Muscles 💪🏼🦵🏼

[SallyRees]

I’ve tried googling this but can’t seem to find an answer. Why is it that the only two injection sites (apart from the buttock) are the thigh and arm for IM injections?

[Narwhal10]

Morning 🥱

I found this article in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics as I can’t access Nursing Times (needs a subscription).

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

No need to read as long but page 2-3:-

‘When considering IM injection sites, a clinician (and us lot) need to select a site that is :-

1) a safe distance from nerves, large blood vessels and bones.

(2) free from injury, abscesses, tenderness, necrosis, abrasions, and other pathologies (nasties) and

(3) sufficiently large to accommodate the volume of medication to be administered.

Based on these three conditions, deltoid, ventrogluteal (quite a fiddly, small area for Self Injections) and thigh sites are considered to be safe and, thus, commonly used for IM injections.’

Ease of access also really contributes.

😴

[SallyRees in reply to Narwhal10]

Morning, Narwhal10 🤗Thank you for you detective work 🧐 and for saving me the long read and subscription.

I’ve often wondered why the calf muscle isn’t used. It seems to fit the criteria of being big enough in mass. I also wouldn’t of thought it contained any more or less sensitive nerves than the thigh? I dunno 🤷🏻‍♀️ I guess that’s why they are the experts eh 😃

[deniseinmilden in reply to SallyRees]

Thank you for your question and I totally get your point... But I think I might be squeamish about sticking things into my calf muscles.... which is daft because I'm as "matter of fact" as they come! 😁

We have evolved so that the inner surface parts of our bodies, and the backs, of are more sensitive and the outer surfaces, particularly the fronts, are tougher, which makes sense... So maybe these have fewer nerves so that's why we use them?

[SallyRees in reply to deniseinmilden]

Maybe it’s just the density of the muscle then. I have rather large calf muscles for my body size and the though has often crossed my mind that I’d almost find it easier to do the lower leg. Of course I never would as I follow the advice and guidance of folk who know much more than me. …Just wonder if anyones tried?

[deniseinmilden in reply to SallyRees]

I can totally see where you are coming from... but while I'm happy to use myself as a guinea-pig for most things my head is saying "don't try that" and I think you are wise to err on the side of caution until someone categorically tells you it's fine! 😃

[Narwhal10 in reply to SallyRees]

Sorry

Been out of sorts. I’m no expert on anatomy but calf is prone to cramp and tears. If anyone else can add then brilliant.

I personally wouldn’t experiment on it. Health professionals practice on themselves, each other and even let their students to practice on them.

😉