Calf (plantaris) injury

[C]

Doctor says I have a tear in my plantaris muscle and will have to lay off running for 2-3 weeks.
Anyone else had this injury (or any other calf tear) that could suggest alternate cardio
exercises? It seems like biking and even swimming might aggravate the calf, so I'm not sure if
they'd work or not.

[Bill]

"C" <starunner92@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:5d6623bc.0310130853.65dceb03@posting.google.com...
> Doctor says I have a tear in my plantaris muscle and will have to lay off running for 2-3 weeks.
> Anyone else had this injury (or any other calf tear) that could suggest alternate cardio
> exercises? It seems like biking and even swimming might aggravate the calf, so I'm not sure if
> they'd work or not.

http://www.ncemi.org/cse/cse0928.htm The plantaris muscle is a pencil-sized structure tapering down
to a fine tendon which runs beneath the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to attach to the Achilles
tendon or to the medial side of the tubercle of the calcaneus. The function of the muscle is of
little importance and, with rupture of either the muscle or the tendon, the transient disability is
due only to the pain of the torn fibers or swelling from the hemorrhage. Clinical differentiation
from complete rupture of the Achilles tendon is sometimes difficult to make. Most instances of
"tennis leg" are now felt to be due to partial tears of the medial belly of the gastrocnemius muscle
or to ruptures of blood vessels within that muscle. The greater the initial pain and swelling, the
longer one can expect the disability to last.

http://www.rad.washington.edu/atlas2/plantaris.html Origin Inferior aspect of lateral supracondylar
line of distal femur Insertion Middle 1/3 of the posterior calcaneal surface, just medial to
Achilles tendon Action Plantar flexor of ankle; also flexes knee Innervation Tibial nerve (L5, S1,
S2) Arterial Supply Sural arteries