What is a Tennis Leg?
Tennis leg refers to a tear in the medial tip of the gastrocnemius. Also known as a pulled calves muscle. You may feel like you have tennis leg. However, this isn’t a tear in your Achilles tendon. This tendon is critical for running, walking and jumping and is the largest tendon in the body. It is possible to identify the tennis leg and have it evaluated and treated by a qualified chiropractor. There should not be any need for surgery.
Causes of Tennis Leg
The tennis leg is more common in athletes who are former competitive athletes. Your level of sport activity drops as you age. Inactivity combined with the natural weakness of our muscles as we age makes us more prone to tennis leg, also known as a rupture in the medial head of lower leg.
Age / Activity Status
A common injury in tennis leg occurs in older athletes, and is more prevalent in those aged 35-49. Because slightly older athletes are more likely to continue being physically active at higher intensity, but less often, due to having retained moderate to high levels of muscle mass from more active years in their sport careers, the reason for this is tennis leg.
Get your muscles deconditioned
As you get older, your muscles do too. When they are used at high intensity, these muscles may not have been properly warmed up or stretched, particularly the lower leg muscles and the calf muscles. They are more likely to spasm than younger athletes who have muscles that have been properly conditioned and stretched.
Previous Injury
If you suffer from recurring calf strains, it is important that you seek professional care often to avoid tennis leg (the tear at the head of the gastrocnemius muscles). Any previous calf injury can be healed with fibrotic scar tissue if it is not properly assessed and treated by qualified professionals. This could lead to tennis leg.
Signs and symptoms of tennis leg
Tennis leg is described by athletes who have felt it. It’s a sensation like being shot in the leg. There is an immediate tearing or stabbing sensation, most commonly in the calf.
Tennis leg symptoms are common for athletes:
- Sudden pain in your back of the calf
- Their calf muscles can be swollen or bunched.
- You feel a tight spasm or cramping in your calf muscles and the surrounding areas.
- You may experience swelling and bruising at the back of your legs.
It will become tender and painful if touched. You’ll be unable to walk in the area. After experiencing Tennis Leg, most athletes agree that the best way to walk is on your toes. They do this to avoid having to use their ankles which would have required the calf muscle to work, causing severe pain in the calf.