How to Eliminate Tight Calves FOREVER! | Root Cause Explained & Exercises to Fix
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- Опубліковано 7 чер 2024
- The key to truly releasing tight calf muscles forever requires us to ask one simple question... Why is it tight in the first place? In this video, I demonstrate four exercises to help release tight calf muscles and rectify its common and relatively hidden underlying causes.
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- Grant
Time stamps:
0:00 Intro
02:29 Cause of Tight Calf Muscles
08:00 Banded Ankle Stretch
11:03 Wall Calf Stretch
13:37 Calf Rolling
15:43 Low Back Ball Mobility
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#tightcalves #calftightness #calfstretches
![Your Psoas Isn't Just Tight, It's WEAK [Don't Stretch, Do These Instead]](/img/n.gif)
If you've consistently had tight calves, its important to look beyond your calves for long term answers! Hope the video helps!
Hiya, I have bonkers tight calves. Nothing to do with running and more to do with dyspraxia. Yoga made it worse so just tuning in. Thanks in advance.
About the mobilisation of the ankle with band. The band is placed under the tibia on os. talus. This is because of the convex/concave rule when doing joint mobilisations. You say "free up the capsule". What do you mean when you say this?
I personally don't feel placing the band over os. talus really provides anything anyway since the foot is fixated on the ground. It's not moving the foot.
Awesome tips and techniques - thank you! Calves feel better already.
Thank you so much for taking the time to educate us about our negligence!
It definitely helped.
Glad it was helpful!
Being a runner for over 40 years and have had some calf issues from time to time. These drills are excellent, the best I've seen lately. Will be including these in my exercise regime
Awesome to hear, mate! Hope they have a genuine impact on your running!
Thanks for giving the cause of the pain. I needed that.
Oh very much appreciated!
I'm now 3 mo post of back surgery and calves were the biggest issue. Now I'm ready to walk, following nerve flossing, calf stretches and muscle spasms. I can't straighten my my legs on the floor yet, but soon to resume physical therapy. I hope your wall exercise losens things up, thanks again!
Great to hear you're making progress Lea! Hope everything smoothes out for you soon!
really valuable, the little variations and tips make a huge difference
Brilliant! Hope it has a meaningful impact!
Hiya, mate. I feel like I just got a master class. I appreciate the “extras” about the ankle mobility and the link to the lower back. And dude, learning how to get the most out of the roller was completely unexpected! You go way beyond what other professionals do. I’m much appreciative!!
Thanks mate, I appreciate the kind words, and thanks again for the super thanks!
What a great presentation, beautifully explained - thank you.
You are absolutely right 👌 I’ve only come across this Video today! Excellent presentation, well explained 😍 From 🇬🇧
Thank you for this incredibly informative video, tips and remedies!
You're welcome, glad it resonated with you!
Brilliant video. So informative. You know your stuff 🔥
Appreciate it Alan, hope it helps you!
Fantastic video. Rolling the ankle while on the calf roller OMG!!! What a huge difference. Many Thanks!!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video!
This video just saved me 🥲 I’m 7 months pregnant and have had debilitating sciatic symptoms and calf cramping at night… I did most of the exercises outlined in this video and got immediate relief. Thank you for making this! FYI for other pregnant women- I didn’t lay on the lacrosse ball to treat my lower back. Instead I layed back, inclined on pillows- with two soft squishy balls (the miracle ball method) under my glutes. I’d hold them in a position for a minute or so and then move them to a different point under the glutes, hold and breathe, move them to a different point, etc. I will update to let you all know if the dreaded nighttime cramps return or not.
🤓
So insightful thank you!
I’ve been having trouble with my running because I’m always exercising in the pool & wearing high heels. Super helpful!
Glad you found it helpful!
Never resonated with a video so much! I have a sedentary job and an extremely tight lower back either side of the spine whenever I run. I also have weak ankles from numerous sprains from football that make it feel like it’s never fully healed. Recently I have experienced extreme tightness of the lower calf muscles once I get 2-3km into a run, so much so it makes me stop. Even with 1-2 weeks rest between runs the tightness doesn’t disappear, I am looking forward to try these mobility techniques and really hope it makes a difference! Thanks!
Hope it helps too Jack! Let me know how you go!
I’m so glad I found this video!! Thank you ❤
Hope it's helpful Rachel!
I’ve had a bit of calf tightness myself for the past couple of months and what I’ve found is ankle mobility is really important. However, from what I saw from the video, these ankle exercises focused on dorsiflexion (pointing the toes up), whilst I found more pain relief from focusing on plantar flexion mobility (pointing the toes down). Hope this helps!
Thank-you for a very insightful and informative video….
Glad it was helpful Jane!
really helpful and well explained thank you
Glad to hear Catherine!
Nice video
Very informative
Thank you
Hope it helped!
Wow thank you so much for this video. Never thought tight calves had to do with lower back tightness. These exercises helped tremendously! Would love to see some exercises for heel and outer side of the foot especially under the outer side of the ankle bone. I've sprained my ankle several times in the past due to wearing horrible flat shoes and having tight claves. I want my entire leg to be loose again prior to these injuries.
Great idea Katherine! I'll put together something in the future!
Amazing helpful video, thanks so much
The 2 exercise for calf pain from minutes 11 and 13 are just unbelievable good for relaxing pain.
Glad to hear it may have been helpful!
Love your channel!! Thanks so much!!
Appreciate it mate, hope it’s helpful!
Thank you for sharing I am excited to try this. Never had tight calves but last few years it’s been a pain.
Hope it helps!
Just what I needed and Thank you
Hope it was helpful!
Thank you. The calf stretches helped my foot pain almost immediately
Glad to hear it did help mate!
Great clip
Thanks! Hope its helpful!
This make aooo much sense! I have such tight and inflamed calves because I also suffer from sciatica pain. Thank you for this information!
I hope it helps you find the missing piece to resolving your dysfunction!
A great video thank you! I’ve been suffering with one tight calf for about 2 months now every day, it’s been getting to me. I have tried all sorts but this video makes a lot of sense! Thank you I will definitely work on this!
Hope it helps Lynsey!
Did you fix your tight calve. I have a left right calve too much rope jumping anyhelp pain goes down to planter faciatiis
@@xxheisenburnintell9244 I haven’t sadly but going through hospital check ups at the mo. I’ve found that when I wear a heel it actually feels better rather than wearing flats, which I don’t completely understand. I hope you sort yours out!
@@user-de3tb3zj6jIt's because it takes the pressure off. It's ok if you are in a lot of pain but in the long term it just shortens the muscle more
Thank you! You’re helping me address all my problem areas 😂
No worries at all Shelley, hopefully the videos help you conquer them long term!
Ive had consistently tight calves since i damaged my plantar fascia after a backflip incident. I wore orthopedic shoes for a while and had a high step count field job. Now im an office worker that does martial arts regularly and run with my dog. Its a pain being so tight as i was not always this way
Thanks so much! FINALLY an answer to tight calves! I've had for over 3 years & NO stretches don't work. I just learned last week after i hurt my lower back that i have sciatica & lower back tightness. Sitting in a recliner chair also contributes to my low back pain. I will definitely do your exercises & get massage to heal. I've wore a running shoe for years all day.. thinking i was keeping my feet comfortable. But now with plantar faciitis a flat shoe or Barefoot is less painful
Hope it helps Carla! Let me know how you go!
Your explanation is appreciated. Because physios don't seem to have time to do complex diagnoses or a really good treatment plan .
I hear you mate, hope it was helpful!
Great video
Appreciate that Louie, hope it can help you out!
Great video and I formation! Thank you!! I was looking for this information....where is this starting in my body and why can't I release the gastrocnemius. Thank you!
Hope it has an impact Lisa!
New sub, great content!
Appreciate it Keith!
I've got to say a huge thank you !!!! I tried the calf stretch and man it helped so much !! First time ever I didn't have cramp until the last 5 minutes so that's a huge improvement for first week!!! Do you have other stretches for hamstring similar to calf stretch?
Great to hear mate! Check out the channel as there are a few videos on improving hammy flexibility!
Great video definitely going to give these a go. Funny I watched this video then the next day saw that st kilda fc had flown Dan McKenzie over to Germany for treatment for his calf and the doc said that they had found ankle and lower back issues that we’re contributing to the problem. Maybe they should have called you first!
Interesting! They know where to find me :)
The point you make about the lower back’s role is very interesting. I developed tight calves and chronic calf strains when I got a desk job. I experience low back pain off and on but mainly my calf pain, tightness, and strains are what limit me. I will try the LaCross ball technique you showed here to see if that helps
Hope it does help Erich!
Mate this might be the best calf tightness video on the internet
Hope it really helps Yun!
This is awesome. I was feeling the "touch your toes" stretch in my calves only. After doing this one time, I feel it in my hamstrings!!!
Glad to hear it resonated!
Started watching for PF in my left heel. But the more I watched I wad impressed. Thanks. Will try these. The shoe heel part was a bonus!
Hope it has a big impact for you Greg!
My calves are always tight and I appreciate this video. I know it definitely causes my plantar faucitis when it is really bad and I can feel how tight my IT band and lower back get. I usually warm up on the treadmill and sometimes I get lost in a video and walk an hour before going on to resistance training. Ouch...its a slow mend for sure Thanks for the stretches and education
Hope it really helps mate!
I've recently been experiencing pain in my feet and started digging around with the Davies&Davies book on trigger points as my guide. Found lots of sensitivities within the interosseous which got a lot of relief with direct massage. However, a week or two later after going through a few cycles of relief, pain return, massage relief, pain return... It started to get worse. I dug deeper and noticed the calves being mentioned. I dug around and found some sensitive point mostly along what I believe to be the soleus; I dug my fingers between the gastroc head (inside of legs) and the shin bone. I worked all those points and felt amazing relief beyond anything I did before which made walking suddenly feel like it's way easier. That was last night, and I woke up this morning again with this amazing relief that I'm not used to. I'm now starting to try and understand the why; and what the cause could be. You mention shoes, I wear a range and walk around bare foot quite a lot; could be there. I'm really intrigued by the lower back issue you mention and will go dig around there next (btw, I have a standing desk, but sitting would obviously happen at times during the day)
Thanks for these movements will give them all a try!
Amazing work to try and figure it all out for yourself GM. Hopefully you can find that hidden underlying mechanical cause!
so glad the algorithm sent this my way...on and off tight calves (susceptible to shin splints). first I hear of the lower back-tight calf connection which is mind blowing
Hope it helped at the end of the day Zoe!
Liked and subscribed! Thanks so much for the information. I will try these fixes. I'm 30 and sit quite a bit for work, albeit less than I used to in my early 20s. Before I deep squatted (ATG), no matter how long I sat for, I never had calf tightness. The tightness doesn't happen while doing the squats, but it happens when I have been immobile for a while, e.g. when I wake up from sleeping, my calves are extremely tight and I have to take slow and cautious steps like an old man until they "soften/warm" up by walking on them. Immobility, like you explained, makes sense, but will doing these stretches, etc. help with this when I am forced to be immobile? Thanks again for the video!!
Great to have you on board Federico! I can't comment on your specific symptoms, but from a general standpoint I find that mobility drills for the calf and lower back are often really important to try and undo someone's tightness, but then to try and reduce the likelihood of it wanting to keep returning its important to then also sort out the cause of that tightness. For many its not only time spent sitting but also the position they sit in posturally. Hope that helps!
Thank you so much for this video! I play ultimate frisbee and strained both calves last year at an early tournament that my legs weren't ready for and although they felt ok after I got back, they suddenly tightened up and cramped constantly almost all of summer and I couldn't play at the same level that I normally would. I am coming out of the off season again with lots of physical therapy, dry needling, and lowering my strength training loads. I was doing really well until all of a sudden I've had minor cramping and tightness again and I'm worried I won't be able to play again this summer. I am going to try all of these things and hope that they continue to improve and I don't have any more setbacks.
Hope they help Katie! Please feel free to pop back in and let me know what impact loosening your lower back may have!
This is super helpful. I’ve had sciatica flare ups since a car accident over 15 years ago and now I have plantar fasciitis on the same side. My PT says my calf is tight
Good luck with your recovery Maura! Hope the tips in the video help!
Thanks. Used this vid just now and my morning after an interval session calves feel looser already 👍🏻
Awesome to hear!
Thank you for this !!! I've had tight calves for most of my life. Every time I played football about 60th minute I would pull up with cramp. I always wanted an answer but no one could help.
I will give this a try and come back with results.
Awesome mate! Let me know how you go!
I greatly appreciate your video. Your content makes some critical connections that others who claim knowledge of 'fitness' do not. I do like that your exercises to deal with tight calves require only minimal equipment which means you can do these if you are travelling. I would be interested to know your view of the use of massage guns like the Theragun in place of the Lacrosse ball. Thanks again Grant.
No worries mate, thanks for the kind words! Massage guns certainly can be helpful, and at the end of the daybits probably personal preference. I find a lacrosse ball probably allows for a bit more exploration and different mobility techniques/results
You are the guy I have been looking for! I always wondered about wearing work boots 10 hours a day. I twisted my ankle bad back in 2015 and its been hell ever since. Back issues and then they have a neurologist telling me I have upper motor neurons failing. Just hell. I was running and super fit before this whole deal. Thank you
Hope it all helps mate! Good luck!
I have flat feet and I’m a runner and recently after a period of less activity due to being unwell I started wearing flip flops at home to air my feet, and I wore narrower socks on my feet while wearing slippers indoors sitting down on a reclining chair. I normally run with ASICS GT 2000 which are good for running and circuits etc but recently I changed these shoes to another pair of ASICS running shoes called GEL - Excite 7. Also, I’ve got a bit lazier to stretch at home, including my ankle joints etc. And I’ve noticed recently a bunion is beginning on my left foot but I wasn’t sure when I cycle, especially uphill when my tyres are soft the metal pedals on my bike are placing too much pressure on the soles of my feet, wearing my trainers which is aggravating my bunion. I placed a tennis ball under my left foot and noticed it’s tight but recently my left ankle and calf muscle swelled up slightly so I stopped wearing those narrower socks, only wearing my shoes and the swelling has gone down but I wasn’t sure if the bunion on my left foot caused the problems in my ankle and calf or the other way round. And my reclining chair was tilted slightly, placing more pressure on my lower back and I’ve had a lot of lower back ache recently but I’ve now reseted my reclining chair and it’s no longer tilted upright but lower where it should be and my lower back ache has improved.
Fantastic explanation of how tight calves occur! Now if I could just figure out why I get tight achilles...
They're anatomically connected, so there's generally some crossover there for most people!
When I saw you doing the ball thing on your back I thought “that’s crazy my back feels fine how does that even work” well I tried it and I found a really tender spot on my lower right back side, wow you know your shit! I didn’t even know I had that there. I’m trying everything out from this video everyday from now, like and subscribe! I’ll be sharing this video with friends and family
Great to hear! Would love to know if it has a long term impact!
Thank you , a recent calf muscle pull lead me to your video .
For almost 5 years I have had been having chronic lower back pain , mostly isolated to the left , sharp at times but mostly throbbing and continuous.
Physiotherapy in my country are still getting there slowly.
So I have to resort to online videos . Most have suggested it could be because of weak core ,
I do run a lot and some suggest that because I have. A certain degree of flat feet , it could be leading to weak ankles , tight calf and hamstrings, back strain and ultimately wrong posture.
I know my comment is not really relevant to your video , but it’s been too long for me and your detailed video on calf muscle and how you relate to footwear and the other strength training are really insightful, hoping you could help me , Thank you
Hope the video helps!
I find pilates very good for all my wonky bits.
Thank you for the video, I've had bad foot cramps and tight calf's for the better part of a year. They used to twitch as well but that's calmed down, I still have multiple cramps every night. I tried supplements for a while but they never really helped. For some reason I always assumed the tight calf's were cause by the cramps but now I'm thinking it's the other way around. The stretching tip to tense my muscles is great. I stretch most mornings but I never feel like it does anything. I've felt more immediate relief from this than any other strech I've done. I look forward to watching your other vidoes.
Awesome to hear Alex! Glad you hear it had an impact!
Dunno what sups you used but electrolytes helped with my calf cramps in the night
Thanks!
Thank you mate that’s far too generous! I’m glad the video may have helped!
Hey, thanks for this video. What effect would this have regards to Achilles tendonopathy and plantar fasciitis?
It just depends on whether those factors are contributing to the underlying cause of why those areas have become sore!
Great video…probably explains a lot about what’s going on in my situation…have only just joined the dots of timeline from present tight calf and plantar fasciitis situation back to around 5 years ago when I slipped down some steps and landed on my lower back (left side). Injuries after lower back was treated included left knee, left big toe, right Achilles, left Achilles, right plantar fasciitis (latter took 4 months to resolve) and left plantar fasciitis…still undergoing treatment after about 9 months. Tighter calf muscles on the left. Limited ankle movement on both feet. Super frustrating however you have given me some fresh ideas. Thanks.
Hope you’ve since found some answers mate!
Thanks Grant, any particular views on the impact of cushioning, stack height and amount of heel to toe drop in running sneakers?
Absolutely! For me our feet have all the technology they need to thrive. Shoes need to be very careful they don't add too many extra features that change the way the foot functions. Any heel is range the ankle doesn't get to use while in the shoe. Cushioning takes away from the foots ability to cushion itself, etc. Ideally we'd all be getting around barefoot, or in barefoot/minimalist shoes but the majority of people have lost a lot of basic foot and leg functioning from wearing modern shoes so need to be smart when progressing back towards the ideal again, if that makes sense?
@@YourWellnessNerd Thanks Grant. In principle yes it makes perfect sense. What I don’t understand is what sort of technology should be used to mitigate against the effects of running on very hard surfaces like concrete and bitumen and the point at which the tech starts impeding rather than helping. Based on your vid I’m thinking that less drop is going to be beneficial in most cases over the long term but still somewhat confused about the question of how much cushioning is too much (for hard surfaces).
I have had calf tightness for decades. I have Achilles tendonitis that won't really go away. I have been a waiter/bartender for 35 years, and I ride my bike 3-4 times a week. Several ankle and knee sprains, but nothing major. I have been doing exercises to work on my Achilles as that is the most painful/limiting. I will try these exercises and see if this helps. thanks.
Hope they help Silas!
As someone with very high arches and poor foot and ankle mobility, my calf muscles are insanely overdeveloped and they're also really tight. I also have lots of hip and low back issues and my knees bug me too from time to time. Just got these $190 new balance shoes and now my calves are on fire. Theyre so tight it hurts just to touch them.
Thank you for such a informative video! I have had shin splints for the oast 5 years and struggling to even get a diagnosis. Im thinking if i have ankle restrictions or maybe because if the structure of my feet not really sure 😢
No worries mate! It always best to rule out the restriction before assuming things are just the way they are, especially if it's only on one side or one side is worse!
Been having pain in my foot around the middle and heal.I drive a fork lift truck so basically sat 8 hours per day .Going to try theses exercises. I wear crocs and pool shoes regularly. So a very helpful video .
Let me know how you go Gaz!
Thank you for this video. I have short and wide calf muscles. They are usually tight, especially when I am doing more movement. The info at the beginning was priceless and timely since I'm purchasing new summer shoes this week. Thank you!
Glad it resonated with you!!
@@YourWellnessNerd when I was getting my eye exam today one of the office team members was having similar problems. I suggested your channel/videos.
I noticed years ago that I mindlessly flex my toes (dig them into the earth) when I’m anxious. I think that constant flex also contributes to the tightness in calves. Now that I’m aware of it, I stop myself from holding my toes in flexion and it seems to have helped with some of my calf issues.
Hope it was helpful Lauren!!
Thanks so much! I never realized that sitting and flip flops have contributed to my tight calf muscles. Very informative!
Happy to help!
Must watch for anyone with tight calves 👍. Cheers 🇬🇧
I agree David! :)
Very informative. Thanks.
I've been running for long and aim to do 2 half Marathons every year. I'm already doing most of the things you advised in this video. However when I get to running after a break I tend to have tightness in my calf suddenly during a run. It's so painful that I have to stop immediately takes a few days to recover. I'm conscious of not running "too fast too soon" and have been strengthening the calfs too.
What else can I do?
Thank you.
It really depends on what's going on with your body. Is your back tight? Do you have sciatic nerve "tightness"? Are your glutes strong? Hip flexors tight? Do you have a stiffer ankle joint? You'd need to figure out what the missing piece might be or have someone do it for you!
Runner with tight calves. Ive found a hard foam tollers works well, but surprised at the link to lower back pain, which i have. Will try the exercises, thanks
Hope it helps Stuart! Let me know how you go!
I love you.. thank you , how can I donate ?❤❤
I’m glad to hear it may have been helpful for you! If you’d like to support the channel you are most welcome to leave a super thanks on the video!
I'm 57. Been a runner all my life, now a triathlete.
In my teens and early 20s I sprained both ankles. I have frequent calf strains, generally soleus.
I never wear flip flops and rarely wear heels.
I do find I'm prone to injury the day after travel (sitting).
I have good forwards/backwards ankle flex (did ballet as a child).
Do I need to work on lateral ankle movement?
I just completed the moves, I do feel a slight improvement...I'm gonna give it an extened try. I'm puzzled about my choice of footware. Sounds like flat is better.
Nice
Is it ok to do that with the ball on your lower back if you have a bulging disc?
Getting stronger above the knees helped me a lot
What did you do to get that?
@@sports872 strength training
Oh my god why couldn’t I find your videos sooner as soon as I did a variation of that first exercise my calves immediately loosened up.
Glad they helped!
I've had this issue (from running) for years now. It's a huge struggle and has seriously hurt my running (months off at a time). I've tried acupuncture, physical therapy, and tons of stretching. No one ever mentioned flip flops, which is something I nearly always wear. This is potentially life changing.
Amazing Perry! Hopefully it's helps sort things out long term!
If you are in a position where you do have to sit/lay down for hours on end, what would you recommend actually doing? Getting up every however many minutes and stretching or walking around? Or adjusting the way you are sitting/laying every so often...
Hey Jacob! The body functions best when we are up and moving, so the more someone can get up and move the better things should be in theory. Depending on how practical it is for someone even just switching positions frequently could be enough to keep things moving.
tight calve after total knee replacement. feels like fluid build up. 2 years after TKR ?
Do you have a video to release tightness in the peroneals and extensor digitorum?
I have extensor digitorum tendinitis in my left foot, which has caused the peroneals on both sides to be tight and painful.
Hi James! I did this one a little while ago in the context of clicking ankles, but it's essentially about sorting out dysfunctional peroneals. ua-cam.com/video/CL7ku_k6dyE/v-deo.htmlsi=6wkwlQ-5oTm2mDzZ
I started to feel the beginnings of Plantar Fasciitis playing golf last summer. As i began to address that i found incredible tightness in my calves. Number of points super tender when work to massage or foam roll.
Hope the video ultimately proved useful for you mate!
@@YourWellnessNerd progress for sure but when doing roller routine just dont seem to be seeing much relief, knots seem to persist
When I turned 50, I started to suffer from chronic plantar fasciitis. The physical therapist pointed to my calves. The constant tightness pulls on the heel (more recently, I started to experience achilles tendonitis). Strange, the plantar fasciitis typically occurs in the left heal, the achillis issue in the right. I wear cushioned sneakers, could my issue really be my sneakers?
I tore my achilles a few years ago and now I'm getting bad calf tightness. Also transferring into some lower back pain. It takes me a long time to stretch before I can start playing sports. I cannot run without spending a fair bit of time warming up.
Your demo of the toe-against-the-wall calf stretch @ 11:04 seems great...... But I'm afraid to try it bc it seems like there would be way too much strain on the lower Achilles (which is a problem area for me). In other words, i want to stretch my calf, but not my Achilles. Can u pls comment on that? Thx!
Hey mate, it really depends on what feels comfortable to do for someone. If the wall version feels too aggressive, a regular stretch with the leg behind may feel less aggressive for some. Alternatively, a foam roller or a massage may help others get to the point where stretching feels more comfy!
Calf rolling on the ground is the only thing that really made a noticeable difference for me and now I do it at least once a day before my run, and sometimes also at night, and it takes less than a minute on each to be more than enough. Massage gun or hand-rollers don't seem to do much. The back of my knee (not sure what to call it exactly), also used to be tight very often, and it's way better now.
Great to hear things are improving!
My calf issues started after a few seasons in logging boots with 1+ inch heels. I wasn’t doing much sitting in the year and a half prior to my fat pad impingement / tight calves and hamstrings because I had active jobs. I really think my boots did most of the damage combined with a 45 pound pack while firefighting and prescribing fire for two seasons.
My calves have been tight since I was placed into traction for 2 months after breaking my leg when I was 4 years old. Our doctor feared I would wind up with a short leg if I was placed in a cast. So I was immobilized for 60 days with both feet and legs suspended in the air. To make matters worse, no physical therapy was provided after being released from the hospital because my family left the country for the next six months while my father worked overseas.
I remember having severe muscle spasms for the first week. I learned how to walk again by using the salt water pool on board the ocean liner during our 7 day crossing to Europe. So, I began walking again about two weeks after being released from the hospital. I’ve been told by physical therapists that my mayo facial tissue is severely bound up and that there is scar tissue in both legs as well. I’ve lived with limited mobility in my calves for six decades and would gladly be released from this chronic stiffness. I realize my body still carries the emotional and physical trauma I experienced as a child. I am willing to do the therapeutic work to heal though previous attempts have not proven successful. Your insights and recommendations would be appreciated. Many thanks!
I wish you the best mate! Hopefully with your continued hard work you'll see some meaningful progress. Good luck!
Once you release the calf tightness should you try to strengthen them with calf raises etc.? Or will they be able to be engaged thru walking since you got them back to optimal length?
Ideally we need to use our tissue through its full range to maintain its mobility!
How do you secure the end of the power band in order to perform the ankle mobility exercise?
You can loop it through itself mate!
How about lower back and foot massage?
I have started walking alot in the last year. I have been doing 12k steps a day 6 days a week and recently started doing 20k steps on the 6th day in the last couple months. I wear new running shoes. In the last month, my right calf only is getting tighter and tighter.
Sorry to hear that mate! Think of walking as the thing that is exposing some potential underlying mechanical dysfunction rather than creating something new. It could be a conditioning aspect, it could be highlighting some ankle restrictions, lower back dysfunction etc.
I see that you have a video to stop knee popping. Do you have any advice to reduce ankle popping?
Just search for it as well on the channel mate it’s there!
I've had tight calves ever since I switched from heel running to toe running (went to a running school to learn it properly). If I run more than 5 km my calves get tight and painful and I can't run for about 2-3 days. I've tried all the exercises in this video, went to see several physiotherapists, who managed to easily release the tention in my calves with ultrasound, trigger-point, laser therapy etc., but the moment I go running over 5 km they get tight again. I tried strething before, in between, after, on the off days. I tried magnesium tablets, topical magnesium, other oral and topical suplements. I tried the roller and did it every day for 6 months, I've been using hard balls under my back to release that as well... SO, I think I've tried everything. Nothing ever helped in the long run, just a relief until the next run. I believe that my body hates running but I love it too much so I'm going to continue with pain forever.
Keep searching for answers mate, running is normal and calf tightness is not. There has to be a reason as to why the calf tightness. It can be ankle joint stiffness, lower back tightness, sciatic nerve tension, walking/running with feet turned out, valgus knees, poor calf strength, hip flexor tightness etc. Hopefully you find the one that's causing things!
Exact thing happened to me. Forefoot running is supposed to be "better for you". Calves are still tight a year later. It's weird because I've spent a ton of time on my forefoot thru bouncing from years of boxing. I'd love to know if you found a solution.
For long distances, midfoot strike is actually recommended and will prevent calf tightness and injury. It gives you more support. For sprinting short distances you can use a forefoot strike
I recently started working out and when I started run I strained my calves now it's a lingering issue every time I run
Hi there, I have Tibialis posterior tenosynovitis , is it OK to carry out the calf stretch part? Some are against the calf stretch but my calfs are tight. Kindest claire
Hi Claire! I hope you’ve since found the answers and you’ve recovered well!
Sorry I forgot to ask how many times a day can this stretching the calves and ankles be done? My feet are very painful and full of soft tissue pain (crunchiness).
Stretching can be done as often as it feels helpful and useful to do. For most, that means at least once a day!
Can i do it before or after football training?? Which time is better?
Generally, effective stretching is good to do prior ro exercise as it should immediately improve a person's mechanics and performance.
What shoes do you recommend to wear?
Depends on the person and where they're at, but a great goal for most people is to aim to feel comfy in a pair of barefoot shoes at some stage.