| | What did I do to my calf?Page 1 of 1 | So, this morning, I woke up, and sat up on the bed. I don't remember exactly what I did, but my legs were over the side of the bed, and I moved my left leg in such a way (tensing, stretching, not sure I don't remember exactly) that the result was instant excruciating pain.
Now I have a high pain tolerance, but this made me pretty much immobile as I basically laid back on my bed and howled in pain for a good minute straight. It slowly went away to the point of being able to hobble about and finish my morning routine. I've been at work for a few hours now, and the pain is there, and making me limp slightly, but it's not debilitating.
When the pain was at its worst, when it first happened, I noticed when I had my hand on my calf that there was a knot, like the muscle had twisted or contorted. It's no longer like that, and I don't see any bruises, or blood pooling or anything, but there's still a dull ache when I walk.
Is this serious? Did I just move my leg the wrong way too quickly after sleeping all night? | |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 5/23/2012 9:01:12 AM | | It's called a cramp. You may be dehydrated or you could possibly be magnesium deficient. I used to get calf cramps regularily when I was a young guy usually after a night of tying one on - drinking lots of water at the end of the evening seemed to cure that then. I have been prone to chronic cramping for the last 14 yrs - I manage that by not drinking too much coffee or alcohol and taking a magnesium supplement - magnesium biglycinate. Smoking will also have a tendancy to dehydrate you - I was a smoker as a young teen. | |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 5/23/2012 9:02:53 AM | Sounds like a muscle spasm. And....you calves may have had lack of blood supply since they were over the bed causing this spasm. I looked up blood clot and your symptoms don't match.
ETA: I just found a short informational link on lower calf pain:
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/lower-calf-pain.html | |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 5/23/2012 9:05:15 AM | Would a cramp have caused the muscle to contort?
I could physically feel the muscle knotted up in my leg.
Also, I realize my screen name is "YayForBeer" but I wasn't drinking last night, and I always drink at least a couple bottles of water each day.
Thanks for the input. | |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 5/23/2012 9:14:54 AM | A couple of bottles of water a day is often not enough especially if you smoke, drink caffinated beverages, consume lots of sugar, do physical work etc. or are in a hot environment.
Yes a cramp will make your muscle contort ( contract ) and the longer the muscle stays contracted the longer it will take to go away/heal. | |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 5/23/2012 9:36:26 AM | Sounds like cramp to me too. I googled 'muscle cramp when waking' and found this. If you have any concerns, the best answers will come from a doctor not a bunch of unqualified strangers. Health is too important to risk.
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/nighttime-leg-cramps-topic-overview
What are nighttime leg cramps?
Nighttime (or nocturnal) leg cramps are usually sudden spasms, or tightening, of muscles in the calf. But the muscle cramps can sometimes happen in the thigh or the foot. They often occur just as you are falling asleep or waking up. These painful cramps can last a few seconds to a few minutes.
These leg cramps are also called charley horses.
What causes nighttime leg cramps?
Though nighttime leg cramps are common, experts don't know exactly what causes them. But most of the time it is not because of illness. Some of the things that may cause leg cramps include:
Getting too much exercise or overusing the muscles.
Standing on concrete for a long time, sitting for a long time, or putting your legs in awkward positions while you sleep.
Not having enough potassium, calcium, and other minerals in your blood.
Being dehydrated, which means your body has lost too much fluid.
Taking certain medicines, such as antipsychotics, birth control pills, diuretics, statins, and steroids.
Having flat feet.
Having thyroid disease.
Also - http://www.livestrong.com/article/3374-need-calf-cramps/
Calf Cramps Happen
Have you ever worked out so hard that you're suddenly awoken in the middle of the night by excruciating pain in your calf muscle? It's like you have a gigantic metal clamp tightly attached to the back of your lower leg. You might try to move your leg, but when you do, the calf muscle only tightens more until you finally get out of bed. Then the minute you try to lay back down, the muscle tightens up again. Yikes! There's nothing like waking up to a "Charley Horse." Although experts don't know the exact cause of calf cramping, it mostly has to do with strain or overexertion during exercise. Calf cramps occur anywhere, at any time, and usually when you least expect them and sometimes for no reason. | |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 5/23/2012 9:47:55 AM | | Sounds like a super cramp, they are the worst kind. Rather than the muscle cramping up but going with some stretching this kind makes you squeal in anquish and leaves the muscle feeling very bruised when it finally goes. It'll take a while to heal. | |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 5/23/2012 10:01:26 AM | hope its not a clot in the vein........ if it is, that is serious stuff
if it were me and it was that painful I would go to the doctor to make sure
it was not a clot in the vein
and just a cramp. More on it below, nothing to mess around with.
Your profile says you smoke and are overweight, those are risk factors.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Deep Vein Thrombosis Overview
Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) refers to a blood clot embedded in one of the major deep veins of the lower legs, thighs, or pelvis. A clot blocks blood circulation through these veins, which carries blood from the lower body back to the heart. The blockage can cause pain, swelling, or warmth in the affected leg. Blood clots in the veins can cause inflammation (irritation) called thrombophlebitis. Severe complications of deep vein thrombosis occur when a clot breaks loose (or embolizes) and travels through the bloodstream, causing blockage of blood vessels (pulmonary arteries) in the lung. Called pulmonary embolism, this can lead to severe difficulty in breathing and even death, depending on the degree of blockage.
In the United States, about 2 million people per year develop deep vein thrombosis. Most of them are aged 40 years or older. Up to 600,000 are hospitalized each year for the condition. Deep vein thrombosis can lead to a more serious complication, blood clots in the lung (pulmonary embolism). Statistics reveal that at least 650,000 persons die each year from pulmonary embolism, making it the third most common cause of death in the United States.
Deep Vein Thrombosis Causes
Three factors may lead to formation of a clot inside a blood vessel.
•Damage to the inside of a blood vessel due to trauma or other conditions
•Changes in normal blood flow, including unusual turbulence, or partial or complete blockage of blood flow
•Hypercoagulability, a rare state in which the blood is more likely than usual to clot
Any component that contributes to one or more of these three criteria can cause deep vein thrombosis. The more common risk factors are as follows:
•Prolonged sitting, such as during a long plane or car ride
•Prolonged bed rest or immobility, such as after injury or during illness (such as stroke)
•Recent surgery, particularly orthopedic, gynecologic, or heart surgery
•Recent trauma to the lower body, such as fractures of the bones of the hip, thigh, or lower leg
•Obesity
•Heart attack or heart failure
•Recent childbirth
•Being at very high altitude, greater than 14,000 feet
•Use of estrogen replacement (hormone therapy, or HT) or birth control pills
•Cancer
•Rare inherited genetic changes in certain blood clotting factors
•Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), a medical condition in which blood clotting occurs inappropriately, usually caused by overwhelming infection or organ failure
•Certain heart or respiratory conditions
•Advanced age
| |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 5/23/2012 10:34:49 AM | Thanks for the info all.
The pain is pretty much gone at this point. I very rarely smoke, maybe one or two a day, if even. I understand no amount is good, but I have friends who smoke a pack a day, and weigh more than me, and they have never experienced this.
Thought the potassium and dehydration things might be on to something.. I didn't drink much water between coming home from work last night, and going to bed (about a 7 hour span). Plus my diet doesn't contain too much potassium.
I'll work on those things.. as it was not a pleasant experience, and I'm not eager to repeat it. | |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 5/23/2012 11:09:07 AM | You may want to try googleing some infomation on muscle function and nutrients here is a brief clip from one article
"There are several vitamins and minerals that directly affect the health and performance of our muscles.
Potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus work together in seeing to it that the muscles are able to contract smoothly and effectively, as they should. Vitamin C is essential to the health and performance of muscles because it works with potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus in their muscle regulation tasks. Vitamin C is also necessary to the formation of collagen and elastin, which are important connective tissues of the body, forming the structure of muscles. Vitamin C also is responsible for the health of the blood vessels, which support the muscles need for oxygen and nutrients."
The most likely cause of muscle cramps IMO is dehydration and overexertion with nutrient imbalance being the next likely candidate. If it is a nutrient imbalance it is likely not just one nutrient that may not be missing from your body so it may be a challenge for you to solve the deficiency. I would not necessarily focus on potassium alone as the problem. Personally I have never found a lack of Potassium to be a factor in muscle cramps but that is just my own experience.
Personally I find it a little hard to believe that at the age of 31 this is the first time you have experience a muscle cramp and didn't even know what it was - I learned how to deal with them as a young teen.
To below... you have been lucky to have had such good health so far in your life if you are like just about everyone else you are going to find that you need to spend a little more time and effort in staying healthy as you age. If I remember correctly I had to be a little kinder to my body starting in my late 20's. Some days I feel like I spend more time doing maintainance that anything else but it beats the alternative. | |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 5/23/2012 11:18:26 AM | I'm not sure about never experiencing any kind of muscle cramp, but this is the first time I ever remember being in that much pain. It's not something I would forget.
I tended to not have any of the bodily problems growing up that many of my friends had. Never had bad knees, joints, took any medications. I very rarely get sick, maybe once a year, if that. About 2 years ago my head wouldn't stop hurting and I eventually went to the doctor. She said it was a Migraine, and was shocked that it was the first time I had ever experienced one.
I'm one of the healthiest fat guys you'll ever meet. Yes, I realize "healthy fat guy" is pretty much an oxymoron. | |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 5/23/2012 4:17:38 PM | It was most likely muscle cramp, hurts like a **** and its very common to get it in the calf muscles. Nothing serious.
If it happens again, or you can feel it coming on then stretch the muscle as soonas you can, will help relieve the pain or stop it from cramping in the first place. Also, eat your bananas
It wouldnt be DVT, the pain would not be as sudden, it would also be red and warm to the touch, tender and swollen. | |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 5/24/2012 4:41:31 AM |
Would a cramp have caused the muscle to contort?
Oh hell yes and they are gawd awful..
Rub/walk it out .
Then if that doesnt work take CALM natural vitality.
I am prone to cramps..I take narural vitality instant absorb magnesium .
Its a miracle.
Now that I do yoga I take it every morning before a class or make some and sip on it at class..Nothing more embarrassing to get an azz cramp or leg cramp while doing a move in frt of 20 people.
But you can walk it out or massage it.
I have gotten the muscle "bruise" after a cramp because they can be so bad and feel sore for 2 days after the cramp. That a "screaming cramp".
SOME like Paddy have given you good advise based on experience..Try something new.
What does it cost you? 12 bucks?
You dont have calf cancer. Sheesh
| |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 5/24/2012 8:19:51 AM | I used to have muscle cramps all over my body, toes, calfs, legs ribs, back. It's hard to stretch out the muscle in your back or abs. If I would do a lot of abdominal exericises, they would cramp when I got up. My mother had the same problems with cramps, but only in her calf.
Paddy has posted a good list of a few of the causes. I used to drink a lot of soda, which led me to be dehydrated and caused several problems.
But dehydration was NOT the main cause of my muscle craps.
American diets at typically deficient in magnesium.
I do encounter a lot of stress in trading, that also depletes magnesium.
Taking magnesium supplements eliminated my muscle craps, both for me and my mother. If I stop, in a few days the cramps come back. Taking too much magnesium isn't much of a problem, the worst that happens is you can get diarrhea if you take too much. Magnesium is used to alleviate constipation. | |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 5/24/2012 1:04:40 PM | As others have said, it's a muscle cramp or spasm, excrutiatingly painful until they relax, and very common.
Next time it happens, straighten your leg out as much as you can, grab your toes and pull them towards you, GENTLY. That should help release the spasm.
Another stretching exercise you can do is stand with your toes on the edge of a step, hold onto something to steady yourself, and let your heels slowly drop down until you feel the stretch in your calf muscles and hold it for 30 seconds. Repeat that 10x. Don't overstretch.
It happens to us all, you'll be fine :) | |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 5/24/2012 6:25:53 PM | | Growing up we always called that sort of sudden calf muscle spasm a "Charley Horse". Next time it happens, if you can, just get yourself to the nearest wall and lean forward into it, both legs straight, for a minute or so. +1 on the bananas. | |
|
pfif
| | Joined: 6/11/2012
Msg: 17 | |
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 6/18/2012 11:52:12 PM | I usually rise up off my heels and walk gently without letting the heels touch the floor. Probably less than 5 minutes, and then go about my business, but remain vigilant for a recurrence a few minutes later (or up to an hour, maybe -- probably not after that).
They come on mostly in winter. I can't remember getting one in summer, except maybe after having pulled an all-nighter, and with it, having neglected my usual hydration habit.
The other place I get them is along the tops of my feet.
Those are even worse, and the same (above) technique works to about the same degree of relief. The feet-tops are worse than toe cramps, but the toe cramps are dramatic in that they are visibly way off their resting attitude. Evocative of the 'curl your toes' kinda thing, without the pleasure. | |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 6/19/2012 1:32:25 AM | Cramp. They happen. I got them as a teenager as a recall and
then on and off over the years. My old dad gets them.
I can do a jack-knife stretch and grab my toes and pull it
out with the leg straight. Helps a lot. I developed this
with yoga practice. I recommend developing your
flexibility. Most folks are way tight - which undermines
the movement of lymph and lactic acid and thus whole
body health and cleansing of muscle inflammation. | |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 6/19/2012 7:07:18 AM |
The other place I get them is along the tops of my feet.
Yes, I've noticed I get these from time to time as well. If I put my foot on the ground in an even slightly awkward manner, it knots up and hurts for maybe 10 seconds. I've never figured out how to deal with it, I just elevate my leg and don't let my foot touch anything, and it goes away.
It's not nearly as painful as the leg cramp, but it's still unpleasant. And more common. | |
|
| What did I do to my calf?
Posted: 6/19/2012 1:23:19 PM | I know them as a Charley Horse too. The worst I'd ever seen was when my ex came home one night after working a long shift where he'd been standing for hours. The cramp hit when he was asleep. He literally shot out of bed howling in pain and me frantically trying to figure out who bit him.
I could see the muscle was out of place that's how bad it was. Very visibly wrong to look at. I massaged it until he could stand it but it was really terrible for him and terrible to watch. Don't wish that pain on anybody. And I suppose there are degrees of this. He favored his leg for a couple of days but no lasting effects. Very possibly a mineral deficiency..eg magnesium at least partly to blame.
Hope you're past it now. :) | |
|
|
Home
login 
