ORTHOPEDICS/LEG, FOOT & ANKLE/CAUSES OF PAIN
Calf Muscle Damages Near the Achilles Tendon
The plantaris muscle is a small muscle in the leg back.
Running together with the other calf muscles, the plantaris muscle and tendon are in the place to the calf and Achilles tendon muscles.
A damage to the plantaris muscle seems like the calf strain or Achilles tendon tear indications, but the recovery from a plantaris muscle damage is classically much easier.
Plantaris Muscle / Anatomy
The gastrocnemius and the soleus muscles are the main muscles in the leg back.
The gastrocnemius has two principal portions, the medial and the lateral heads. The soleus is situated deeper in the leg.
Together, the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles constitute the Achilles tendon, which balances into a fitted tendon in the heel back.
The Achilles tendon is attached to the heel bone (the calcaneus).
The plantaris muscle is the calf muscles smaller constituent. The plantaris muscle and tendon sit coarsely in the calf center, between the two heads of the gastrocnemius.
Plantaris muscle tears / Symptoms
Damages to the plantaris muscle can arise as either a muscle strain or more frequently, a plantaris muscle separation.
Plantaris muscle separations have also been called “tennis leg”.
Classic indications of a plantaris muscle separation include:
- Sudden pain in the calf back
- Calf muscle Inflammation or bunching
- Bruising in the leg back
- Calf muscle Cramping and spasm feelings
Plantaris muscle tears / Diagnosis
Plantaris separations can be confused with a blood clot in the calf large veins, called deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Diagnosis recommends tests that can be performed to confirm or exclude the plantaris separation.
The two tests most frequently used are either an MRI or an Ultrasound. Both of these tests can be useful either in confirming a plantaris muscle tear or to look for other possible causes of calf pain.
Plantaris muscle tears / Therapy
Therapy of a plantaris muscle damage is most frequently non-surgical. While the damages can cause pain and disability, the signs usually resolve with simple therapy measures.
The preliminary therapy of a plantaris damage is with the traditional R.I.C.E. (Relaxation, Ice applying, Compression and Elevation)
If the pain is important, patients may need additionally a brief immobilization time to allow the pain to subside.
Progressive increases in motion and strength can be gained with the assistance of a physical therapist.
With conservative therapy, usually symptoms progressively resolve within few weeks, although a complete recovery may last up to eight weeks depending on the damage severity.