![]() By going against this you are damaging the muscle. ![]() If you force the muscle the stretch reflex is triggered which contracts it. You might not be stretching enough even though you think you are. Why do I stretch but seem to get nowhere? Overpronation is when the foot rolls in too much or flattens. Foot biomechanicsīiomechanical problems of the foot or from running style can increase the strain on the calf muscles. Wearing heels on a regular basis causes adaptive shortening of the muscles. If the muscles do not get enough blood then they will not get enough nutrients and so will tighten up to protect themselves and weaken and so on.įailing to stretch regularly can result in adaptive shortening and one of the most common causes of tight calf muscles is wearing high heels. The muscles have squeezed the blood out like a sponge. When they are in spasm or contracted then blood cannot easily get into them. Tiny micro-tears in the muscles cause them to go into spasms. ![]() Tight calf muscles may have developed gradually over a period of months by not stretching enough before and after training. Tight calf muscles may be caused by a combination of issues. Soleus muscle flexibility is measured with your knee bent. It is likely your physio feels this before you actually feel a stretch yourself. They should feel a point where resistance noticeably increases as the muscle begins to stretch. Your physio applies a gradual stretch to the muscle. One method is to sit with your legs out in front. However, what is right for one athlete may not be the same for another. Your physio can assess calf muscle flexibility. These will be painful and tender to touch. Or areas of spasm where the muscle fibres have tightened up. Palpating (feeling) the muscles may identify tight lumps or bumps. It may get worse whilst running, or improve while running only to tighten up later. Have I got tight calf muscles?Ī physical sign of tight calf muscles is a gradual tightening of the calf muscles over time. To stretch the soleus muscle you need to bend the knee. The deeper soleus muscle originates from below the knee, also attaching to the back of the heel. You need to keep your knee straight to stretch the gastrocnemius muscle. It originates above the back of the knee and attaches to the back of the heel via the Achilles tendon. The gastrocnemius muscle is the larger of the two muscles. The calf muscles consist of the gastrocnemius muscle and the soleus muscle. Here we explain the causes and exercises for tight calf muscles. Improving your flexibility and balance.Tight calf muscles at the back of the lower leg are a common problem in athletes, especially those who run long distances. Anatomy, bony pelvis and lower limb, calf. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. We link primary sources - including studies, scientific references, and statistics - within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. Strengthening these muscles can also help prevent injuries. These exercises require the use of an elastic stretch band that provides comfortable resistance.Įach stretch can help strengthen the calf muscles, providing better support for the lower leg, foot, and ankle. Lower it, and repeat this movement 10 times. ![]() Step 3: Keeping the left leg straight, raise the left heel as high as possible. The left foot should take all of the body’s weight. Step 2: Bend the right knee and lift the right foot. Hold on to a tabletop or the back of a chair for balance. Step 1: Stand with equal body weight on each foot. This requires a tabletop or chair for support. The back should be straight for the duration of the stretch. TipsĬontrol the intensity of the stretch by pulling harder on the towel, if necessary. Step 4: Repeat the stretch three times, then do the same on the other side. Step 3: Keeping the legs straight, pull the towel toward the body, and hold the position for 30 seconds. Step 2: Loop the hand towel around the ball of one foot. Step 1: Sit on the floor with both legs straight out in front.
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