Return to Play
When an athlete will be able to return to play is predicated on the patient being pain free and recovering full ROM. This period can last 1-12 weeks, depending on the degree of tissue damage that was sustained. Strength testing should reveal that more than 90% of the uninjured side accounts for the patient's dominance preference.
Complications
The most common complication of a medial calf injury is scar-tissue formation, which results in chronic pain or dysfunction that is caused by a functional shortening of the muscle-tendon unit. This scar tissue can then predispose to frequent reinjury. Another complication is the formation of a DVT as a result of patient inactivity and trauma.
Prevention
A medial calf injury may not be preventable, but regular physical activity with maintenance of flexibility in the gastrocnemius muscle may help to reduce one's chances of sustaining such an injury.
Prognosis
If the above treatments are followed (see Treatment, Acute Phase, Recovery Phase, and Maintenance Phase), the prognosis for recovery and return to sports after a medial calf injury is excellent.
Education
Instructions for appropriate stretching and warm-up techniques should be provided to the patient for the implementation of maximal prevention of reinjury.
