Oh joy!! I have pinged my calf muscle - any advice for speedy recovery gratefully received!

The first week of the new year has proved eventful if nothing else and I am sitting here with my right calf smeared with ibuprofen gel.My resolution of getting slim and fit was going jolly well until, whilst playing football, I made a sudden stop and turn.Immediately I felt and even sort of heard a twanging snap in my leg.Marvellous.

I don't think its anything too hideous - muscle damage only, but I had to get a lift home as I couldn't drive and right from the get go I could hardly walk. I can walk, but its at a snail's pace and with a rather strange gait.I have had my leg raised, iced and rested all evening so I am hoping for a miracle overnight cure.

Unfortunately my job involves quite a bit of striding about and I don't quite see how I am going to be doing that!There is no way that I am going to stay off work so they will just have to put up with me being slow.As I say, hopefully the morning will see my leg feeling much better. Between you and me though I think I may have done some real damage to the muscle. I hope I am wrong.

At the moment I am playing it down as I hate to be considered a whiner, but the bleeding obvious of me limping like someone who has been shot might give the game away tomorrow!The main thing I need to do is get healed as quickly as possible as I am really keen to keep up with my football and get back into my running more. Still, if I can't do those I will swim.

The hurt bit is the calf muscle on the inside of my right leg. If you have any suggestions for rapid and lasting recovery I would be very grateful to hear them!! Thank you!!