The calf muscle, located on the frontal part of the shin, is one of the most important in the human body, because allows you to perform a number of musculoskeletal functions. Despite the fact that it is considered the most powerful, the gastrocnemius muscle at the same time is very vulnerable. Pain in the calves of the feet is a symptom that is often noted, which can be both a normal phenomenon and can be evidence of serious pathologies. Let's see why the calves of feet often hurt.
Physiological causes of pain in calves of legs
The soreness in the calf muscles, which can also be accompanied by a feeling of fatigue and slight swelling of the ankles, sometimes occurs after intense muscular work. As a result, lactic acid, a product of energy metabolism, accumulates in the tissues, which causes muscle pain. This can explain why the calves hurt their feet during long walking, after running, riding a bicycle, etc.
Another case, in which the pain in calves is considered a variant of the norm, is an easy stretching of the muscle, obtained with sharp movements. Most often this happens during sports, when an adequate warm-up was not carried out before that. Physiological pain does not require special treatment and passes after a full rest and adaptation of the body to the load.
Pathological causes of pain in calves
If the pain in the calves arises periodically or worries constantly, and also is accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms ( cramps , burning, severe puffiness, etc.), it is worth to undergo a medical examination. In order to find out why the calves of the feet are sore at night, in the morning or during exercise, various instrumental methods of investigation may be required:
- ultrasound dopplerography of the vessels of the legs;
- roentgenography of the spine, hip, knee joint;
- computer, magnetic resonance imaging.
The likely causes of pain may be the following pathologies:
- varicose veins;
- phlebothrombosis;
- thrombophlebitis ;
- myositis of the gastrocnemius muscle;
- rheumatic fibromyalgia;
- atherosclerosis of the vessels of the legs;
- spine diseases, provoking jamming of nerves (osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, curvature, etc.);
- deficiency of vitamins and minerals;
- side effects of certain medications, etc.
If you are suffering from pain in calves, do not delay the visit to a specialist - the earlier the diagnosis is established, the higher the chances of complete healing.