Hi,I am Dr. Gopal Goel (Orthopaedic Surgeon). I will be looking into your question and guiding you through the process. Please write your question below.
Suggest Treatment For Leg Injury Causing Swelling And Pain On Movement
At 1:30 today I stepped out of the side door of my van after setting a plant down and it felt like I tore/ripped/pulled my calf muscle??? After reading on the internet for a bit here I am trying to figure out if I should go get it looked at or wait. I took 2 advil 2 hours ago and that seemed to help a bit. I cannot walk on it at all - thankfully I have crutches at home. I can turn leg out a little while sitting and that seems to be the best position - if I turn leg in (or out too far) it is in a lot of pain and if I flex my foot it is in a lot of pain. There is a secton of the calf (about 3" long) that is painful to a soft touch. It is swollen, but not red or hot to the touch. I have been using some ice at 15 min. intervals also. How do I know if I just need to let it rest, wait a few days or if there is something more serious to get looked at now???? Also, how would I know if there was concern of a blood clot and symptoms of that versus a muscle issue? (I do not drink, smoke or take any medications.