To know when to call for help

[MahMahMahMahCorona]

I think I've pulled my calf muscle - badly. Single mum to two dc and i cannot walk. Got up from the chair I was sitting on earlier and felt like something corkscrewed up the back of my left calf. And now it's agony despite being on ice for over an hour.

I can barely walk to the loo and am terrified of trying to get upstairs (can sleep on sofa) - what do I do?

It certainly could be sciatica - I had it for 2 years and it was agony, like a knife being stuck in the back of my calf. Couldn’t walk during an attack, only lie flat with hot water bottle under leg and pain killers. In some people the sciatic nerve passes through the piriformis muscle in the buttock which squashes it. I still have to do stretches to stop it coming back and can’t sit for long. Hope you get the help you need xx

Hi @mrsmalcolmreynolds, nothing helpful to add on the advice front but sending you virtual support and sympathy: hopefully the doctor will be in touch soon, and your friend's now with you x

Please remember when icing it's 15 - 20 mins on, an hour off. Applying ice for longer than 20 mins will cause an inflammatory response instead of reducing inflammation.

I snapped my calf muscle a few years ago and this sounds familiar.

I did go to A&E, and they gave me lovely drugs. But not other treatment except rest and crutches and then physio after a couple of weeks. And high heels - if it is your calf then you won’t be able to put your foot flat for a couple of months but walking in heels should be ok in a couple of days

Thank you all so much for being so lovely - the doctor called back and believes it's my calf muscle rather than my Achilles - fortunately my friend arrived and was able to hunt down my naproxen and paracetamol. Very useful to know about the icing of a strain - I had it on ice for more than 20mins so I'll know to lessen that today. Doc said to raise it and rest it - the nurse I spoke to said her son had sciatica in his buttock which one day jumped to his calf muscle, so I'm keeping that in mind. Bizarrely the pain in my left buttock has now dissipated so I do wonder...

Apparently if your Achilles goes you hear an audible snap. I must admit I wasn't listening out for one at the time! My friend has a pair of crutches in their garage (a bit random...) and is going to get them for me now. I'm a little scared to stand up but I think I could manage to limp to the kitchen this morning.

Thank you all for being so kind and helpful when I was totally panicking. The shock made me utterly freezing and the pain was so bad I was nearly sick. A bit scary late at night on your own so thank you.

My DH arrived home from cricket on crutches one night with something similar. Amazingly he was still tender but mobile the next day so fingers crossed It's okay for you.

As someone who tore - nay ripped - their hamstring a few years back, you have my utmost sympathy

How's it feeling now?

Thanks @Luaa - it has certainly eased but I can really feel it if I don't put it up! Naproxen and paracetamol mix don't seem to hit the sides but I was at least able to walk DC to school - slowly, and with a limp. Haven't mastered the crutches just yet.

I am able to rotate my foot though and keep looking for any swelling / foot turning blue, signifying DVT or the like, but I think it must be (hopefully) a torn calf muscle and not the Achilles, although I'm still on the fence about sciatica... my left buttock doesn't hurt much at all whereas it's been agony for the past three weeks.

Thank you though!