What can you do for it? You've had pain for a month. Go see a doctor.

i agree. see a doctor or a physio.

If you can't see a doctor, and stretching isn't helping, I would try heat. For example, soaking your leg in hot water (as hot as you can stand) and epsom salts if possible. Repeat this 4-5 times a day. You could also try gentle dynamic stretching after applying heat as well. That is something that has worked for me in the past.

Where in the calf? Lower to mid-calf muscles could be affected by achillies tendonitis. If it is the tendon you need to rest it and then slowly work it back to health. Stetching your muscles but not the tendon - or only slight tendon stretching. Try stretching like a wall pushup. With your hands on the wall and arms straight bend your knees slightly to get into those lower calf muscles. Bend at the hips too. Loosen up those hamstrings too. Normal calf stretches and downward dog (yoga) alternating bent knees to stretch the opposite calf.

There's a million opinions on the internets and I'm not a doctor, but this is what I've been doing to get over a sharp pain in my lower calf and tendons.

Oh, some ultrasound would be great too or a chiropractor that will adjust your legs.

[quote=rjnuck]...Unfortunately I am in Bora Bora for 6 months....[/quote]

Unfortunately? Cry me a river.... Grab a Mai Tai and drink your pain away. Just kidding (kind of).

My advice, R-I-C-E.

I recently had a much less severe injury with the same symtoms. I tried regular streching and aggressive massage to break up adhesions...it got me to the point where I could walk without any symptoms. I have since decided that static stretching may cause more stress than help.
What has worked is regular Active Isolated Stretching (youtube active isolated 1/5 - it a home brewed video, but very affective). Once I was comfortable that I was healed, I started the most basic run/walk training program i could find (Jack Daniels PHD - "white program").
I am pleased to say i have about 15 workouts completed without reinjury. I am working-out WAY below my fitness level, but very excited that I have hope to gradually adapt over a couple months to more strenuous workouts.
Good luck.
PS> don't ever ask for simpathy from Bora Bora

rjnuck,

I just went through over 7 weeks of the same issue. My issue turned out to the new shoe I purchased to run in. Got better, came back etc etc etc. Physio, stretching, ice, massage etc etc all helped but as soon as I went back to run it came back.

Went and had my run gait checked again and sure enough, the new shoes I bought prior to the inury were causing me to pronate badly, even though the same shoe I was using previously didnt cause issues.

Botom line, look at all the things you may have changed before the pain started, new golf shoes maybe. The popping sound is facia(Scar tissue) breaking more than likely. Since the calf is nearly 50% tendon it is possible you injured it before the golf game and then in the progression of the day it got agravated by your golf shoes/swing and then it just let go.

Rest is the only answer with massage, both self and professional and if you want to be so inclined, water running. Saved my run for Arizona in two weeks.

To add to my previous comment...I had this injury reoccur several times. I would start feeling better and begin to ramp up my training to former levels. Each time (about 2 weeks into the re-start) it would pop again.
My strong advice is to take a 6 months rehab attitude with it. And, VERY gradually increase milage/intestity. So far, it is working with me. I wish I had someone tell me to not try to get back to normal quickly.

I'm a fan of "the stick"
[url]http://www.runningexpo.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=385[/url]

RJ, ff swimming and riding give you no pain them by all means do it. The one thing that saved my Ironman, even though I swore I would never do it, was aqua jogging. It definately helped and when I can back to running, apart from teh soreness from the impact of hitting the road, my turnover was just as fast and I was running similar times, even though there was a loss of run fitness, but it came back fast.

The other benefit was I now have a more efficient recovery due to the enuciated motion of the recovery in the water.

The biggest advantage of triathlon is that you probably can continue doing one or tow of the disciplines if you injure yourself in the other. Almost, but mostly.

Swimming should be fine, as long as you don't find that it aggravates your pain. Aqua jogging is good, although there is a possibility that it may aggravate your muscle pain, it depends on how you do it, I find deep end is different than shallow end, it puts pressure on different muscles. You can always try it out and see what works.

I talked with my neighbor (orthopedic surgeon) about my condition. He thought it might be "tennis leg" and said I should google it to compare symtoms. While searching, I came across a different condition with similar symptoms - "chronic posterior compartment syndrome". Each condition has completely different solutions. My point is: keep researching until you know what your condition is...rather than taking anyone's "arm chair" diagnosis.

I just came on to trifuel to post up the same injury. I was running in the cold the other night and was feeling fine, after half an hour, ( no popping sound) pain right in the middle of my calf. I was going to ask how long does it normally take to get over this type of injury. From what I can find on the internet, Rest Ice Compression and Elevation seem to be the way to deal with it.
Is a doctor in Bora Bora less qualified than one in L.A. ?

I am somewhat concerned that I interpret this conversation as leaving the MD visit off the "to do" list. See an island doctor who will evaluate your leg. Arriving at a differential diagnosis is very important. Just because you first felt discomfort playing golf does not mean you definately have a musculoskeletal injury associated with walking, club swinging, cart pulling, etc. I hope you don't but you could have deep vein thrombosis in the leg which manifests initially only as calf pain. Commonly known as a blood clot which in some cases breaks loose and travels your circulatory system until it finds a place to settle in and block circulation in that area. Could be the brain (stroke) could be the heart (myocardial infarction) could be the lungs (pulmonary embolus). Could be bad. I hope it isn't. Best to be safe than sorry.

Hi
Think you have compartment syndrome, i had it last year.
this injury occurs usually in those over 35 who have been in sport for many years or those new to sport (less than 4 years) who are over 40.
as a member of a triathlon and runner club with over 600 members I have witness many athletes with this problem.
Reduced blood supply occurs as we get older to this part of the calf which builds up pressure hence the popping that happens or somethimes like you have been shot with a pellet.
2 weeks rest from running is a must.
rush back any sooner and it will go tiem & time agian.
I found the following web site very helpful who has done over 70 marathons and 25 ironman triathlons who no longer has the problem.
http://www.ironmate.co.uk/Recover--from-a-calf-injury.htm
good luck