One of the trickier areas to diagnose that we see at Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center is pain in the calf. This symptom can point to a variety of disorders, some more serious than others. The only way to definitively find out what’s causing the pain is to make an appointment at our Long Beach office. Our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria Foley and Dr. Constance Omelas will do a complete lower extremity examination and also get your medical history to help track down the source of calf pain. Some possibilities include:
Exercise or Injury—the most obvious and least threatening cause of calf pain is muscle pain due to exercise. If you have recently started a new fitness routine or sport, some soreness may be normal. Pain that lasts more than a few days, however, or that is severe requires medical attention. Injuries to calf muscles or to the Achilles tendon are possible in cases where patients do too much too soon or suddenly ramp up their exercise program.
Dehydration—did you know that most of us are walking around in a state of chronic dehydration? Unless you drink half your body weight in water each day, you may be among the dehydrated. With extra sweating in the summer months the risk increases. One of the signs of dehydration is cramping in the calf. Sometimes cramps will occur at night and wake you up.
Other Foot Disorders—sometimes a pain in the calf is not about the calf at all. It can be a symptom of a foot or ankle problem such as flat feet or Equinus.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)—this is a blood clot that forms deep in the calf. It is more common if you have had surgery recently or been on an airplane. This is a potentially dangerous condition and if you believe there is any possibility of DVT you should contact the foot doctor immediately.
Peripheral Vascular Disease—poor circulation to the legs and feet, which are characteristic of this disease (and other conditions, such as diabetes, that affect the circulatory system), can result in calf pain, especially when you sit with your legs up or when walking.
If you have been experiencing consistent calf pain, contact us by calling: 562-420-9800.
