How to heal a calf contracture

A contracted calf occurs when we suddenly notice that the muscles in the area are contracting and we cannot easily relax them. It is a very painful sensation and because of the gesture that the muscle of this part of the body makes when this happens, this problem is also known as twin raised.

Leg twins rise or contract for various reasons and at any age. These are some of the most common causes for which there is a contracture in the twin:

• We have not warmed up the muscle: When we are going to do any type of sport or some physical effort, it is vital that before starting to work we warm up the muscles so that they get used to it, since if we do it suddenly we can suffer a contracture or even a muscle tear. It is just as important to stretch your calves both before and after exercising, so if you like to do running it is also vital that you know how to stretch your legs after running.
• Sport in excess: If we are very athletic people, we must bear in mind what we have said, but it is also important that we bear in mind our limits and do not over exert ourselves that can cause us to overload, contractures and other types of injuries.
• Bad gesture: Sometimes when we are walking and we change direction abruptly or start running suddenly, we may hurt ourselves and have a contracture in the calf due to the bad gesture.
• Lack of potassium: a diet low in potassium makes us prone to muscle spasms, especially if we do a lot of sports, some major effort or a bad gesture.
• Constant tension: Anxiety and stress cause us to be in constant muscular tension although many times we do not even realize it. This can cause muscle contractures in any part of the body, the most common being the twins and the back. This sometimes causes us to get a twin while we sleep, when in theory we are at rest.
• Irritated nerve: An irritated nerve at the level of the calf can be caused by very strong stress or even by pinching or compression of this nerve, for example, due to a herniated disc. When a nerve is irritated it can cause a raised or contracted calf.

Stretching before and after exercising are very important to prevent contractures in any muscle and avoid tearing them. But, if you find that you have a contracture in your calf, either due to poor exercise, excessive exercise or a bad gesture, the first thing you should do to relieve the pain caused by a raised calf is to stretch. , that is to say, gently force the muscle to stretch when contracted.

To do it properly, even if it hurts a lot, you have to do it like when you prepare to exercise. Also, if you have a towel or an elastic band at hand, you can stretch the cufflinks in a more comfortable and appropriate way, as we show you in this OneHowTo video. You have to remember that, although you have to To make pressure For this to take effect and help heal a contracture in the twin, we must not overdo it, it should hurt a little but not too much.

If the contracture in the twin you have is too deep or you have been with it for days and you cannot improve it, it is vital that you go to a professional. Go to a physiotherapist to perform specific massages to relax the calf muscle and make the raised calf heal.

Also, as massage the contracted area It is very important to relax it and eliminate the tension that causes you to have the twin raised, you can try to massage yourself, but you must take into account how to do it correctly, so in this other OneHowTo video we explain how to massage the twins .

You can help heal a calf contracture faster by taking some Natural medicine, among which you can use:

• Willow bark infusion: This natural product will help reduce contracture pain thanks to its high content of salicin, an anti-inflammatory glycoside. Take a couple of daily infusions of willow bark and you will notice that the pain is reduced in a few days.
• Evening primrose oil: This oil has anti-inflammatory properties that will help you to relieve the contracture in the twin. You can take the capsules that are sold in pharmacies and herbalists, or you can open these capsules and rub the oil on the calf with a gentle massage so that it penetrates well.
• Horse tail: The silica contained in horsetail is ideal for repairing tissues that have been damaged by muscle contracture. Take a couple of infusions a day for the infusion to have the desired effect.
• Rosemary oil: Rosemary oil is a very good natural element to massage the calf area and make it deflate thanks to the properties of this plant. Remember to massage gently and leave the oil in for at least half an hour to have a good effect.

You can check this video in which we explain what are the types of anti-inflammatory plants and, thus, use the one you prefer.

Finally, another of the things you should do to heal a calf contracture is to rest for several days and eat an adequate diet to provide your body with what it needs to recover and keep it that way to prevent this from happening to you more times. The most important nutrient to prevent and heal muscle contractures is potassiumThis is why it is vital that you immediately include foods rich in potassium, such as bananas or chard, in your diet.

If it has been useful to know how to cure a twin contracture, surely you are interested in reading this article on how to cure a muscle contracture.

This article is merely informative, at oneHOWTO we do not have the power to prescribe any medical treatment or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

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