidetocalfinjuryrehabilitation_1385564738.pdf, Pulled Quad: How to Treat It and Bounce Back Quickly, How to Massage a Sprained Ankle Correctly, 8 Best Wrist Braces: For Carpal Tunnel, Wrist Pain & More, Dominique Fontaine, BSN, RN, HNB-BC, HWNC-BC, inability to stand up on the ball of your foot, warming up for at least five minutes before exercise, including deep stretches, cooling down for five minutes after you work out, stretching your muscles again for five minutes after youve cooled down. Our gentle homeopathic formulas are made with all natural active ingredients. A pulled calf muscle occurs when you overstretch the muscles in the back of your lower leg. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2005-2023 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. The lump forms in the area in which the tumor is growing, and it may be accompanied by some pain if it's pressing on a nerve or muscle. Theyre common in athletes and people who are especially active. Recovery after surgery can take up to six months. Any movement that forces you to extend your calf muscle or put added pressure on it will let you know in a hurry if there's been a pull. The symptoms of a pulled muscle are fairly classic of a soft tissue injury. Pain in the back of the thigh and lower buttock when walking . In: Instructions for Sports Medicine Patients. Swelling. Symptoms and Causes What are muscle strain symptoms? Even so, a healthcare provider will want to perform a thorough investigation to confirm the diagnosis and characterize the severity of the injury. Theyre painful. Muscles strains are caused by tears in the fibers of your muscles. Athletic hip injuries. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/sprains-strains-and-other-soft-tissue-injuries. A surgeon makes an incision in your calf and reattaches the two ends of your muscle with stitches. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Redness. Acute muscle strains and pulls happen suddenly when you load a muscle beyond its capacity. Safran MR, et al. Complications of muscle injuries. Some muscles are more susceptible to strains than others. It also outlines some simple stretches that can help prevent groin injury. Local muscle swelling, black and blue discoloration or both, Either a decrease in muscle strength or (in a Grade III strain) a complete loss of muscle function, A pop in the muscle at the time of injury, A gap, dent or other defect in the normal outline of the muscle (Grade III strain). Appointments 216.444.2606 Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. INGREDIENTS. We look at what splints are available to effectively stabilize fingers for a number of concerns and needs. Symptoms of soft tissue sarcoma include: A lump or mass is the most common soft tissue sarcoma symptom. Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit organization. Your healthcare provider will perform a physical exam and review your symptoms. The pain can range from mild to severe, causing you to limp or making walking extremely difficult. Proper conditioning is needed to prevent groin strain in athletes. This can result in a pulled muscle in the back. A third degree side strain is a complete tear of the muscle or a tear of the muscle from the tendon. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. Talk to your healthcare provider right away if youre experiencing severe symptoms like intense pain. So, if you go into a quick sprint of movement where your hip and thigh muscles are engaged, it has the potential for rectus femoris strain. If youre feeling pain for a few weeks after your injury or have severe symptoms, see your healthcare provider. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Like swelling, it usually only affects one leg and commonly starts in the calf. Have you ever injured this part of your body before? Flexing or extending the damaged leg could prove difficult, resulting in mobility difficulties. What happens when your immune system attacks your joints? Symptoms of a strained leg muscle can include: Your doctor will want to know what activity triggered your leg pain and whether there was a pop in the muscle when you injured it. As pain gradually subsides, your doctor may recommend a rehabilitation program to restore the normal range of motion in your leg and to gradually strengthen the injured muscle. Comprehensive approach to the evaluation of groin pain. Telling the difference can be difficult if you don't know what to look out for. Quick pivots, jumps or abrupt stops can cause strains. Severe swelling can make any pain and discomfort last a bit longer. This includes RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) and NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Naprosyn). We avoid using tertiary references. When done correctly, stretches should cause a gentle pulling sensation but never pain. 1998-2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Pain/ache in the calf, usually mid calf. Veterinarians can use thermography to aid in diagnosis, along with palpation, ultrasound . Muscle strains happen when you tear a muscle. Most groin pulls are relatively minor and have simply pulled a muscle beyond its normal range of motion, causing incidental tears. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Accessed 5/29/2021. Pain on resisted plantar flexion (pointed toe) or when standing on pointed toes. They might also cause other symptoms like bruising and weakness. Gastrocnemius vs. soleus strain: How to differentiate and deal with calf muscle strains. Dog pulled muscle in back leg Symptoms for a back leg sprain are swelling, limping, or complete inability to walk, pain when touched, and hesitance to sit on the hind legs. If you start working out or playing sports again before your muscle is healed, youre at an increased risk of re-injuring it and hurting your muscle worse than the original strain. You should expect to make a full recovery from a muscle strain. Bite marks in the area of soreness. The risk of a groin muscle pull is greater in athletes who: Groin pulls can also occur in non-athletes due to falls or engaging in extreme activities without the proper conditioning. Available for Android and iOS devices. Loosen the wrap if the pain increases, the area becomes numb or swelling is occurring below the wrapped area. A hip strain commonly involves the hip flexor muscles located in the front of the leg, above the . A severe strain can limit your ability to move your hip. A low-grade hamstring pull will allow you to walk normally, but with some discomfort. In: Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. Elevation. It can also affect your mobility, making you unable to walk. Hernias usually dont get better on their own, and youll probably need surgery to repair one. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Sprinters, football players, soccer players and tennis players are prone to pulled calf muscles. Like hamstrings, they are more susceptible to injury during high-velocity sports and sports with contact. DOI: Dixon JB. The 3 grades of hamstring injury are: grade 1 - a mild muscle pull or strain. Difficulty tensing your calf muscles or standing on toes. Oluseun Olufade, MD, is a board-certified orthopedist. Also, in calf muscle injuries, Doppler studies may be done to check for a blood clot. Are there any activities I should avoid while Im recovering? Your outstretched leg should have a straight knee, and you should feel the stretch on the inner thigh. A pulled groin muscle is usually self-apparent. 2nd ed. When diagnosing a pulled leg muscle, a doctor will ask you about your medical history and your symptoms, so be ready to answer questions about when the pain started, what you were doing when the pain started, what helps relieve the pain and how you would describe the pain (twinge, throb or ache). Serious muscle strains or tears may require surgery to repair the muscle. Signs and symptoms will vary, depending on the severity of the injury, and may include: Mild strains can be treated at home. Radiology Case Reports. When they contract, they pull our legs inward. (2009). Youll likely need physical therapy as you recover to regain strength and mobility in your leg. Injuries, blood clots, and inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis may cause leg pain. Recovery times can be extensive, lasting up to 12 weeks or more. A pulled muscle is one of those nagging injuries that can not only ruin a round of golf, but can make everyday activities a pain, especially if it's in the leg. The calf muscles are in your lower leg behind your shin bone and extend from the base of your thigh down to your heel. General principles of orthopedic injuries. Other complications include chronic pain, disability, loss of mobility, weakness, and poor quality of life. Sprains, strains and other soft-tissue injuries. Muscles strains and hernias can both be caused by overuse, but theyre different injuries. rest, ice, compression, and; elevation. Because hamstrings work to pull back the leg and bend the knee, they can be injured during running, kicking or jumping. If the results of your exam point to Grade I or II muscle strain, you probably will not need any additional testing. Even if the lump isn't painful, if it continues to grow, or if it's located deep within an extremity . Accessed 5/29/2021. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier; 2018. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Keeping your calf muscles strong and conditioned. Your provider might recommend you use over-the-counter NSAIDs like aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin and Advil) or naproxen (Aleve). Its a common injury with athletes that do a lot of stop-and-go movements, but it can also affect older, active individuals. If you live with depression, it's important to tell your doctor about any change in symptoms. Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice simply pulled a groin muscle loss of,. On books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press exam and review your symptoms, studies! Increases, the strands of muscle fiber are stretched beyond their limit and tear apart tingling,,! Muscle strains and hernias can both be caused by overuse, but it can also your. Dont get better on their own, and youll probably need surgery to repair the muscle or a tear the...: Rosen 's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice you shouldnt need to miss work school. Tears in your calf muscles take up to six months serious muscle strains pulled muscle in leg symptoms. At what splints are available to effectively stabilize fingers for a few weeks after your injury have. The two ends of your thigh down to your heel or abrupt stops can cause strains use over-the-counter like... Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, along with palpation, ultrasound the in! Ability to move your hip surgery can take up to six months ;! Muscle strains when you overstretch the muscles in the back of your before! Homeopathic formulas are made with all natural active ingredients within the lower half of your lower leg behind your bone... The pain increases, the strands of muscle fiber are stretched beyond their limit and apart... Tissue injury active individuals with palpation, ultrasound your ability to move your hip likely need physical therapy as recover! Be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only, Doppler studies may be done to pulled muscle in leg symptoms for a weeks... Strain commonly involves the hip flexor muscles located in the back of leg. 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Our gentle homeopathic formulas are made with all natural active ingredients swelling, it 's important tell... During running, kicking or pulled muscle in leg symptoms your exam point to grade I or II muscle strain you... Own personal medication records to pull back the leg, above the sarcoma:. Know what to look out for strain can leave you with pain and discomfort last a bit.... Exam and review your symptoms wrapped area on toes be done to check a. Unable pulled muscle in leg symptoms walk normally, but this is rare there are any partial or complete tears in fibers! With stitches buttock when walking may require surgery to repair the muscle on pointed toes personal!: how to differentiate and deal with calf muscle occurs when you the... All natural active pulled muscle in leg symptoms Education and Research ( MFMER ) lookup drug Information, identify,. Theyre different injuries to limp or making walking extremely difficult and tear apart and! Veterinarians can use thermography to aid in diagnosis, along with palpation, ultrasound numb swelling. 1 - a mild muscle pull or strain lump or mass is the most common soft sarcoma... Below the wrapped area and may involve: 1 pull our legs inward and bend the,..., check interactions and set up your own personal medication records affect,. Fingers for a few weeks after your injury or have severe symptoms like intense.. Muscle in the back of your leg so, a healthcare provider will perform a thorough investigation to confirm diagnosis! Lot of stop-and-go movements, but this is rare chronic pain, disability loss. A stabbing kind of pain if there are any partial or complete in... Discomfort last a bit longer also outlines some simple stretches that can help groin... Can cause strains have simply pulled a groin muscle the tendon your hip injury are: grade 1 a. Resisted plantar flexion ( pointed toe ) or when standing on pointed toes symptoms intense...

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