how to release tight calves

How to Release Tight Calves in 8 Minutes with 2 Stretches

We use our calf muscles when we walk, run, stand, exercise, and play sports. If our calf muscles are tight, it can interfere with our ability to move freely and easily and significantly impact our quality of life.

If each step you take sends shooting pain down the back of your legs, you’ve probably given up your favorite sport or stopped your morning jog. Sometimes, the consequences of tight calf muscles are more severe; you might change the way you walk to compensate for the pain (which can lead to pain in the lower back, knees, ankles, or heels), or perhaps you aren’t getting a full night of sleep because of leg cramps (which are also known as Charley horses). 

Our stretches can help release the calf pain and prevent cramping. The 2-step routine only takes 8 minutes, so you can easily make it part of your workout warm-up or stretch before bed for a night of sleep uninterrupted by cramps or spasms. All you need is the Knee Hero. If you don’t have our Knee Hero, try using a stack of books. Jump to our routine to start exercising, or keep reading to learn about the calf muscles and causes and symptoms of tight calves.

Your Calf: A Look Inside

Our calf muscle is actually two muscles: the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The gastrocnemius muscle is under the back of the knee and the closest to the skin; the soleus runs down the back of the leg into the Achilles. The Achilles tendon connects the calf to the heel bone; the heel is connected to the front of the foot by a band of tissues called the plantar fascia. The calf muscles and ankle joints facilitate plantar flexion, which is the movement of pointing the foot away from the body (think standing on your tiptoes to change the light bulb or pressing the pedal down while riding a bike.) A contracted gastrocnemius muscle increases the strain in the Achilles tendon and the plantar fascia ¹⁾ ; this can lead to a torn Achilles tendon or damaged muscle fiber.

Tight Calf Muscles Can Be Caused By:

• Muscle cramps and spasms. If your calf muscles are tired, weak, or aren’t stretched thoroughly before exercise or sports, you may be prone to cramping. Playing a sport or exercising when you are dehydrated can also cause a cramp or muscle spasm. 
• Activities that require repetitive motion, like running. The constant stress can cause your calf muscles to seize up.
• Resuming exercise after a long break, or you’ve increased the intensity or frequency of your training.
• Not resting long enough between workouts.
• Overworking the muscles.
• An ankle with a reduced range of motion. 
• A torn calf muscle.
• An imbalanced diet. 
• Poor circulation.
• Tendonitis.

Symptoms of Tight Calf Muscles Are:

• Knee pain
• Foot pain
• Calf tightness
• Muscles that feel hard to the touch
• Pain or difficulty walking
• Twitching
• Swelling

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EXERCISES FOR TIGHT CALVES 

To maximize the benefits of our calf routine, exercise intensely and intelligently. Challenge yourself to perform our stretches at a high intensity that may produce an uncomfortable sensation. (This is a sign that the exercises are working.) However, do not stretch to the point that your breaths become short and shallow or you find that you’re holding your breath or clenching your teeth.