The Injury
Freddie Ljungberg suffered a Calf muscle injury during Sweden’s 2-0 Euro 2008 qualifier victory over Spain and was forced to miss several Premiership matches. Calf muscle injuries are common in sports such as football, basketball, and tennis, where there is a lot of running and jumping.
The Treatment
Freddie Ljungberg’s rehabilitation was supervised by the physiotherapists at the Swedish Football Federation. Regardless of the level of the injury the treatment in the early stages is the same.
The Calf is rested in an elevated position and a physiotherapist applies an ice pack for 20 minutes every two hours (never apply ice directly to the skin). A compression support can be applied to limit bleeding and swelling in the tissues. Electrotherapy treatment can also help during the early stages. Once the initial pain has worn off more active rehabilitation can be started, including Calf stretching and strengthening exercises.
A Calf & Shin Support is commonly used during rehabilitation and in the prevention of Calf muscle injury. Many people who have suffered Calf muscle problems find that the re-assurance and therapeutic heating effect are very helpful.
The Outcome
Ljungberg made a full recovery with physiotherapy treatment and returned to action after six weeks. Whatever your skill level, a neoprene Calf support is appropriate to help you prevent Calf muscle injury and keep you in your game.
What you can do
| Consult a sports injury expert | |
| Apply ice packs/cold therapy | |
| Apply a compression bandage to limit swelling | |
| Use anti-inflammatory gel to relieve pain | |
| Stretch using exercise bands to aid scar tissue healing | |
| Wear a Calf support for reassurance | |
| Perform Core Strength & Core Stability exercises | |
| Perform warm-up exercises prior to sporting activity | |
| Perform cool down exercises following sporting activity | |
| Practise stretching exercises to maintain muscle length | |
| Sip sports drinks to maintain carbohydrates & fluids |