That's torn it

I went out last week for a run and experienced a bit of cramp in my calf muscle.

I was running an 'out and back' route.

Typically, It happened at the very furthest point away from the house.

I have never had it before (other than in the middle of the night when you least expect it).

It was pretty uncomfortable, but I decided that I would run it off.

That night it hurt quite a bit, and remained like that for a few days, so I stayed away from the running.

Then today I went out again and got about 200 yards before my leg refused to have any more weight put on it. I walked for a bit and tried again. Same reaction.

Oh dear. Very bad.

I rang my physio was was free in the afternoon.

"Are you still doing that marathon, Steve ?" he laughed when I arrived.

"That depends on your diagnosis".

I explained the problem, and he asked if I had stretched before my run today.

Well, sort of.

I have seen people 'stretching' on the telly and what not. So I had grabbed my ankle and waived it around a bit in the air, lunged like a musketeer and then contorted myself into unnatural positions against the wall.

He was unimpressed by this stretching description and decided to look at my leg.

He then pressed and punched my leg while I had a bit of a swear.

"Ah" he said "you have a slight tear in your short calf muscle"

"Is that common injury ?" I enquired.

"Yes, if you are a fatso who does no exercise and doesn't warm up properly"

Actually, he didn't say that, but I'm pretty sure I heard him think it.

As it turns out, by spending only £100 with him and giving it a few days rest I should be back on the pavements again next week.

Oh, And he showed me how to stretch properly.