There are two main muscles in your lower leg that help with propelling your body forward during walking, running or climbing stairs. Symptoms of a calf strain link to a sudden increase in pain during an activity, pain when trying to resume an activity or pain on trying to raise up onto your toes. There can be swelling, bruising, stiffness and aching seen and felt.

Calf strains are normally caused during activity when you suddenly increase your speed, change direction or over period of time of intense training sessions. Normally seen in adulthood people have a high risk of a calf strain when sprinting, dancing and almost any sport that involve running. Hence calf strains are very common and if there not managed appropriately increases the risk of re-injury.

Early management is important to identify the injury, physiotherapists will be able to diagnosis the grade of strain (grade 1, 2 or 3) and provide you with an individualised rehabilitation programme while informing you on realistic time frames of healing and returning to your sports.