Calf Muscle Pain: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Calf muscle pain typically presents as a dull ache felt in the back of the lower leg.^1A It can cause difficulty with daily movements, including walking, running, and jumping. This is because movement of your lower leg and ankle requires effort by the calf muscles^2A and surrounding tendons, such as the Achilles tendon.

There are many causes of calf muscle pain, including an acute muscle injury³, such as a muscle strain or a muscle sprain. These injuries tend to improve over time with simple pain relief treatments^1B.

This guide covers some of more common muscle injuries that contribute to calf muscle pain, and various treatment options to reduce and manage lower leg pain.

A contusion is the scientific term for "bruise." Bruises result from an impact injury^4A and tend to be painful.^4B

Bruising occurs because tiny blood vessels under the skin rupture from impact.^4C Blood then spills out into the surrounding tissue, but remains trapped under the skin.^4D This is why you tend to see discoloration in the skin after an impact injury to a muscle.

For example, getting kicked in the calf in a game of soccer, may cause visible bruising, tenderness, and pain in the calf muscle.

Sudden calf pain^5A can be the result of a calf muscle cramp. Cramps involve sudden muscle contractions and tightness in the muscle^5B that may cause severe pain.

Muscle overuse and dehydration^5C are two main causes of muscle cramp. Overused lower leg muscles, as the result of overtraining or overexertion, tend to become stiff and tight⁶. Dehydration and lowered electrolytes^7A, particularly following physical activity, may also cause calf muscles to cramp.^1C

While cramps themselves may last only a few seconds to a few minutes, affected muscles may be sore for upward of hours^1D afterwards. Your cramping pain should go away on its own⁸ but see a doctor if your cramps are severe, you get them often, or you have other symptoms alongside cramping (like numbness or weakness).

Another common muscle injury that may cause calf muscle pain is muscle strain^9A Muscle strains involves overstretching a muscle beyond its normal limits^9B, causing tears in the muscle that may range from mild to severe.

Mild or moderate muscle strains may be treatable with at-home treatments and rest^9C. Most cases of muscle strain will fall into these two grades.

Severe muscle strain involves a complete tear in the muscle and may require surgery to repair^9D.

Calf muscle strains are a common.^9E Other areas on the body prone to muscle strains^9F include:

• chest
• abs
• biceps
• back

To prevent muscle strain reoccurring, make sure to warm up your leg muscles properly^9G before working out the legs, as well as warming down after exercise. These measures increase calf muscle flexibility, helping to prevent future injury.^9H

If you feel calf pain when walking, especially after walking for a while^10A, you may be experiencing a mild case of Achilles tendinitis.

Achilles tendinitis is inflammation of the Achilles tendon¹¹, which joins the calf muscles to the heel and facilitates walking movement. This inflammation condition occurs when a tendon is overused, or suddenly engaged beyond normal intensity.^10B

A common symptom of Achilles tendinitis is a dull ache experienced in the back of the lower leg^10C, which is where the calf muscles sit.

The RICE method is a common pain management protocol^1C that utilizes cold therapy, which may be helpful in managing some symptoms of calf muscle pain.

RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

Calf muscle pain that presents with tenderness or swelling may benefit from ice application. Ice causes blood vessels to constrict,^13B which limits swelling and inflammation.^14A

Ice application, or cold therapy, may also help reduce calf muscle pain by numbing the nerves^14B and increasing pain tolerance.¹⁵

Learn more about muscle pain relief in our guide here.

An alternative pain relief treatment is heat therapy. Heat therapy increases blood flow^16A to stiff and sore muscles, encouraging faster recovery due to increased blood flow to the area, which brings oxygen and nutrients.

Calf muscle pain that involves muscle stiffness and painful muscle spasms may benefit from heat therapy as it helps disengage and relax the tight muscles^16B

Heat therapy, however, should not be used on calf muscles that have visible bruising or swelling.^16C

Pain medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs¹⁷ (including aspirin and ibuprofen), are available over-the-counter for mild cases of muscle pain. However, it is important to consult with your healthcare provider before starting any form of medication.

If taking oral pain medication is not a preferred treatment option, topical pain relievers are an alternative option.

Topical pain relievers, such as Biofreeze topical products, provide targeted pain relief via external application. Biofreeze products contain menthol, which causes a physically cooling sensation¹⁸ on the skin when applied, and provides pain relief for sore muscles¹⁹.

Keep your calf muscle pain at bay with Biofreeze Gel or Biofreeze Cream. For a mess-free application²⁰, try Biofreeze Patches, available in a variety of sizes.

Common calf muscle pain symptoms include tenderness, swelling, muscle tightness, muscle spasms, and pain.^1E

Massage therapy may help ease and subside some of these symptoms by improving circulation²¹ and reducing muscle tension and tightness²².  It can be a relaxing pain relief option after exercise.

However, massage should not be used on acute muscle strains, particularly in the first few days of injury.

How to relieve muscle pain after your workout

While most calf pain can be treated with simple remedies either over-the-counter or at-home, some instances^1F warrant an immediate doctor’s visit.

• severe or sudden calf pain^1G
• swelling in the lower leg^1H
• discoloration in the lower leg, feet, or toes^1I
• problems moving or walking^1J

If you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, call your healthcare provider or seek medical attention right away.