Soleus muscle pain: Cause, Symptoms, Treatment, Exercise

When you feel pain with the active or resisted plantar flexion if you feel Tenderness in the back side of the lower leg area during palpation, it is indicate soleus muscle pain; you also feel pain during some activities like walking, jumping & running.
This muscle pain occurs due to many reasons like strain, and injury of the muscle.
You also observe the swelling, and redness with the pain.
This pain is released by the RICE principle, pain medication & physiotherapy treatment.

What is the anatomy of the Soleus muscle?

This soleus muscle is a large muscle on the back of the lower leg.
This powerful muscle arises from the back of the shin bone & attaches to the heel bone as part of the Achilles tendon.
This soleus muscle is active during the activities like walking, running &jumping.

The function of the soleus muscles is to plantarflex the foot.
This soleus muscle is located just beneath the larger gastrocnemius muscle.
These two muscles are joined together at the Achilles tendon and inserted on the backside of the heel bone, called the calcaneus. Many professionals consider that two heads of the gastrocnemius muscle & the single soleus muscle become one muscle group which is known as the triceps surae.

What are the causes of the Soleus muscle pain?

These Soleus muscle injuries are relatively common in runners. This runner’s injury is known as an overuse injury.
All Muscle injuries are the most common in sports.
This injury occurs due to fatigue or overt raining of the muscle during the activities.

Soleus muscle strain:

A muscle strain occurs when muscle fibers are damaged when the workloads are placed on muscle during the activity.
When gradually increased the muscle pain is commonly reported as the muscle strain & often with the no specific mechanism of injury = MOI.
This strain may occur due to the limited sensory innervation to the intramuscular aponeurosis.

Grade 1 muscle strain :
You feel sharpness & pain initially during the activity.
You also feel mild discomfort but no pain.
Sometimes also feel tightness in the muscle.

Grade 2 muscle strain:
You feel sharpness & pain during an activity & inability to continue the activity.
You also feel pain during walking & after any activity.
You observe the swelling in the muscle pain area & bruising or discoloration of the skin of the muscle pain area.

Grade 3 muscle strain:
You are feeling too severe pain.
Inability to do the physical activity

This muscle pain is also produced when the knee joint is flexed for a long time while running activities.

Other calf muscle injuries which are also lead to the Soleus muscle pain including the gastrocnemius muscle strains which is more common in athletes including tennis players.

What are the symptoms of the Soleus muscle injury?

You feel pain in the muscle area.
You are also feeling pain during & after the activity.
This muscle pain is also felt during the walking, jumping & running activities.
You are observing the swelling & redness in the muscle pain area.
Sometimes tender & trigger points are present in the muscle pain area.
You also feel tightness in the muscle.
Weakness is also felt during the activity in the muscle.

What is a diagnosis of the Soleus muscle pain?

It becomes too challenging to identify this muscle injury just from a physical examination.
So doctors typically use an MRI & ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis of the muscle injury.

Ultrasound = USG is less good at detecting this type of muscle injury.

The doctor also asks the patient about the symptoms & tries to know about the causes of the injury.

What is the treatment for Soleus muscle pain?

RICE principle:

When you feel pain in the Soleus muscle in the starting phase of muscle pain doctor advises to you RICE principle to release the muscle pain & swelling.

R – rest = When you feel pain doctor is advised to rest for some days & do not do an activity that produces pain in the muscle, for the weight-bearing you can use crutches for some days.
I – ice = You can apply ice in the painful muscle area for 20 minutes reduce to muscle pain & swellings, you can also be used an ice pack & frozen peas in the area of pain but always apply the ice with the help of a towel for preventing to ice burn.
C – compression = You can also use to compression bandage on the area of muscle pain release to swelling & spam.
E – elevating = You must be elevated to the area of pain by placing the pillows under the foot for release to swellings.

Pain medication :

You can also take to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs = NSAIDs like aspirin & ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) which help to release the muscle pain.
When you have felt severe pain, your doctor prescribes something stronger drug.
You can also apply volini gel & spray on the area of muscle pain release to muscle

What is Physiotherapy treatment for the Soleus muscle pain?

Physiotherapy treatment is help you release pain, swelling, spam & tightness of the muscle pain.

The physiotherapy treatment includes massage, electrotherapy, stretching, exercise & strengthening exercise

Massage:

When in the soleus muscle pain presents to tender & trigger points in the physiotherapy treatment therapist is advised to massage the area of muscle pain.
It is applied with the help of oil & powder for 5 to 10 minutes to the area of muscle pain. Effleurage massage is mostly help to relive muscle pain.
It is applied in a circular motion.
It is also applied with the help of a messenger.

Electrotherapy treatment :

Electrotherapy treatment is helpful to you for reliving the swellings, spams & pain.

The electrotherapy treatment includes too many machines.

When the muscle pain area trigger & tender points are present apply to US = ultrasound therapy for release of muscle pain.
This treatment is applied with the help of gel & applies for 5 to 10 minutes on the area of pain.
This electrotherapy treatment helps you release pain & swelling.

Reduce pain therapist is advised to SWD = short wave diathermy, IFT = Interferential Therapy, TENS = Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on the area of pain.
SWD = Short wave diathermy is hot therapy that is applied for release to spams on the area of pain.
IFT = Interferential Therapy & TENS = Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation which is applied with the help of gel & electrodes to the area of muscle pain.
Both therapies are applied for 10 minutes to the area of pain.

Stretching of soleus muscle:

Stretching is helpful to you for releasing the muscle tightness & pain.

Soleus Stretch (Flexibility)
Standing Soleus Stretch
Soleus seated bent-knee stretch :
Soleus bent knee standing wall strech :

Soleus Stretch (Flexibility):

You are standing facing a wall from 3 feet away.
Then Take to one step toward the wall with the right foot.
Place both palms on the wall.
Bend both knee joints & lean forward.
Must be Keep both heels on the floor.
Hold for this position for 30 to 60 seconds. Then relax both legs.
Repeat the exercise 3 times.
Then Switch legs & repeat.
Repeat this stretching 3 times a day.

Standing Soleus Stretch :

You are in a Standing position for the stretch & take a half step forward.
Must be Keep the weight evenly distributed on both feet & heels on the ground.
Slowly bend the knee joint & sink toward the ground.
In this position, You should feel a stretch in the back leg, just above the heel.
Then Continue to sink slowly with the hip joint to deepen the stretch.
Hold this stretching position for 30 seconds & change sides.
When you bend your knee joint, it is targeted to stretch the soleus & Achilles tendon rather than the gastrocnemius muscle.

Soleus seated bent-knee stretch :

You are sitting on the floor bend one knee joint & point the toes up towards the ceiling.
Hook a band & towel around the middle of the foot.
Then Pull on the band & towel to feel the stretch.
Hold this exercise for the desired time & repeat it on the other side.
Repeat this exercise 10 times in 1 session & 3 sessions per day.

Soleus bent knee standing wall strech :

Place both hands against the wall & take one leg back with the knee joint straight.
Bend both knees till you feel a stretch in the back leg.
Hold this stretching for the desired time & then switch sides or repeat.
Repeat this exercise 10 times in 1 session & 3 sessions per day.

Exercise:

All exercise helps you release pain & weakness.

Calf raises
Standing heel calf raise
Soleus bridge
Squat with soleus raise
Donkey calf raise

Calf raises :

The patient is in a Standing position straight, then push through the balls of the feet & raise the heel till you are standing on the toes. Then lower to slowly back to the start.
Do this exercise 10 times in 1 session & 3 sessions per day.

Calf raise variations :

Weighted calf raise:
It is a good idea to increase the difficulty of the calf raises with the weights with the exercise.
The patient is Holding a dumbbell in each hand while doing the calf raises which is help to prepare the calf muscle to handle the put extra pressure during the exercise.
Do this exercise 10 times in 1 session & 3 sessions per day.

Raised calf raise:
You are in the Standing position on a step so that your heel is dropping lower than the rest of the foot at the bottom of the movement. Then provides a greater range of motion in the calf muscle during the exercise.
You can hold the dumbbells to make this variation tougher, but it is difficult to must keep the balance when holding the dumbbells too heavy.
Do this exercise 10 times in 1 session & 3 sessions per day.

Bent-knee calf raise:
When Bending the knee joint slightly when doing any kind of calf raises which is mostly used for soleus muscle.
During the bent knee position do the calf raise exercise.
Do this exercise 10 times in 1 session & 3 sessions per day.

Seated calf raise:
You are in a sitting position on a chair with the feet on a raised surface so that heels are hanging off the back.
With the latter, you can rest dumbbells on the knee joint to add resistance to the movement.
Seated calf raises are mostly good for working the soleus muscles & allow to you add significant weight to the exercise with less risk of losing the balance.
Do this exercise 10 times in 1 session & 3 sessions per day.

Standing heel calf raise:
This exercise starts with the standing position and then holding onto a stable surface for support.
Then Slowly raise the heels off the ground as far as you can & lower them back to the floor
You are Make sure to keep the balls of the feet on the ground & maintain the balance.
Then Repeat this exercise 10 times in 1 session & 3 sessions per day.

Foam Roller Exercise:

You are in a sitting position on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
Then place the roller under the calves.
Use the hands for support then slowly roll from the knee joint down to the ankle & pausing on any tight or sore spots.
Do this roll for 30 seconds to 1 minute & repeat 5 times in 1 session & 3 sessions per day.

Soleus bridge :

The patient is lying supine on the floor & places the balls of the feet on an elevated surface like a foam roll & weight plate.
Then Perform a hip extension & squeeze the glutes muscle at lockout = glute bridge position.
While in the top position perform a calf raise & pause for a second.
Then Reverse the movement & reset.
Repeat this exercise 10 times in 1 session & 3 sessions per day.

Squat with soleus raise :

You are Holding a squat rack with both hands an upright torso & feet hip-width apart & toes pointed forward.
You can also hook a band to a pole & sturdy object to wrap it around the waist so that you can lean back safely.
It allows you to must keep the shins perpendicular to the floor when squatting down.
Must be Keep the shoulder down & chest up perform a squat till the thighs are parallel with the ground.
Then Perform a calf raise by the raising up onto the toes.
Hold for 30 seconds & return to heel to the ground.
Then Stand up from the squat & reset.
Repeat this exercise 10 times in 1 session & 3 sessions per day.

Donkey calf raise :

You are Set up in the donkey calf raise machine by securing the hands hinge back at the hip joint & placing the balls of the feet at the far edge of the step.
Bend the knee joint as much as tolerated.
Then lower the heels as far as possible to the floor & hold for 30 seconds.
Then lift the heels as far as possible & squeezing the calves at the top.
Repeat this exercise 10 times in 1 session & 3 sessions per day.

Strengthening exercise:

Strengthening exercise is help to you for release the muscle weakness & strengthen the muscle.

Strengthening exercise for soleus muscle
Single-Leg Calf Raises With Bent Knee On A Step
Seated soleus raises with weight

Strengthening exercise for soleus muscle :

You are standing with the feet are shoulder-width apart.
Then Raise the heels to the count of 2 & lower them to the count of 4.
Make sure to you are on the tips of your toes.
Use a chair & wall for support if you need it.
Do the 10 to 20 repetitions of 2 to 3 sets daily.
To make this exercise harder, try doing this exercise on one leg.

Single-Leg Calf Raises With Bent Knee On A Step:

You are standing on a step with the heels hanging off the edge.
Hold the something for stability
Then Stand on the leg you want to for exercise & bend the knee joint to as close the 90 degrees as you can.
Next, raise onto the toes & slowly lower back down till you get a stretch in the calf muscle & repeat.
If you are ready for this exercise more times then add weight to the hand.
Then Choose a resistance that is high for strengthening & low for endurance.
Perform this exercise for 6- 10 repetitions &repeat this exercise for 3-5 sets in total for strength.
For endurance, you do this exercise for 15-25 repetitions & repeat for 3-5 sets.
You need to rest at least 3 minutes between the sets for strength & no more than 30 seconds for endurance.
You must be taken to aim the work either 2 to 3 times per session per week.

Seated soleus raises with weight:

This exercise is performed in the 3 versions like as isometric, eccentric, and concentric.

An isometric version of this exercise :
This exercise involves holding this right foot tiptoe position for up to 30 seconds.
Then the weight needs to be heavy enough to allow no more than 30 seconds.
Once you feel stronger from this exercise & do this exercise over 30 seconds then you will add more weight.

An eccentric version of this exercise :
This exercise involves holding this right foot tiptoe position for 2 seconds.
Then slowly lowering the heel back down over the edge of the step for 3 seconds.
Repeat this movement by using the two feet to lift the weight, one foot to hold & lower, and so on.
The weight needs to be heavy enough to allow no more than 12 repetitions.
Once you feel stronger for this exercise & do the 12 repetitions & you add more weight.

A concentric version of this exercise
In exercise involves using just one foot to lift & lower the weight.
Must be Keep the tempo slow & controlled & use enough the weight to allow no more than 12 repetitions.
Once you feel stronger for this exercise & do the 12 repetitions & you add more weight.

Soleus muscle pain: Cause, Symptoms, Treatment, Exercise

What is the anatomy of the Soleus muscle?