![]() Your wound will be checked and if completely healed you will be given advice regarding soft tissue massage and scar desensitisation. Scar desensitisation should start as soon as the wound has completely healed. You will be reviewed at the clinic and your dressings removed. Activities can be gradually increased as pain allows. It is important that you commence calf stretching exercises as soon as possible after the operation. Please ensure someone is able to drive you home after the operation. A physiotherapist will guide you before your discharge from hospital. If both legs have been operated on then crutches maybe necessary. Most patients are able to walk comfortably without any aids after the operation. You may wish to get a Limbo bag which will stop the wound getting wet. It is advised not to remove this until seen at clinic by Mr Malik at the 2 week follow up.įor 2 weeks following surgery it is recommended that you keep the area dry. You will have a small waterproof dressing applied to the back of the knee. The operation will be done as a day case procedure.įollowing a proximal medial gastrocnemius release – The timeframes given below are a minimum, it is important that you appreciate this when considering surgery as your healing and recovery may take longer. Use this information to help you understand your condition, possible treatment and recovery. Remember that below is a guide to recovery and that everyone heals at different rates and some people do take longer. Please read the information regarding what to expect post surgery on this website. Calf stretching exercises are recommended for 2 weeks post surgery to help maintain the increased length obtained by surgery.Įxpect to feel the benefit of the operation 6 to 8 weeks post surgery. As the wound itself is small and the operation involves cutting fascia and not muscle most patients are able to walk out of hospital without crutches and are able to drive within 4 to 5 days. It is a day case procedure so you can expect to go home the same day. ![]() The operation is carried out under local anaesthetic and a short sedation. It is very effective in reducing pain and improving function. It lengthens the calf muscle and relieves the tension across the Achilles tendon. This operation involves making a small 2cm incision at the back of the knee and releasing the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. ![]() ![]() It may be done at the same time as the foot operation or as a staged procedure depending on the condition being treated. Releasing the calf tightness may be done as a sole procedure or in conjunction with another operation. Patients should understand that the decision to undergo surgery should not be taken lightly.Īny intervention is considered in a step wise manner, with the least invasive procedure carried out first. Surgical management is reserved for patients who have failed to respond to non operative treatment. Idiopathic calf cramps (no known cause).Conditions that result in electrolyte imbalance.Not all calf cramps are caused by calf tightness, the following may also be underlying causes and will be investigated as part of the initial work up: Tibialis posterior tendon dysfunction (tendinopathy).Plantar fasciitis (fasciopathy to use its correct name).Calf muscle tear (medial head of gastrocnemius).Achilles tendon problems (non insertional and insertional Achilles tendinopathy).Increased forefoot loading exacerbates any problem a patient may have in the forefoot such as:įor information regarding symptoms in conditions associated with calf tightness please read the relevant condition page below: When the forces are greater than normally encountered in the foot, a diagnosis of increased forefoot loading is made. Tightness in the calf, increases the forces going across the forefoot (ball of the foot). ![]() Instead, these patients often complain of pain resulting from problems caused or exacerbated by the calf tightness as described above such as plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendon problems. It is not uncommon, however, for patients to have tightness in the calf muscle and actually have no or little pain and discomfort in the calf itself. The most common symptom felt in the calf in patients with calf tightness is muscle spasm and cramping pain. ![]()
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