The large calf muscles can inflame due to a sudden injury in which the muscle tears. This most commonly occurs in the inner belly of the gastrocnemius at the junction of the muscle and the tendon. When this happens, you might feel a pop, and pushing off will be extremely painful.There will be mild swelling and possibly some bruising in the leg. Treatment includes using a boot, crutches, or both, and ice should be used often.
Compression of this artery during exercise is an uncommon but potentially severe source of pain, which usually occurs at the level of the knee. With compression of the artery, blood flow to the leg muscles diminishes, causing significant pain until the exercise stops. The blood flow needs to be evaluated during exertion to diagnose this problem, and surgery is the treatment.With all of these injuries, medications should be used with caution.