R Lower Leg, Calf Strain
2012-04-15 – 2012-06-01
Grade: 3
80 minutes into the race my right calf suddenly felt like someone wacked it with a rock. I could hardly move. Somehow I managed to grit my teeth and hobble back 1.5km in 55 minutes.
It seems preset serious do I suspect that I will be out for several weeks.
I am straight onto the compression and ice, but there is not much chance of elevation having to drive back from queensland to Melbourne.
A visit to the Sports Doctor and Physio to review the ultrasound and assess the damage.
Not good news I'm afraid.
29mm grade II strain disruption of the distal musculotendinous juntion of the maximal head of gastrocnemius.
Also I somehow managed to rupture the plantaris tendon, which is not used for anything useful (except for climbing trees prior to humans evolving from monkeys).
The doctor's advice is no racing for 5-6 weeks or else he predicts with a pretty high degree of certainty that I will end up with another tear.
He says that I will feel good in 2 weeks and want to run, but that repaired fibres will not be strong enough to withstand running.
Physios advice:
rest for 1-2 weeks
cycling or pool running ok after 2 weeks
get back into slow running after 3 weeks