Christian McCaffery injured his calf at the beginning of the season preventing him from playing in his opening game against the NY Jets.  For fantasy football players what are calf strains, how long is this going to affect him and how long will it take for him to return to play?

A gastrocnemius muscle strain, commonly known as a calf strain, occurs when there is overstretching or tearing of the gastrocnemius muscle in the calf. Typically this occurs at the medial head of the gastrocnemius (the inside part of the calf muscle).  This injury can range from mild (Grade 1) to severe (Grade 3), depending on the extent of the tear:

1. Grade 1: Mild strain with minimal tearing of muscle fibers.
2. Grade 2: Moderate strain with partial tearing of muscle fibers.
3. Grade 3: Severe strain with complete tearing of muscle fibers.

Recovery time for a gastrocnemius strain depends on the severity of the injury:

• Grade 1: Typically heals within 1-3 weeks with rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE therapy).
• Grade 2: May take 4-8 weeks to heal, often requiring physical therapy to regain strength and flexibility.
• Grade 3: Can take several months to heal completely, often requiring immobilization, followed by physical therapy to restore function.

In an NFL study, headed by Dr Ruotolo, looking at all NFL players from 2009-2023 there were 1779 calf injuries.  The average time to return to play was 2.17 weeks and 7.6% of players had recurrence of their injury.  So while Christian McCaffery has been ruled out again for Week 2, there is a good chance he will be back for his Week 3 game.

It’s important to follow medical advice and rehabilitation protocols to prevent re-injury and ensure a full recovery.  At Total Orthopedics and Sports Medicine we have sports medicine specialists who can help make the right diagnosis, prescribe the right treatment helping athletes return to play and limiting reinjury.