Calf Tattoo Hurts To Walk

Let’s say you just scored an awesome calf tattoo. You are rocking some fresh ink and you are ready to flaunt it. But then reality kicks in and you start feeling like a newborn giraffe trying to walk- your calf tattoo hurts when you walk! Ouch, right?

Well, fret not, my friend. You are not the only one facing this issue. The majority of people complain about feeling pain when they walk after getting their calf tattooed. Most people do not consider the pain aspect before getting a calf tattoo. If you are facing this issue and are a bit annoyed about why it is hurting to walk, then let me break down the calf tattoo and why it hurts to walk in today’s article.

Key Takeaways

• Getting a calf tattoo can be moderately painful.
• A calf tattoo can hurt while it heals and it is completely natural.
• Reasons your calf tattoo hurts when you walk are inflammation and swelling, muscle movement, friction, tattoo size and detail, and infection.
• Ways to reduce the pain are taking proper aftercare, wearing loose-fitted pants or dresses, limiting your physical activity, choosing a smaller and simple calf tattoo design, moisturizing, protecting with a bandage, elevating your leg, and pain relief medicine.
• If the reason behind your calf pain is an infection then seek medical help without delay.
• Calf tattoos take 2 to 4 weeks to heal in general, so after this long length the pain should go away and you will be able to walk without any discomfort.

Are Calf Tattoo Painful?

I have seen many people who want to get a calf tattoo but because of the pain aspect they never really go through the tattooing procedure. So, are calf tattoos painful?

Yes, calf tattoos are a bit painful but the pain level is lower compared to other body parts such as ribs and skulls. If I had to put a number on it, I would give getting a calf tattoo 6 out of 10 regarding how painful it is.

The calf area falls somewhere between an extremely painful to low level of painful place for tattoo placement. The calf usually has plenty of muscle and fat which can protect the nerve endings from getting poked by the tattoo needle. But there are plenty of nerve endings in this area. So even though you get some cushion because of the fat and muscle, still the pain you feel during the tattooing procedure can be moderate because of the dense nerve endings in this area.

But there are plenty of ways to reduce this pain, one of which is applying a numbing agent before getting the calf tattoo.

5 Reasons Why Calf Tattoo Hurts to Walk

Getting a calf tattoo can put you through a moderate level of pain. After getting the tattoo you may think that the pain and suffering of a calf tattoo is all over. But then you feel this irritating pain in the calf area whenever you walk. How annoying is that? But why is it hurting just to walk though?

Well, there are plenty of reasons why it may hurt to walk after getting a tattoo. I have listed them below.

1. Inflammation and swelling

It is completely normal to get some level of inflammation and swelling after getting a new tattoo. So, the pain you feel on the calf tattoo when you walk can be because of the inflammation and swelling. Give the healing tattoo some time like a week and the swelling should go away on its own and so will the pain you feel while walking. But if the swelling is still there after a week then consult with your tattoo artist and doctor.

2. Muscle movement

When you walk the calf muscle will extract and subtract. This muscle movement may cause the skin on the calf area to stretch which could cause pain when you walk. You have to remember, that until the tattooed skin is healed it will cause pain or discomfort if you cause it to stretch.

3. Friction

Fabric friction can also cause pain and irritation while your calf tattoo heals. If you wear tight clothing or dress that puts more pressure or friction on the calf area while you walk then you will feel some pain.

4. Tattoo size and detail

If it is a big-sized tattoo with an intricate design then be ready to feel some discomfort or pain when you walk. Because a bigger tattoo or a tattoo design that is more complicated will create a bigger wound and make the tattooed skin more sensitive. Even the slightest stretch or friction would cause pain when you walk.

5. Infection

Infection is not a usual thing. But if you do not take proper care of your tattoo, your healing tattoo can be infected. If you got your healing calf tattoo infected for some reason then it would increase the pain and discomfort you feel. Not to mention you will feel pain whenever you walk as well.

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8 Ways to Reduce Calf Tattoo Pain to Walk

There are a few things you can do to reduce the calf tattoo pain when you walk. Such as:

1. Taking proper aftercare

Proper aftercare ensures your calf tattoo swelling goes away as fast as possible. And when the swelling goes away you will not feel much pain when you walk.

2. Wearing loose-fitted pants or dresses

Any tight pants or dress could cause fabric friction on your calf tattoo and cause pain when you walk. To avoid it, make sure to wear loose-fitted pants or dresses.

3. Limit your physical activity

Do not go for an outdoor sport, jogging, or any exercise that puts your calf area under stress or strain. Limit your physical activity while your calf tattoo heals. This way you can walk without feeling any pain much faster than you expected.

4. Choosing a smaller and simple calf tattoo design

Make sure to choose a smaller and simple calf tattoo design. A smaller tattoo and simple design means the skin wound will be smaller as well. Small wound not only heals faster but also cause less pain and discomfort. And smaller calf tattoo will cause less pain when you walk.

5. Moisturize

A dry tattoo can cause more pain when you stretch the tattooed skin. So, apply moisturizer and make sure the calf tattoo is nice and soft. This will reduce the calf tattoo pain when you walk.

6. Protect with bandage

You can apply tattoo tattoo-specific bandages like Sandierm on your calf tattoo. To protect your calf tattoo from friction and any other external elements you can use a bandage. It will reduce the pain when you walk as well.

7. Elevate your leg

When resting elevate your leg so that the swelling goes away as fast as possible. It will help you reduce the amount of pain you feel when you walk.

8. Pain relief medicine

You can go for some of the popular over-the-counter pain relief medicines to reduce your calf tattoo pain. Two of the most popular and safe-to-take medicines are acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

When to seek medical help?

After applying all the tips I have provided above, if the situation is still the same or the pain gets even worse, then I am afraid it could be an infection. If there is a tattoo infection I highly recommend you to see a doctor as soon as you can. Not taking prescribed medicine to treat a calf tattoo infection could make the matter worse. It could cause increased pain and discomfort, tattoo fading and distortion, delayed healing time and in some cases, infection can cause permanent scarring on your calf.

But how would you know when to seek medical help and if it is an infection or not?

Well, it is quite easy. Just look for the signs below, if they match then your calf tattoo is infected and you should seek medical help:

• The pain of the calf tattoo even after a week or two
• Walking is painful even though the swelling is gone
• Redness
• Swollen calf even after 2 weeks
• Delayed healing
• Rash
• Fever

Healing Time of Calf Tattoo

The calf is not a very sensitive area, but the placement is a bit critical. Because whenever you walk the skin on the calf area would stretch. A calf tattooed area getting stretched can cause pain and delay the healing process. That is why you are supposed to limit your physical activity while your calf tattoo heals. Walking too much or running with a healing calf tattoo is a big no. but how long does a calf tattoo take to heal?

For the initial healing, it may take around 2 weeks to 4 weeks for your calf tattoo to heal. During this time period, the surface of your tattoo skin or the epidermis layer of your skin would heal. But for the second layer of dermis layer skin to heal it may take around 3 to 6 months in general. So, for your calf tattoo to heal completely including the dermis skin layer, you can expect 3 months or more.

FAQs

Why does my calf tattoo hurt when I walk?

If your calf tattoo is still healing, then it can hurt a bit when you walk because the area is still sensitive. Another reason for the pain could be an infection. If you feel pain when you walk then check for signs of infection and treat it accordingly.

How do I know if my calf tattoo hurts normally or because of infection when I walk?

A healing calf tattoo can hurt normally because of swelling and the skin on the area being sensitive. But if an infection is causing this pain then you can know for sure by watching out for signs such as:

• Swelling
• Redness
• Reach
• Increased irritation
• Fever
• Delayer healing

Is it safe to run and do exercise after getting a calf tattoo?

No, you should avoid running or doing any exercise that puts a strain on your calf area. You should limit your physical movement and walk only when it is necessary. Because walking can cause the tattooed calf skin to stretch which could cause more pain and delay the healing process.

For how long the calf tattoo can hurt when I walk?

The calf tattoo can hurt while it heals. After a week the swelling should go down and the pain should decrease. And after another week the surface of your skin should heal and there should be no pain when you walk. So, you should say after 2 weeks or so the calf tattoo will not hurt when you walk.

Will the pain impact the final outcome of my calf tattoo?

Generally, the pain you feel during the tattoo healing phase does not affect the final outcome of your calf tattoo. Make sure to take proper care. But if calf tattoo pain is because of an infection, then there is a possibility it can affect the final outcome of the tattoo if not treated in time.

Final Thoughts

If your precious calf tattoo hurts when you walk, then do not get worried just yet. Because a healing calf tattoo can cause some pain when you walk. Just like any other tattoo, a calf tattoo may get swollen after you get the tattoo done. And a swollen calf will hurt if you walk. Walking causes calf muscle to extract and subtract which causes the skin to stretch and makes you feel pain. Not to mention walking can cause fabric friction on the calf area and cause pain as well.

Do not back off from the decision to get yourself a calf tattoo just because it may hurt when you walk. There are plenty of ways to reduce the pain. You can wear a bandage over your calf tattoo, wear loose-fitted clothes, limit your physical activity, etc. And you can always count on over-the-counter pain relief medicine to get you some relief.

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