Yesterday I went on a ride with a few friends, it was cold and we hit hills pretty early. My thighs were cramping early and we decided to take a less hilly route with a tailwind. After a few miles of flat road we begin to accelerate past an on ramp I got out of the saddle and put one turn in and my right leg locked. Couldnt move it a bit. Toes were pointed at the ground and muscle was contracted and I was in severe pain.

Ive also been dieting so I had barely eaten anything the whole day. Talk about dumb. I was asking for it in retrospect.

Now I have a sore calf and it looks like it might be bruised. Not positive. I rode a ways back and didnt feel that bad but I ended up getting a ride. When do you guys think it would be safe to start spinning again? Ive iced and raised it. Wrapped it too. I was getting my ass whooped so bad yesterday that I need to start riding again! I know I should treat the injury before worrying about getting back in shape, however will a VERY light spin do anymore damage??

I tore my calf last year. I'm no doctor, but I went through a 2 months of rehab to get it healthy and im only 26. In the beginning I was told to completely stay off the muscle and not to try to stretch it at all. Ice as much as possible, 20 min on, 30 off. I would definitely stay off it for a few days or longer until the pain goes away. Slowly work your way back into activity. After the pain has subsided, light stretching is ok, as long as it is pain free. Starting out too early before your ready will only make the injury worse and keep you out longer. Just my .02
Best.

Walk it off and HTFU. What'sa matter with you?

Seriously though, as brilliant as strangers on the internet are, you still can't sue us for malpractice if you end up never riding again and spending the rest of your life walking around with a cane after taking our advice. If it still hurts tomorrow, see a 3D doctor. And I wouldn't ride at all until then.

Seems like you would know if you tore it. I tore my calf and achilles and thought I was going to die.

You could have what's called a "ruptured calf muscle". You should go to a doctor ASAP.
They have to do a sonogram to make sure that you don't have a blood clot that could be really bad news.

It is deceptive in that it allows you to believe you're okay, but if it's like mine was,
you are going to be in severe pain and it could not heal right causing a permanent scab where the
muscle once attached to the bone. This could shorten your leg enough to cause you to limp permanently.

I'm not trying to be an alarmist, but I would hate to hear of you being permanently damaged because I didn't say anything.

In my case, my health insurance had just run out and they didn't want to cover me.
I had to take the pain head on without pain killers because I couldn't get a prescription.
I got online, looked up the various types of rehab I would've gone through had I the funds to do so and
basically rehabbed myself literally re-tearing the muscle every night so that it wouldn't heal apart from the bone.
I'd put a towel in my mouth, wrap a t-shirt around my toe and pull until I'd pop it.
I'd literally pass out from the pain the first few nights.

Forget about working out for a good 2-6 months other than rehab.
If it is a ruptured muscle, it'll black & blue something awful.
Take my advice...get yourself checked up.

Let me know how it turns out.
I'm hoping it's not a rupture.

BTW...I rehabbed myself to the point that I kicked off my full leg cast and chucked my cane after a week and a half.
I was climbing up on roofs after 2 1/2 weeks (no where near 100%, but just forcing myself to do it did a lot for my state of mind).

The good news is that if you treat it immediately, you'll be able to heal properly. But you have to have it looked at.

Best of luck.

2G

I tore my calf last year and did what you are proposing. I spent 3 months building up a nice solid knot of scar tissue which took months of PT, and time off the bike, to resolve.

Go to the doc, get a diagnosis, and follow instructions to get it healed properly. It's the best thing in the long run.

Just make sure you go to a doc who's familiar with sports injuries. Most general practitioners are used to seeing couch potatos, so you're all too likely to get a "You hurt it. Take two aspirin and stay off it for 3 months" diagnosis.