came about two weeks into the swim team practices. I had spent the fall running on the cross-country team, for which we would average running 8 to 12 miles a day.
So, I spent the fall, running, lifting my toes up ... then joined the swim team, where you point your toes which each stoke / kick. Apparently, this caused enough confusion so that the muscle just locked up. It cramped tighter than ... than ... well, fill in you own simile'.
I will say, that it created quite a bit of pain. It took damn near 10 minutes for the muscle to relax. All of which time I was crying like a little girl/boy (to be gender neutral).
OK, all of this brings me to ... "Gee, wouldn't swimming be good exercise for your calf muscles, too?"
I did a quick search on a web search engine and found this; it looks quite useful:
http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/back/backlowerleg/rehabcalf/calfstrength.php
$0.02 from Mike
Sorry ... the link didn't seem to work .. so I grabbed the text from the page and pasted it here .....
Strengthening Exercises for the Calf Muscles
(Gastrocnemius and Soleus muscles)
Strengthening should be done in conjunction with stretching only when the tendon is free from pain and swelling. Start with the easier exercises. When they become too easy, replace them with a more difficult exercise. Do not do all the exercises at once.
Roll your mouse over each image to see the start and end position for each exercise.
Exercise 1: Push against resistance band.
This is a gentle exercise to start with. Hold a loop of resistance band and use it to apply restistance as the foot is pointed away (plantar flexed).
Start with just 3 sets of 10 once a day and build up to 3 sets of 20 three times a day. If it does not hurt the next day then increase the load. You may fine with this one you can increase the resistance quite quickly.
Exercise 2: Seated calf raise
Sit on a chair and raise up onto you toes. Again this is a gentle exercise that will strengthen the Soleus musles. Resting a weight on the knees will increase the resistance.
Start with 3 sets of 10 twice a day and increase a little every two or three days when you are sure there has been no adverse reaction (pain).
Exercise 3: Heel drop - both legs
Stand on the edge of a step and lower the heels down, both at the same time. You can adjust the pressure on the injured leg by taking most of your weight on the good leg. Repeat this exercise as many times as is comfortable. Do not over-do it, especially in the early stages. It is better to do too little rather than risk causing inflammation to the tendon.
Begin by going to horizontal and then progress by lifting higher and placing more weight on the injured leg.
Repeat the exercise twice daily. Progress to doing two and then three sets at a time. Apply cold therapy to the achilles tendon after exercise.
Exercise 4: Heel drop - single leg
As above but using one leg instead. Repeat this exercise as many times as is comfortable. Again, do not over-do it, reduce the number of repetitions you were doing in the first exercise and build up again.
Repeat the exercise twice daily. Progress to doing two and then three sets at a time. Remember to do the good leg as well as the injured leg.
Do not do more on the good leg then the injured leg can cope with. Apply cold therapy to the achilles tendon after exercise. Remember, you may feel discomfort initially but the aim is to maintain the exercises at the current level until you feel no pain during or after exercise.
Exercise 4: Walking calf raise
This exercise is more specific. Walk around pushing yourself up onto your toes each step. Start doing just 20 steps and increase each day until you can do 100. Do not progress too fast. A little each day. Be patient.
It is important to continue to do exercises 3 or 4 in addition to this one as it is important that the achilles tendon gets strengthened in a stretched position.
