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I was wondering if anyone else had experienced this. I teach attack and combat. For the last few weeks my right calf muscle has been feeling a little tight and I've been trying to stretch and warmup well. Last night I taught a class and then we were practicing BC 35 getting ready to launch next week and I felt a sudden bad  pain in that calf while shuffling backwards in track 2. I'm pretty sure it's a strain or tear in the calf muscle. I'm applying ice, resting, elevating, and all that good stuff. But we launch in 1 week and I'm worried it won't be better by then; I was wondering if anyone else has had that injury and how long it took to heal. I'm wondering if it has to do with all the shuffles and scissors and gingas in the latest releases.

Hey sorry to hear you've picked up an injury.   As for the injury itself and healing time - everyone heals at different rates it all depends on your own body's ability to heal itself.  Personally I would get the injury checked out with either your GP or a sports physio only then can you gauge how long it will take to heal.   Hope your better soon.

Yep! A lot more common among participants than instructors and usually caused by, and certainly aggravated by, not letting all the way down to your heels when you land on your toes.  Classic case is jumping jacks or skipping rope on a hard surface.

Certainly won't heal before launch, so here's the deal: From now until then, totally focus during class on letting down to your heels so you won't aggravate it.  Warm it up, but don't stretch it before class. (Too easy to over stretch it and have it shorten instead.)  And definitely have a back up plan or exit strategy in case it tightens or starts to hurt while you're teaching.  As soon as it starts to hurt, STOP!  Cuz it will only damage the calf more and take a lot longer to heal.  Trust me on this.  Don't try to tough it out.

Good luck,

Rex 

 

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Excuse me... May I motivate you?

I've not experienced anything like that, sorry to hear you're injured.

 

I would expect attack and combat to put a bit of strain onto the calves with all the jumping.  How many classes a week were you teaching?  Could you have been overdoing the training?  The practise was probably adding to the strain on the muscles as well.

 

I'm not sure what would have added to the calf strain, but anything where you're on your toes will load the calf.  So this is going to depend on the choreography and your technique.

 

All you can do is rest and take it easy when you do get back on stage. 

lisaa:

I'm pretty sure it's a strain or tear in the calf muscle. I'm applying ice, resting, elevating, and all that good stuff. But we launch in 1 week and I'm worried it won't be better by then; I was wondering if anyone else has had that injury and how long it took to heal. I'm wondering if it has to do with all the shuffles and scissors and gingas in the latest releases.

Sorry to hear about the injury, it's one thing to get hurt in 'battle' but another thing while practice  :-S

I've had a thourough bleeding due to overdoing a class once (my own fault), so I've had little experience of injuries during training (thankfully).  I agree with RexFury; keep in motion but take it easy and don't try to force it, it will not get better. The idea to have a plan B is as pro-active as it gets; is there a possibility to do a teamteach during the release that would solve it, don't you agree? :^)

Hope it heals quickly but don't hole your breath; a colleague cancelled her classes for three weeks before she felt well enough to teach (the calves).   I don't intend to be discouraging - I mearly gave you something to compare with, but that's her injury, not yours - right? ;^)

Good luck!

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When everything is said and done; you can say it's easier said than done! :-D

Only time I ever had problems with my calves was when I used to do Attack as a participant twice a week and taught Combat 4 times a week. Since giving up Attack 2 years ago, no problems since! I think the 2 classes togeter gives the calves way too much pounding if done a few times a week, especially Attack!

I totally agree! I gave up teaching Attack a year ago because I couldn't get rid of achilles and calf injuries: since then, I've healed really well and been able to give my all to Body Combat. The best thing I ever did to be honest.

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None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.

Hi Lisa,

I feel for you. Although no one can prescribe or diagnose here, so def get hands on professional advice and take care of yourself. The most important thing is to listen to your body... dont mean to sound mean or anything, but your body was giving you warning signs ... VERY important to identify with these signals . I treat athletic injuries and recommend the following and personally use this when I am in pain. 

1. Rest.(from bouncing around on it) and sounds like you have the ice agenda going on (no ice burns!) 2. GENTLE stretching and non weight bearing stretching for the first few days when muscle is warm, then ease back into walking.  Your sports doc will help you with a recovery program depending upon whats going on. After a week, WALKING in sand is a good rehab exercise for all lower leg injuries as is water rehab..gentle activity, nothing hardcore  You can keep up with the icing as that will help with flushing the area. Dont push it by getting back up there and teaching and bouncing around on it... if you REALLY have to teach..do low impact and dont aggravate the injury, this will just build up more scar tissue and then you have another problem.... or you will prolong the injury. My advice is to take a launch OFF and get the next one, there will be more. See your sports doc and bring your focus to healing.

Calf strain injuries are common in athletes. Any kind of repetetive work can cause a strain, common causes are fatigue) not enough rest in between classes or running, whatever the activity, and insufficient warmth in the muscle..(It sounds like you have strained and not torn... you´d REALLY know it if you tear a muscle its excrutiating and you wouldnt be able to walk). The strain is going to hurt no matter if you put you heel down or not, be strong, let go, let it heal.

The only precaution/prevention aid is a more specific warmup before teaching class. On occasion, BodyCombat goes straight into shuffle scissors on the first track without any kind of low body warm up. I personally teach a lower impact version to stave injuries and I warm up my legs before teaching class..

Good luck chica, all the best. Let the warrior heal!

Kath

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List of things to do today. breathe in breathe out.

Thanks everyone for the advice and encouragement. You're right, I did ignore the warning signs which I should have heeded. I rested it for 10 days and we launched last night; since it was launch we had 4 instructors so I only had 3 tracks and it went fine, I could feel some nagging tightness but no significant pain. I'm going to drop teaching attack for awhile and focus on combat which seems alot less stressful on the feet and legs but just as good of a cardio workout IMO and my fave class to teach anyway. Lisa