Q I am a woman in my 50s who enjoys hiking. Is it possible to completely prevent a calf muscle injury from recurring?
A While perfect prevention is difficult, the risk of recurrence can be significantly reduced through proper management. Since the biggest causes of recurrence are insufficient initial treatment and premature return to activity, it is important to maintain eccentric strengthening exercises and flexibility management even after treatment is complete. Sufficient warm-up exercises before hiking, zigzag walking during descent, and calf stretching intermittently are practical methods for preventing recurrence.
Detailed Answer
The recurrence rate of calf muscle injuries is reported to be 15–30% even after the completion of initial treatment. Risk factors for recurrence include: ① History of previous injury ② Insufficient recovery of eccentric muscle strength ③ Reduced flexibility (decreased ankle dorsiflexion angle) ④ Insufficient warm-up ⑤ Sudden increase in training volume (violation of the 10% rule). The key to preventive exercises is eccentric calf raises (slowly lowering the heels on a downhill slope) and dynamic stretching. Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
In Korean medicine, recurrence is viewed as a sign that the root cause has not been resolved. If the energy governing the muscles remains blocked or the energy supplying nutrients remains weak, muscle resilience will not recover even if superficial damage heals. Dongjedang proposes a recurrence prevention program that maintains muscle and digestive functions through monthly functional check-up visits and herbal medicine tailored to your constitution, even after treatment is completed. Preventive acupuncture treatment before the hiking or exercise season is also effective.
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