 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all. Tore my calf muscle on the last day of my last trip (4 weeks ago yesterday).
Most of the swelling and bruising has gone now but my shin and ankle are still a bit sore. Should it be ok to start doing some exercises/light training now?
Have another trip booked in 3 weeks time and don't want to damage this muscle again  .
Any info/advice would be most welcomed. Ta, G.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Eouch....I tore my calf last season did the R.I.C.E. thing, (rest, ice, compression, elevation) had a season with a physio, did plenty of stretching and was skiing at week five, main issue seemed to be with the boot and calf squeeze... and skiing sensibly on piste
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Did mine a couple of years ago, doc had me on RICE for 6 weeks and then physio for a couple of months (mine was at the bad end of grade 2 almost grade 3 tear). Lots of gentle stretching and low impact exercise, It was 4 or 5 months after the tear before the physio said I was OK to do some gentle skiing again and even 2 years later I tend to wear a compression legging on that calf as it it more prone to strains and pulled muscles.
There is quite a bit of discussion of several torn calf muscles, inc mine, here http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=25309&highlight=ton+calf
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Having done mine twice I cannot stress enough the need for calf massage at your stage, lengthens and orientates fibres, working out the knots and tangles which will make the muscle susceptible to recurring injury if not sorted out.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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mfamily2, When I redid mine (much milder tear) last year the doc in France said he thought it was due to a deep seated and tiny knot the previous physio and massage had missed.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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davkt, Sounds very plausible, I was lucky enough to get the physio via work, but only after the second tear. First time I did nothing other than stretching. Both tears were very similar, severe bruising up calf, pitting when you pushed your finger in. The healing recovery process was a lot smoother second time around with the calf massage. The physio I had gave it a very good going over during ten consecutive daily sessions and I have had no problems since. I was told I could start gentle jogging when I could do fifteen calf raises on a step in quick succession with no adverse effects thereafter. These took time to build slowly up to, but again the recovery process worked for me.
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Do the RICE thing as Super Steezy said, use a blood flow stimulator if you have one instead of stretching. You need blood flow to repair the damaged tissues but stretching can damage them even more. Massage will help with blood flow too but be gentle! Blood flow stimulators work best for increasing circulation and for not reaggravating the injury. I found the one in the link below, which is amazing, I've tried Dr. Ho's and they are way too aggressive. I've done ultrasound with PT's and Dr's but you don't get to use it frequently enough when you have to go to the doctors to use it.
http://www.kingbrand.com/Leg_Pain_Treatment.php?REF=52PV55
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Bicycling is excellent on gentle slopoes, this will stretch the calf muscles gently and enncourage the bood flow. Physio is also essential - lots of massage and the ultrasonic machine. I did both my calf muscles one year - yes the physio did say - "doesnt happen except in rare motor accidents" but I explained that having strained one I thought I could ski on for a bit only to take a huge tumble a couple of minutes later and do worse damage to the second calf!! I would say I was 90% right within six weeks with the help of the physio with whom I engaged as soon as I got home.
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FFIRMIN, Ouch! Very unlucky, fortunately I managed to get down most of the horrible Demoiselles run in Les 2 Alpes in effect skiing on one ski after I did mine!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks all. I guess i'll know where I'm at on Monday. Going back out to Tignes tomorrow.
I have been slightly surprised that I'm still getting a bit of fluid around the ankle area........not much but noticeable at the end of the day.
Conditions don't sound ideal for an easy return but i'll be taking it steady.
Fingers crossed and all that 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Popped mine the other day. No big deal, grade 1-2. Unfortunately, I have a load of instructor exams at the end of the season! Will be 6 weeks from injury to first exam. I am optimistic that I will be fit in time, but I don't see me getting much/any training done. Gutted!
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stevomcd, 6 weeks seems to be the magic number. Got home yesterday after skiing 13 consecutive days. Exactly 6 weeks from injury to back on snow.
First few days on piste only. (no big deal for me, I'm rubbish off piste  )
I did find some Smartwool compression ski socks that really helped to prevent the fluid build up and offer some support.
Spent a few hours in the gym in the two weeks prior to this trip but it was all light stuff..........sit bike, elliptic(sp?) cross trainer and rowing machine.
Good luck with the instructor exams.
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You know it makes sense.
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stevomcd, Hopefully six weeks will be ok for a 1-2, mine was only so protracted because I turned the middling 2 tear into an almost grade 3 going up the stairs in Birmingham Airport on the way home, going up some stairs and only got the front half of my foot on the stair, heel dropped and did a whole load more damage.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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2.5 weeks in and I'm now walking OK, doing (2-footed) calf raises with only minor discomfort. Progress, but definitely not there yet.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I tore my calf muscle in early January 2013 (see the thread cited by davkt), and was able to do my 2 weeks in Whistler at the end of March, that year, without any problems.
The ski boot provides a lot of support
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, it'll be 5 weeks to the day tomorrow. Calf feels very strong, been doing lots of rehab and can easily do 3 sets of 20 single-leg calf-raises. On the down side, the calf and achilles tendon remain pretty tender and tight and I still feel like any kind of explosive movement would set it right back again. Instructor exams start on Thursday. Let's hope!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Good luck, if you haven't already got them already I'd get hold of some compression calf supports if I were you, I use Compressport ones and they really help.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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If anyone's interested, I've been able to ride on the exams, but definitely a long way from 100%. A bad landing in the park yesterday gave me some pretty severe pain in the injury, but amazingly it actually seems to have loosened it off rather than causing more damage!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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stevomcd, Good to hear. How did the exams go?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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GeorgeVII, so far, I've passed 1 1/2 out of 3... could be better.... 
It's not so much the injury which is holding me back (although it definitely is), it's the lack of riding over the weeks leading up to the exams. Really frustrating knowing that I was riding better back in February / March.
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