The most common area you could be experiencing pain in your calf is at the location of the soleus which is a lower, calf muscle near your Achilles tendon. This muscle is typically fatigued during fast, powerful movements during sprints. The gastrocnemius which is the larger belly of the calf muscle is typically fatigued during longer distance running. Also, it does not help that the Achilles is an avascular zone, meaning blood flow is not as productive in this region. This can cause tendonitis or inflammation of the tendon which will generate pain with movement.
In youth athletes, we can see a condition known as “sever’s disease”, also known as calcaneal apophysitis, which is located at the insertion of the Achilles at the calcaneus, and stress fractures occur. Sever's disease is a common condition that affects children and adolescents during a growth spurt. It is a type of overuse injury that occurs when there is inflammation of the growth plate in the heel bone (calcaneus). We assess these kinds of injuries through a range of motion, stability testing, and neurological examinations.
Initially, we start with a top-tier evaluation which allows us to get a quick, full-body assessment of range of motion. After completing the initial assessment, we dive into more stability and what areas are lacking. Once our full assessment is completed, we will generate a diagnosis with a treatment plan that is well-suited to the patient’s needs. Techniques we utilize to treat these conditions in the office are active release technique to help with trigger points, dry needling to help with tension and blood flow, rehabilitation methods, and manipulation.
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