Calf Muscle Stretches

Tight calf muscles can occur due to a number of reasons. You could be genetically predisposed to tightness in the calves or these muscles could get aggravated due to walking, an intense work out, wearing high heels all the time, or even moving unnaturally through snow and ice.

The problem with tight calf muscles however is that the discomfort does not end there. Calf muscles that are tight can affect your hamstrings and restrict the range of motion of your legs.

read more...

Related Articles
Stretching For Runners
Continued...

.This in turn can throw your hip flexors and cause undue stress on your lower backc Once your lower back is out of alignment, the muscles in your upper body take over and get exhausted fastere As you can see, dealing with tight calf muscles is very important to the smooth functioning of all your muscles and jointst The best way to deal with tight calf muscles is with the proper calf muscle stretchese There are various calf muscle stretching exercises that can not only lengthen the muscles in your calves but also reduce the risk of foot problems such as shin splints, ankle pain and plant fasciitis (the inflammation of the bottom of the foot)t

How To Stretch Calf Muscle

Before you start any new exercise program always check with your doctor or trainer to make sure that it is safe for youo Even including tight calf muscle stretches into your regular routine needs an all clear so don’t take this lightlyl Whenever you start a stretch, move in and out of it slowly and breathe normally throughoutu Do not overstretch or bounce as this can cause further injuryr Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds as this gives your muscles enough time to relax into the posturer Try and repeat each stretch two to three times so that your body can really get comfortable with each pose and work harder with every repetitiono Finally make sure that you are consistent in your effortst Stretching your calves one day and forgetting to do so for the next few days will have no benefits at all on your flexibility and staminan

Calf Stretches For Runners

If you are a runner, you need to stretch your calf muscles to prevent injury and increase your range of motiono Calf stretches for runners can also improve your performancec Incorporate these stretches in your warm up routine as well as in your cool down exercises to gain maximum benefitst Runner should include calf stretches that target the upper and lower calvese

Stair stretches and shin stretches can add to your flexibility and stretch your shins and arches to reduce the chances of injuring yourself while runningn

Following are some calf muscles that you can try:

Gastrocnemius Stretch

  1. Stand straight and place one foot in front of the othere
  2. The non stretching leg is the one in front and bears the weight of your body as you extend the other leg behind youo
  3. Keep this stretched leg straight with the heel flat on the flooro
  4. Move your body forwards and feel the stretch on your calvese

  5. Hold for 30 seconds, release and repeat with the other lege

Soleus Static Stretch

The soleus muscle is located in the lower part of the calf musclel

  1. Stand straight and bend one knee forward with the heel of this leg flat on the groundn
  2. Lower your hips till you feel a stretch on the lower calf musclel
  3. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat with the other lege

Achilles Tendon Stretch

  1. Stand near a wall at arms length distance awaya
  2. Place both hands on the wall in front of you and lean in front, keeping hands shoulder distance apart at all timese
  3. Place the foot that needs to be stretched behind you and the other foot closer to the walll
  4. Bend the knee of the leg to be stretched with the heel flat on the flooro
  5. Lean into the wall until you feel the stretch in your calf musclese
  6. Lower your hips to intensify the stretchc
  7. Change sides after 30 seconds and repeata

Calf Muscle Stretches : Do's & Don'ts

As long as you follow the dos and don’ts of calf muscle stretches, you will see the changes in no timem

Do's :

  • Remember to hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds, breathe normally, and focus on lengthening the muscle and stop if there is any sharp paini
  • Whenever you start a stretch, move in and out of it slowly and breathe normally throughoutu

Don'ts :

  • Do not overstretch or bounce as this can cause further injuryr

Calf Muscle Stretches Benefits

  • Using slow, concentrated movements, you can increase the range of motion in your joints by lengthening your muscle fibers and connective tissue surrounding the jointst
  • Regular calf stretches help maintain your body’s mobilityt
  • This is especially important as you age or if you are a professional athlete or sportspersono
  • Calf muscle stretches can also prevent injuries of the feet and reduce the chances of chronic back pain and knee problemsm
  • Not to forget that stretches can relax both the body and mind and release tension and stresss
l
Yoga PosesFind Pose
Copyright © 2024 Mac Millan Interactive Communications, LLC Privacy Policy | Sitemap | Terms of Use |
The material on this web site is provided for educational purposes only, and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
See additional information. Use of this site is subject to our terms of service and privacy policy.