Can't believe what I have done!

[Sazziesaz]

Hi, I haven't posted on here for a while, but now I feel scared again! A week ago today I ran in the mums race at my daughters sports day and ....... twang went my calf muscle. I went to minor injuries and they said I had torn my calf muscle. They said my Achilles was fine as my foot didn't flop and gave me a crutch and exercise instructions and told me to rest, elevate and ice. Very hard to do with a business and young children. But have had to give in as hurts too much to do anything. Now a week on it swells at the end of the day and the bruising is black and yellow and has come out in the last day! Still cant walk on it. But now I am petrified of a blood clot as I have a pain in my tummy so am convinced.... either they have it wrong and I have done something more serious to my leg or I have a blood clot that has gone from my leg to my tummy!! I am driving myself insane with worry, and I know its cause I have time on my hands to worry.!!! So scared as it's taking so long to heal and scared I now have a blood clot.........

[Annie0904]

Muscle injuries do take some time to heal and the bruising you describe sounds normal. Since you are moving about it sounds very unlikely that you will get dvt from it. I fractured 2 metatarsals in my foot last year and had very bad bruising which took nearly 4 months to go. I was also in plaster cast for 3 months and didn't get DVT.
One week is certainly not taking a long time to heal for a torn calf muscle. I guess if it is minor injury it could take 8 weeks or more to be pain free. I had a sprained ankle once and had trouble walking for about 3 weeks but it was still painful for almost 6 months. My fractured foot is still painful after 13 months.
Swelling and bruising is normal. I know it is hard with children but when you can put your feet up and rest for a while. The changes in colours in the bruises is a normal process for healing.

[Sazziesaz]

Oh thanks Annie, I am getting myself in such a tizz, I never cry in front of my children but really broke down this morning as I don't make a good patient and now my mind is starting to work overtime! Everyone says time and rest, but starting getting so scared with the tummy ache and everything! I can work a bit from home with my leg up but realise time on my own is a dangerous thing as my mind starts worrying big time! Really appreciate you taking time to reply! X

[Annie0904]

The tummy ache I am sure is unrelated or because you are anxious after your leg it is causing the tummy ache :) I know how you are feeling because my anxiety went sky high when I fractured my foot and I was sitting at home imagining all sorts of scenarios. I worried about it taking so long to heal to as they originaly told me that I would be in cast for 6 weeks and it ended up 12 weeks! Muscle strains do hurt for a long time and take some time to heal so do not worry it is normal.

---------- Post added at 10:21 ---------- Previous post was at 10:17 ----------

I just checked and it sounds like yours is a grade 2 calf injury which takes about 6 weeks to heal. Do you have some anti-inflammatory medication to take?

[joelhall]

A muscle tear is quite serious damage as far as the body is concerned, and it takes a while for repair. Blood clots are unlikely during this process which is very well mediated by various mechanisms, such as the inflammatory response, autophagy, etc. It will look alarming for a while, but you'll soon be on the mend :)