REcovering from Pulled Calf muscle

Sambolina said:

Ok! Ten days ago I pulled a calf muscle on a Run up while warming up for a 'cross race. I rolled up the hill, dismounted and POP, there it went, and that was it for my season.

When the weather gets suddenly cold, and your body's not used to it, you MUST warm up well, stretch and the usual -- but more than that, you cannot be tense and tight mentally either. My whole body was tense, and that leg just gave.

So now I'm off the bike, and it's no fun to just hang out -- or is it? I've eaten my fill of ice cream, if you can imagine that, and we have this hideous holiday here tomorrow, so after that's over and I can walk again (I hope) without crutches, I'll come back stronger than ever!

Meanwhile, what should I do? Riding the trainer doesn't really hurt, but I'm worried that it puts extra stress on my body that I need for healing. As does swimming (Aqua joggin' is fun!).

I hope you guys have some advice for me -- unless you are running or crashing you would probably never have this injury as a cyclist. I posted on the runners forum, but they don't really like cyclists there, so no one replied.

Anyone ever pulled a muscle? How long does it take to heal and what can you do besides rest, elevate, ice and be antsy?

I would go and see a physiotherapist because without going through various range of movement tests it would be difficult to know exactly which grade of strain you have. The physio will probably prescribe various strength exercises to do.

NJK said:

I would go and see a physiotherapist because without going through various range of movement tests it would be difficult to know exactly which grade of strain you have. The physio will probably prescribe various strength exercises to do.

Thanks! I'm under the care of a (moderately competent) physio-therapist. It's been diagnosed at a grade 2 strain. She has told me not to do anything with it just yet, 20 mins of spinning on the bike at a time, then ice, then 20 more mins. She taped my ankle today and I'm walking on crutches better, but trying not to put weight on it. Lite stretching is all I can do. I don't want to injure it further.

The little fibres are knitting, and they are tender like newborns. I'm trying to be gentle with them.