By Ed Piper
Log documenting the occurrence and recovery from a common injury, a pulled left calf muscle. I missed the bottom two steps of our stairs and landed on the toes of my foot, causing piercing pain to shoot up through the back of my leg Monday morning, Dec. 23.
Day 3, Wed., Dec. 25 - Christmas Day
I continued my icing several times a day (preferably four treatments per day) with a Zip Loc bag of refrozen refrigerator ice on the painful spot. I could put weight on the foot day 2, Tuesday, after beginning icing.
By Wednesday, I was showing measurable progress toward walking and striding, though with a limp. The philosophy here: It is healthier to treat the leg and begin putting weight on it (though carefully) earlier, than to wait and allow the leg to linger in an injured, swollen state, which does provide assist the healing the body thrives on. As I limped on the left leg, I was already noticing a soreness in my well leg (right) from carrying the unbalanced weight.
Day 4, Thurs., Dec. 26
I began heat treatments after 72 hours (48-72 hours recommended), to be on the safe side. At first, I used an inefficient heating pad my wife has, that plugs into the wall. First, I plugged the heating pad in as I began to use it in hot-and-cold alternating treatments of a few minutes. But then I realized I would never be able to get enough heat on the leg to provide any benefit.
So after one three-to-four-minute period, I kept the pad plugged in, alternating cold (the refrozen ice bag) with hot, finishing with at least 20 minutes of ice (otherwise, the leg could blow up further in swelling).
Through the day, I could measure my improvement in the health of the calf pull by carefully walking on the leg.
Day 5, Fri., Dec. 27
My leg was stiff and sore when I woke up, making sure that I got enough sleep to help in recovery (and rest during the day, as well). It quickly gave way to more movement.
I switched to rubbing heat compound on my leg that I found in the drawer from years ago, the tube of ointment partially used. (I don't remember when I had an injury like this--probably applied heat to my neck or back instead.)
In the absence of Whirlpools or ice baths, I've had to make up my treatment to fit a household where there is no trainer (except me! I took a class at Chico State in treating injuries from the school's trainer). The heat rub is working fantastically--up to four treatments a day, walking on the leg, working toward a natural motion, not an exaggerated limp, which only puts more weight on the affected limb.
In the afternoon, we drove to DSW in Mission Valley for my wife to buy slip-in's (super-convenient). I waited my turn to use the Aetrex foot scanner, a computerized device that measures the length of my feet, the arch, and so forth. The machine prescribed me a 15.5--one less than I wear! I don't know how it got that.
When a little girl was put on the machine by her dad, a little alien creature came on the screen to talk to her--made it enjoyable for her.
While my wife tried on shoes, I stretched my calf (doing this frequently the last two days) by leaning against a wall while standing. Lots of pain, but I take the pain as an indicator of how much improvement I've had and where the calf is still knotted and tight.
Day 6, Sat., Dec. 28
I am making a point of doing four treatments per day, to keep my improvement going. I applied heat rub (Mentholatum Deep Heat) before an 8 a.m. meeting, then did one after I covered a La Jolla girls basketball game at Montgomery High in the South Bay, sitting in the car to apply the ointment (1:40 p.m.). That way, I could still do two more applications--5:10 p.m., then 8:40 p.m.
I sat taking notes during part of the first half of the 12 noon game, so I made a point of getting up and walking back-and-forth at one end of the court to stretch the muscle and do some conditioning (having missed, now, five days of walking, for the most part). When I applied the Mentholatum ointment, I used my fingers to dig in and apply as heavy pressure as I could on the muscle where it hurt the most--again, using pain as the indicator where the leg still needs attention.
I thought of a friend who had a knee replacement and didn't handle the pain well, thinking it was a sign of the surgery not going well. Not true.
Another thought I have carried is of the trainer at Occidental College, Barry Ryan, who treated me for my lower back injury (age 17, a freshman in college). He applied hot-and-cold. He also treated my (frequent) sprained ankles in JV basketball. Barry was a world-known trainer: Kjell Isaakson, a Swedish pole vaulter, came to him for treatment. Barry introduced me one time. Kjell was much shorter than I, 5'8, maybe, but could fly. He was a world-record holder at one time, I believe.
I try to model my treatments after the ones our team trainers used with us at Occidental College, Moorpark College (juco) the next year, then Chico State (Tommy Little--while I didn't make the team at Chico, I did take a course from Tommy, as I've said).
I-C-E: ice, compression, elevation. Also R-I-C-E: rest, ice, compression, elevation.
8:40 p.m. On my last treatment of the day, I could measure, my recovery has been rapid. From Monday, Dec. 23, 6:55 a.m. (the time of the injury), to now, I have improved to be able to not only put weight on the leg, but also to walk more and more normally (as we went to Walmart to get cash for a damaged phone). Remarkable. It's a God thing, as well.
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