ReviewSports medicine - open2025
Calf Strains in Athletes: A Narrative Review of Management, Injury Grading, and Return to Sport.
Review in Sports medicine - open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Calf Injuries: An Anatomy-Based Approach to Diagnosis, Management and Return to Sport.Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine · 2026Review
- Epidemiology, Work-Up, and Management of Common Track and Field Injuries.Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCalf strains are common in sports like football, rugby, and tennis, with high recurrence rates during competition. Despite their frequency, there are no universally accepted guidelines for managing these injuries based on grading systems or imaging modalities. This review aims to evaluate the role of imaging and injury grading in predicting return to sport following a calf strain.
methodsA systematic search was conducted to assess the role of imaging and grading in predicting return to sport in athletes with calf strains. A search of Scopus and PubMed in June 2024 identified relevant studies using terms related to calf strains, imaging, and return to sport. Eligible studies involved human participants, used imaging for diagnosing or grading calf injuries, and assessed return to play outcomes. Studies were excluded if they involved animals, lacked imaging, or did not report relevant outcomes. The screening was done by a team of investigators based on predefined criteria.
resultsThe review identified that imaging, particularly ultrasound and MRI, offers valuable information for grading calf strains and predicting recovery timelines. Different grading systems correlated with clinical outcomes, but no single modality or grading system was universally superior. Clinical assessments remained essential in return to play decisions.
conclusionsImaging modalities, along with injury grading, provide useful insights into calf strain severity and recovery. However, these tools should complement clinical assessments, which are the gold standard for return to sport decisions. An integrative approach combining imaging and clinical evaluation is recommended to optimize return to sport protocols. Further standardization of grading systems and imaging protocols may improve prediction accuracy and treatment outcomes for calf strains.
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Registered trials
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