RICE

• Rest your calf, ice it, apply pressure and compression, and elevate the leg for the first 48 hours after the injury; this series of actions spells out RICE, making it easy to remember. Icing and elevating the leg will prevent swelling. Apply an ice pack for the first 20 minutes after the injury, then repeat every 2 hours. Applying pressure, or compressing the muscle, helps the muscle regenerate as quickly as possible. Take an elastic bandage, and wrap it around the toes. Take the elastic bandage and wrap the other end up toward the lower knee. If there is a need to move during the first 48 hours, use crutches to keep pressure off the leg. Use painkillers such as Ibuprofen, but carefully follow directions.
  
  

Rehabilitation

• After 48 hours, begin taking short, easy walks. Try performing normal activities to promote flexibility, but do not do any sports or exercise for 3 to 4 weeks, to prevent promoting further injury. You can, however, perform light stretching of the calf. Do not overstretch to the point of pain and tightness, as anything further will injure you. Physiotherapy is also available. A physiotherapist will guide you through the correct exercises, as well as providing healing massages to the calf muscles.
  
  

Surgery

• If you are a young athlete and the tear is serious, you may want to consider surgery. Surgery is rarely considered except for athletes. During the surgery, blood is let out of the affected area and the torn calf muscle is reattached to the tendon. After the surgery, the patient will need to abstain from sport until all swelling and tenderness has subsided. After that, a heel elevation must be worn inside the shoe for a period of 4 weeks during exercise and sport.