I’m guessing you don’t think much about your calves as you go about your day-to- day activities. There they are at the back of your lower leg, not doing much… so it seems. They have a crucial role in your ability to stay balanced, strong and injury free and so they are worth an introduction.
Your calves are made up primarily of the Gastrocnemius and the Soleus muscles which both attach at your heel via your Achilles tendon. This lovely strong part of your lower leg has a few important jobs to do as you go about your day-to-day life.
Responsibilities of Your Calf Musculature:
1) The muscles of the posterior lower leg (calf) act as powerful plantar flexors of the ankle joint. Plantar flexion describes the movement of pointing/pressing the ball (front part) of your foot downwards. You perform plantar flexion when standing on your tippy-toes, pressing the gas pedal of a car, walking, and running. While plantar flexing, the calf muscles provide the main forward propulsive force in walking and running by using the foot as a lever and raising the heel off the ground.
2) The Gastrocnemius muscle helps the bigger muscles further up the leg to bend or flex the knee.
3) These muscles help to keep you balanced and upright. They play a vital role in separating humans who stand and walk on 2 legs from other mammals that stand and walk on 4 legs. While standing, these muscles neurologically communicate with other systems in your body to recognize when you start to sway (in any direction) and they are triggered to fire to keep you balanced and standing tall.
So why am I introducing you to your calves?
Here’s why:
In my office, every day, I see patients that have foot pain, heel pain (plantar fasciitis), achilles tendon pain and dysfunction, shin splints, calf pain, knee pain and even hip and back pain.
The thing that they have in common: Tight Calf Musculature
In fact, even without symptoms, many people have tight musculature in this part of their bodies.
Why does everyone have such tight calf muscles?
It’s because almost everyone does something almost every day, for potentially many hours per day that human beings are not designed to do:
They sit in a chair.
In ancient cultures, human beings didn’t sit in a chair, they would stand or lie down or sit on the ground with their legs crossed or in front of them or squat on their haunches.
In our current modern day culture we are rewarded as a society for sitting in a chair. Many of us sit to work, we sit to eat, we sit to drive, we sit for entertainment in front of a television or a computer.
All of us sit waaaayyy too much and it’s causing problems for our health.
We talked in a previous post about how all this sitting keeps us from being active and how that wreaks havoc on our health.
So what does sitting too much have to do with my calf muscles?
When you are seated at your desk or in your car, or relaxing in front of the television, your knees are bent (flexed at 90 degrees) and your feet are plantar-flexed or in a relaxed forward position. This is especially relevant for women who wear high heels to work as their feet are automatically pointed downward in a plantar-flexed position because of the shape of their shoes.
The posture of your knees and your feet while you are seated bring your calf muscles to a shortened position making them tighter.
Therefore, since everyone sits too much, that is why pretty much every person has calf muscles that are too tight.
Ok, so how does that make me more susceptible to injury?
Well, your body is a wonderful compensator. If you have lost flexibility or strength in one area, it will find it somewhere else along the anatomy train.
If your calves are tight and inflexible and can’t do their jobs (that we talked about above) which are all vital to the normal biomechanics of walking and running, then muscles and joints above or below your calves will have to work harder for you to do the same motions. This can lead to all of the aches and pains that I mentioned above that can be anywhere from your toes to your low back.
Also, as you get older and you lose strength and flexibility in the musculature of your calves, your balance will get worse and you will be more likely to fall.
Do you want to know if your calves are tight and if you are susceptible to injury or are you looking for the potential cause of your back, hip or leg pain?
First: How much do you sit? This is a relevant question even if you exercise one or 2 hours (or even more) per day. If you are sitting for many hours a day, you likely have tight calves.
Second: Try these 2 things: (Disclaimer…please be careful and go slowly so as to not injure yourself and if anything feels uncomfortable or painful, stop)
1) While seated, lift your leg straight out in front of you and point your toes up towards the ceiling and pull them back toward your knee. This action is called dorsi-flexion and you will feel a stretch in your calf muscles when you dorsi-flex. As you pull the foot and toes back toward you, you should be able to bend your ankle 10-20 degrees past 90 degrees. If you can’t, then your calf muscles are too tight.
2) Stand with your feet hip distance apart and squat down. As you squat down if your heels pop up off the floor, you have tight calves. In order to have full range of motion, you should be able to bring your rear thighs in contact with your calves while your heels stay flat on the ground.
Keep in mind, that you need good flexibility in your hips and your knees as well to do this posture. Also keep in mind that most people are not ready to get to this level of flexibility so if you can’t do it, don’t beat yourself up, but make it a goal because it is a normal human range of motion.
So I have tight calves…what can I do about it?
1) Sit less, move more.
2) Stretch your calves at least once per day but preferably more often than that. Once per hour is not too much, so take a break every hour and do a little stretch.
Here’s how:
Calf Stretch on the Stairs
Place your toes on the edge of a stair and drop your heel toward the floor. You’ll feel a stretch in your calf and the bottom of your foot. Hold for 10-15 seconds.
Lower Calf Stretch
As you drop your heel, bend your knee and push your knee down toward your toes. You’ll feel this stretch lower on the calf and on the inside of the lower leg. Hold for 10-15 seconds.
You can also do each of these stretches with your heel angled in or out to get a bit more stretch on the inside or the outside of your lower leg depending on where you feel tightness.
Who knew that those muscles back there at your lower leg could play such an important role in so many aspects of your musculoskeletal health.
Sit less, move more and stretch your calves. It really is important for everyone.
Peggy.
Dr. Peggy Malone is a Chiropractor and an Athlete who helps other athletes to overcome injury and get back to their sport. She also inspires patients from all walks of life to take control of their health to be as happy and as healthy as they can be.
A former varsity Basketball and Rugby player, she has since entered the world of endurance athletics where she has completed 2 Ironman Triathlons, 3 Marathons, several Half Marathons and many other Triathlons, Road Races and Off-Road Adventure races of varying distances.
Her own athletic endeavors and injuries have given her valuable insight into working with athletes in her practice for both the care of injuries as well as for the improvement of athletic performance.
Such an awesome article! The pics are so beautifully descriptive. Thank you!!
Glad you liked it Lucy. I hope that you found a tidbit that you can use in your everyday life 🙂
Hi Peggy,
I injured my posterior tibial and peroneal tendon running a couple of months ago and they are still very inflamed. I think my calves are really tight but when I try stretch them it hurts the tendons in my foot. Is there a way of stretching your calves without aggravating your tendons? I’m having to rest all the time so sitting is unavoidable at the moment.
Thanks
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
If stretching is really aggravating you, I’d recommend working with a body worker like a massage therapist, chiropractor or physiotherapist that could loosen up the muscles and give you a bit of relief as the inflammation of the injury gets better. With time and some passive treatment for symptom relief, you should be able to add stretching and then more active movement back.
I hope you feel better soon!
Peggy
Peggy,
Great article! When I hit 40, I started having all kinds of back issues. My physical therapist gave me lots of stretching exercises – most of them dealing with the calves. Totally blew me away, but you made it very clear why this was the case. Thanks! Love the photos!
What a great example of how tight calves can contribute to aches and pains further up the anatomy train!
Whoa! Do I ever need this info. While reading along I tried implementing each step…I am not flexible, my calves are so tight that there is no flexibility and I do need to get up more often and move. I've forwarded this to all of my broker, dispatcher and truck driver friends…man, we all need this. Thanks, Dr. Peggy what a chest full of gold!
Carla, I’m so glad the info was helpful and I’m so excited that you paid it forward to so many people!
When I stretch my calves in any way , I get major cramps and Charlie horses
Hi Tara,
It’s possible that you may have a nutritional deficiency. I usually recommend patients try Magnesium for what you are describing. Make sure to check in with your health care provider if the cramps don’t improve.
Hi Peggy
this was a great article abut calf muscles , But i have a question for u.
My wife was into an motor vehicle accident and she had a surgery of her leg almost 11 years back at that time she had more than 50 stiches on her leg some on back side of her anckle (Achilles tendon) and some on inner part of thigh close to knee.Since then when she walk she always keep her knee bend and because of that now her leg muscles too tight and know if she want too keep her knee straight she cann't. We took Her leg's X-ray But everything in her bone structure is normal.
Can u please her us and tell us the name of some excercise which she can do to Fix her.
I ll be very thankfull to u..
Hi Kulwinder, I’m so sorry to hear about your wife’s leg. It sounds as though it has been an extremely frustrating journey.
It’s difficult for me to give advice of this nature when I haven’t seen your wife. You may want to consult with a practitioner
that does myofascial soft tissue work like Active Release Techniques. If you go to http://www.activerelease.com you may be able to
find a provider in your area.
I hope this helps.
Thanks for pointing me to this post this weekend Dr. Peggy! It was really helpful. Not only am I going to make it a point to get up and move around more while working, I'm also going to be better about my stretching. I think my calves are okay, but I certainly want to continue to protect them from injury!
I can't run anymore because every time I do my achilles start hurting, despite doing regular achilles/calf stretching and strengthening (as in your descriptions). So I decided to do something 'radical' and abandoned sitting in the hope that squatting full time would sort out the problem. The trouble is, a week into this my left knee starting really hurting and I was diagnosed as having osteoarthritis (am in the process of having an xray to confirm this) and hence told never to bend my knee beyond 90 degrees. And so the squats are out. This has taken me back to my original problem – what can I do about my achilles now? I just want to run 🙁
Hi Sean,
If you have done everything in the calf area that is recommended and you are still having dysfunction and pain, the answer to your problem almost certainly lies higher up the anatomy train in your gluteal musculature and your core musculature.
The reason so many athletes end up with repetitive strain injuries in the muscles and structures from knees down is because the gluteal musculature is not doing its job during the gait cycle. You should also be stretching your hip flexor muscles. Tight hip flexors can cause the calves to work harder than need be.
Check out the following articles for a better understanding of what I’m talking about:
http://drpeggymalone.com/shin-splints-weak-glutes
http://drpeggymalone.com/stretch-hip-flexor-muscles
http://drpeggymalone.com/exercises-strengthen-stabilize-gluteal-musculature
This article talks about sitting all day at work, but I am wondering if standing all day can have a similar effect. I have been a hairstylist for years and more recently have noticed tight calf muscles (mainly the right leg). Could this be the cause as well? Either way I’m going to try these stretches. Thanks!
Hi Paco,
You may also want to check out my posts on how your postures while standing can contribute to pain and injury from the floor to the core. Sustained standing postures can definitely lead to tightness and injury in the legs.
http://drpeggymalone.com/postural-habits-shin-splints
http://drpeggymalone.com/shin-splints-common-life-postures
Hope this helps!
Peggy
I have had numerous sprains of my right ankle (every few years) for which I was first treated in the late 60's with compression, elevation and rest. So, now I've developed ankles that will nearly sprain (turn over severly) but I don't seem to have major sprains. However, my calf muscle seems to be complaing as is my foot arch. The discomfort begins as I walk with stiffness, and goes from the foot arch to the calf. Upon resting, aka sitting, I get these calf pain pulses which I don't have an explanation for as well as my feet tend to "burn" and the arch pain returns….all of which isn't 100% debilitating but is more annoying.
What do you think I should do? I hate to bother my primary dr. with this, as I don't want to seem to be a complainer.
Hey Ann,
The repetitive sprains have created a situation where you have lost proprioceptive feedback from your foot/ankle to your brain. (ie, they are not communicating with each other like they did before the injury) Once the ligaments have been repetitively injured, the musculature on the posterior and lateral side of the lower/leg ankle has to work a lot harder which can lead to some of the symptoms you are describing.
The long term solution for you (and others who have repetitively injured their ankles) will be to do some proprioceptive re-training of the lower leg/ankle (via balancing etc) as well as some stabilization/strengthening of the hips/pelvis which will help to maintain over all balance.
Hope this helps!
Peggy
Thanks so much for this article, it explains a lot!
I was just wondering if you have any ideas to avoid the chair sitting position? I am a student so I'm having to write a lot of essays, but usually in the comfort of my home. Would sitting in a lotus like position be better, or just sitting on a pillow on the floor? Currently none of my muscles are very strong, incl my abdominal and back muscles, so slouching in a chair is a lot easier.
Unfortunately I've been having a lot of trouble getting to sleep recently, because my calf muscles are very tense and keep twitching. Rubbing in heat rub cream tends to help to take the edge off. I do try to stretch and massage, but the gastrocnemius muscle on the inside of the leg is really quite tender and tends to twinge so I don't dare to massage it too much.
I know I need more excercise as walking has helped, but with deadlines looming I know I will be sitting a lot and I was curious to know if I could do anything to minimise the consequences. Help would be much appreciated 🙂
Hi Stephanie,
Getting up and moving often (even for a few seconds) is something that you definitely should be doing!
You can sit cross legged which will help you sit up straight. Try for 10 min per hour.
Then you could sit for 10 minutes per hour on an exercise ball.
You could try working at a station where you stand up and work for 10 minutes an hour (may not be possible)
They have something called a tread desk where you can have a desk surrounding a treadmill and walk (also may not be currently possible but such a cool idea)
The twitching you are describing could be a nutritional deficiency as well. Make sure you are getting enough Calcium and Magnesium in your diet!
Good luck!
Peggy
I am in my late forties and last Xmas suffered a meniscus tear (posterior horn). I now feel significant tightness behind the knee and sometimes in the calf. Sometimes I stretch the calf (like your photos so aptly describe) as well as the hamstrings and it feels better but sometimes it feels much tighter a short time later. Do you have any suggestions? Keep stretching, stop stretching for a bit, stretch more lightly, only certain stretches? Never sit? I am worried that if I keep stretching it will reinjure the meniscus and if I don't I'll get less and flexible and worsen the problem. Your website is quite helpful and thanks in advance for your attention.
Hi – your article seems to be the best describing my condition.
About 3 years ago I ‘tore’ a muscle in my left calf – very painful but advised to let time heal. Well, 2 years later I have had extreme difficulty walking more than 100 metres on the flat, 50 metres with any incline or carrying heavy objects. It was originally only the left calf but has extended to the right as well. Physio has described it as mechanical, Docter as smoking with high cholestoral. I have been assuming it is blood related and am taking disprin + cholestoral tabs but the condition just seems to be worsening lately. The pain is like cramp and feels as if the calves fill up with lactic acid within seconds. I do drink quite a bit of wine daily. I don’t stretch but will now start as I’m pretty anxious. Thanks if you can give advice from similar problems encountered.
Hi Albert,
It sounds like your symptoms are multi-factorial so I would definitely recommend checking in again with your medical doctor. Stretching of the calf musculature and working with a body worker that does soft tissue work like Active Release Techniques may also give you some relief.
Good luck with it!
Peggy
Hi again – one more thing – the muscles in both calves twitch like crazy after mild walking and sometimes even when sitting at particular angles.
Thanks
Hey Albert,
Sometimes twitching or ongoing spasms could be related to a nutritional deficiency. Make sure you are getting balanced magnesium and calcium in your diet. Talk to a dietician or a nutritionist to see if this may apply to you!
So Peggy…..what your telling me is there still hope?? lol I wiuld laugh if I could I’m a 38 yr old male who stays pretty active, about 2 months ago Inoticed my lower back getting tight, I work out 4-5 days a week so every once in awhile that would happen. This has become a much different, recently named nightmare. As I said the pain started in my low, lower back and transferred around to my left hip. It feels like sciatica but much more of a direct sharp pain. That’s been going on for awhle now and I’ve been stretching and not sitting as much, its still there but also have aching pain goingall the way down myeg,, calves down to my feet, achillies tendon, even toes.
I’m not sure what I should do at this point, any direction would be great. Thank you
Of course there is still hope Eric!
Based on your symptoms, I would guess that your hip flexor muscles are involved.
Check out this post to learn more:http://drpeggymalone.com/stretch-hip-flexor-muscles
Get up and move more. Keep stretching your calves.
If you are still in crisis, go see a good body worker (chiropractor, massage therapist, physiotherapist)
Hope this helps!
I am flat footed. Had an arch pain 1year before after a run. I have since stopped running and now using custom orthotics but still have mild pain. What should I do to prevent it from happening on the other foot. I feel tenderness inside when I press the Achilles’ tendon area only when I point the toe out wards and sitting on the knees. But no pain while pressing the Achilles’ tendon during normal positions.
Hi George,
To prevent a recurrence or symptoms in the other foot, I recommend keep moving, keep stretching and if you are having symptoms, work with a good body worker (chiropractor, massage therapist, physiotherapist) to help keep the soft tissues in your legs and feet loose and supple.
Very helpful thank you.
BOth my feet tingle when lying down, several physicians have tried to diagnose, no nerve damage or diabetes. I do have very tight calf muscles and have been poor at stretching. No longer jog but am very active, use steps daily, walk, individual pilates.
Am now going to stretch at bedtime while lying down. By morning feet feel fine until I lay down to rest or go to sleep!
Hi Mares,
I would definitely recommend that you keep stretching. I would also recommend working with a good body worker (chiropractor, massage therapist, physiotherapist) who could help to loosen up the soft tissues in your lower legs and feet which should help with the neurological symptoms that you describe.
Helpful post and pictures!
I’ve got a dysfunctional hip (trying to put off hip resurfacing as long as possible) and most of the calf stretches I’ve tried irritate my bad hip. Is there any method you could suggest that would protect it?
Hi Jon,
If you are standing on the stairs and letting your heel drop to stretch your calf, the stretch should be fairly isolated to the calf and shouldn’t aggravate the hip too much. If that is what you are doing and it’s causing you aggravation, I would recommend working with a good body worker (Chiropractor, Massage Therapist, Physiotherapist) to help loosen up the soft tissues and strengthen the muscles around your hip.
Dear Peggy,
I do a sitting job and at the end of day my leg muscles are so tight and ache that i cannot walk or sit. My therapist says varicose veins but didn’t come on doppler. Please tell if these exercises will help.
Thanks
Anything that will get you moving more will be helpful. Sitting all day is tough on the body!
Dr. Peggy, I’ve been running for 10 years – only 3 miles/week max; but this April I have increased my milleage running 3 times a week to prepare for a 1/2 marathon in September. Just last Sunday, I ran my farthest at 7.5 miles, which is .5 longer than my run the previous weekend. The issue I’m having is my shins. I know what shin splints feel like, but on my right leg, it feels deeper and the muscles are very tender along the right side of the bone. I’m concerned it could be Compartment Syndrome. Could CS come on this fast? I’ve been focusing on stretching my calf muscles along iwth my shin muscles. Also, to assist with loose hip flexors, I’ve recently raised my computer so I now stand at work. Should I foam roll it? How about Accupuncture? Any wisdom you can share would be much appreciated! Thank you.
Hi Steve,
I would say that your tight calves are creating a compensation on the front of the shin that is making the tibialis anterior muscle work harder….which is probably the discomfort you feel on the front/lateral side of your leg. Keep stretching the calves and add the ‘Toe-Ups’ exercise to strengthen the front shins. Your symptoms don’t sound like compartment syndrome but I would need to have a better history and fuller picture of what you are dealing with. If it continues to be a problem, I would suggest seeing a body worker (chiropractor, physiotherapist, massage therapist, acupuncturist) that works with athletes to get some support.
Good luck!
I’ve always suffered from big calf muscles (no matter how little I’d exercise) and they cramp up to no end. When they do, I can barely even walk, it’s so bad. I’ve been trying to find some stretches I could do to help them from hurting but everywhere I looked I could really only find how to make calf muscles bigger. I’m really glad that I finally found this. These stretches help a lot. Thank you so much!
Hi Dr Peggy! Please can you help me with a problem I’ve been having? I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong…
I’ve recently taken up running to help me get fitter and to lose some weight.
Initially, my legs hurt a bit but that went away after a few days. Now that I’m running for longer distances I have started having a dull ache in the middle of my sole that hurts when I put my full weight on it. I stopped running for a day or two and it mostly went away. Desperate to keep up with my running routine I ran again and the pain returned.
Usually while I am walking quickly or running I can always feel a stiffness in my left lower leg/ankle area as if the muscles there are constantly contracted. I suspect this plays a major part in the cause of my foot pain. I’m not sure how to walk or run in the correct manner, is there a trick to help me loosen up my left leg at all?
I would really appreciate the help, I’ve tried googling a few things but your way of explaining it all seems a lot more helpful than other articles I’ve seen online.
Please, please, pleeaase help! Thank you!
Dr. Peggy,
I have been running for 25 years 5 – 10km three times a week) and in the past few months cannot run even 200 yds without both my calf muscles tightening and both my arches aching so much that i have to stop and limp home. I have been doing some serious calf stretching for the past month but don’t seem to be getting much better. I am trying some walking/running and as the duration lengthens the pain subsides a little. Any thoughts on what i might do to get back to running pain free?
thank you
bv
Hi Peggy,
I have very tight calves & rear of knees muscles. I also get a huge amount of leg cramps during the night. It can happen 3-4 nights 2-3 times a night & very severe or not happen at all for a month or two. I am an automotive technician & I am on my feet all day & bending, lifting, stretching to reach etc. This has been going on for about 7-8 years. I also had 2 other jobs that I was not so physical with no difference. I have performed these exercises, changed diet, had my blood tested. Various doctors have not given me anything that has helped. Unfortunately it would take 2-3 months to see if any recommendations work & have not found any change.
Thank You G.S
Hi George,
I would recommend 2 things.
1) Take Magnesium. It often helps with cramping
2) When you are standing or leaning over a vehicle at work, make a conscious effort posturally to keep your knees slightly soft or bent. When people stand with all their weight pushed back into the knee joint, it tightens the calf muscles up.
I hope this helps!
Peggy, thanks for this article. I’ve been dealing with a tough case of plantar fasciitis. I’ve been doing loads of stretching and therapy. Initially the pain was around the underside of my foot but now it’s more at the back of the heel. Walking is fairly comfortable, but sitting brings up all sorts of foot pain symptoms fairly quickly. Recently I had a long plane flight and asked for a wheelchair at the airport. When I arrived I had a lot of pain. It has tapered off but I have been trying to understand what the problem was, since I was “resting” almost the whole time and stretched during the trip. It finally occurred to me that maybe the real problem was all the sitting, and your article seems to reinforce that.
However, there’s one thing I don’t understand. You explain that when sitting, the feet are plantar-flexed or in a relaxed forward position and that this posture brings the calf muscles to a shortened position, making them tighter. To this layman, it would seem that when the feet are pointed forward (like the girl in the photo) the calf muscles would more relaxed than when the feet are pointed back more, towards the knee, since the heel is closer to the calf muscle in that position. Maybe I’m misunderstanding your point but if you could clear this up, it would help me understand the mechanics of this, and perhaps be more comfortable on the plane ride home. Thanks in advance, and thanks for the great info on your site.
Hi David,
You are right that the calves would be more relaxed when you put them in a plantar flexed position….the challenge with that is that they will tighten up in the shortened position and cause you grief when you stand and put pressure on them with walking. So, I always recommend keeping the calf in a more lengthened position while seated (toes up and heels down) so that when you go to stand, there will be less pressure and pull on the plantar fascia…and therefore, less pain.
I hope this helps!
Thanks for this lovely post! It a pleasure to read.
Blessings
Hi Peggy,
So the calves that feel like I have pressure is from sitting too much at my computer?
Deborah
It’s not unusual to have tightness in the muscles of the legs if you sit a lot. Make sure to get up and move at least every 30 minutes. Adding some massage and stretching may also be helpful.
Hello Dr.Peggy,
I have heavy muscle(calf muscle) pain when I’m stretching my feet downwards or while swimming.Is it normal or do i have to follow any exercise to avoid it?
Hi Murali,
There could be several things that are going on that are contributing to what you describe. My best advice is to check in with your health care provider if the symptoms persist.
1000 Thank you’s Dr Peggy, My calf muscles were so tight I could hardly walk, I did the stretches you had mentioned and in less then 1 minute I felt most of the pain go away and the muscle relax, Something I have not been able to do for years, Now, There is no stopping me cause I’ll keep doing them.
Bless you and thanks again.
Dr Peggy
My son is 15 and very big for age. Last October he had a gastroc release our Dr said he healed very nice. He plays football and does not move as well as other player. Upper body is strong. He cannot do squats very good . Which affects his running as well . His calves and hamstrings stay pretty tight. What can we do to help this problem?
Hi Scott, Your son’s case sounds a bit complicated and it’s hard to offer advice without having examined him. I would recommend working with a good physical therapist to make sure that the musculature around his hips and glutes is strong and functioning well. Some mobility or stretch work may also help.
Hi I had both hips replaced last year I’m doing ok but for the last few months iv suffered with plantar fasciitis and the last few weeks iv had ankle pain and weakness in my calfs and foot pain I recently had a deep tissue massage just the one he said I had tight muscles in my legs can I have your thoughts please thanks Judy Leicester england
Hi Judy, My thoughts are that after the hip replacements, your gluteal musculature (butt muscles) are weak and not functioning at 100%. When the glutes are weak, the rest of the leg below has to work harder and often people end up with knee, ankle, shin or plantar fascial pain as a result. For symptom relief, I would continue with massage and stretching but for long term change, I would recommend seeing a physical therapist to really focus on the hips and the glutes to get them strong again. Good luck with it!
After 3 yearsof pain and visiting docs/physio I finally found out what’s up with my legs after reading this after i do my stretches I’m pain free finally but after 10 minutes or so they start tightening up again
I recently was put in a situation that made my brain think I couldn’t walk anymore so I was in a wheelchair for several months. Now that my brain coming back I use a walker and am getting steadier but have noticed I still have trouble putting my foot flat on the ground (which of course effects my balance a little too). I’ve asked a few people involved in sports therapy some stretches I can do where I don’t have to support myself while doing them and they’ve all pretty well drawn a blank on what I could do to stretch that back out gently.
Hi Lisa,
Yours sounds like a complicated case. I’m hesitant to give advice when I haven’t examined you myself. I wish you the best of luck and hope you are feeling better!
Wonderful article.
I am a person with tight calves which I work with every day. I could use some advice, how should I take care of my situation? I do massage and stretch, but is there something else I can do to give me more relief?
Let me know when you can and thank you very much.
The other things that I would consider adding to the massage and stretch are strengthening the gluteal and hip musculature as well as making sure that when you are standing still you aren’t hanging on your knee joints…in other words…soft knees so your muscles can support the joint rather than hanging in a hyperextended position.
Wonderful article, interesting and informative too.
So, if someone has tight calves.. could that have something to do with plantar fasciitis?
Just curious. let me know what you think.. if you can.
Thanks,
Aimee
Hi Aimee,
Calf tightness can definitely be related to plantar fasciitis. Stretching the calves is one of the pieces of homework that I give to patients who are suffering from plantar fasciitis.
Hello,
I have tight foot muscles. Does this have anything to do with plantar fasciitis? Also, I am a little overweight. I am currently working on my weight, probably need to lose 10 pounds.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks-
Tight calves, tight feet, weak glutes/hips and extra weight on the body can all be contributors to plantar fasciitis. Keep moving, stretching and working toward your ideal weight. I hope that you are feeling better!
your tests ignore the fact that some of us can’t flex our feet that far due to the limited motion of an ankle joint, not the calf muscle. my ankle joints don’t move as much as you describe, when i try, i have a bone on bone situation, it hurts my ankle, I don’t feel anything in my calf. The same thing with the squats, my heels will never be flat on the floor due to my anatomy. You will have people thinking their is something wrong with them when it is just how their joint naturally works
Unless you have osteoarthritis, your joint will gain more range of motion with mobility work like these stretches. Working all the soft tissues of the joint, including the ligaments and capsules with stretching and mobility work will help to improve the ankle joints range of motion over time….even when you are in a ‘bone on bone’ situation as you describe. Be patient and stick with it. You may also want to work on strengthening the front of the shins and the glutes/hips to allow for the lower leg to ease off it’s tightness.
Hi,
I have tight calve muscles, which also make my feet muscles feel tight too.
How often should I stretch my calves, how many times a day? I want to get some relief soon.
Thanks for the help
When my patients are in crisis, I’ll encourage them to stretch every hour. You may also have to consider strengthening your glutes/hips and the front of your legs so that the calves will stop tightening up!
Peggy,
7 years after you published this article and it’s still helping people!
Thank you so much.
My left calf keeps seizing up when I skip and it’s very painful. I seem to lack dorsi flexion in the same calf (compared to the other) so I’m going to work on that with the stretched you’ve suggested.
Thank you,
Graeme
I’m glad you are working on it Graeme! I hope you get some relief.
Hello ma’am.
I found your article very helpful.
But ma’am I am suffering from a similar problem from last 4 months.Hope You can help me.
When I go to toilet and sit in squatting position for doing my work,first of all I can’t sit properly with my thighs and calves connected.If I try to sit by connecting them,I feel like falling backward .And if sit without connecting them then I feel some support in front to sit straight .If I release the support I feel like falling forward and suffer from severe thigh pain and foot pain and disturbance in my mind and fast palpitation.It is because I feel the whole leg pressure on the front part of my feets.
Hope You understood my problem.Do I need any medication for this or any exercise will help.
I’m not 100% sure what you are describing. Your case sounds a bit complicated and I would suggest you see a body worker like a chiropractor, physiotherapist or massage therapist to get some help and hopefully some relief.
Great article about calves. I have had plantar fasciitis for a long time. And have been told to stretch my calves, but to also lose weight. Because I am a little overweight. But, am now working on that.
Anyways, it would be nice to hear back from someone and if not, that is okay too.
Hi Aimee,
Stretching your calves will help but I would also recommend working on the strength of your hips. Your feet have to work harder if your hips/glutes/pelvis is not as stable as it could be and that can be a contributor to the foot pain. Check out this article for a few exercises to get you started: https://drpeggymalone.com/exercises-strengthen-stabilize-gluteal-musculature/
Hi Peggy,
Great article. I have pain at the top of both gastrocs, inner side, just below the knees. I did have a broken ankle which was fixed with ORIF. But it’s been pretty tight ever since. I did not have any legs problems before this trauma. I’m seeing a sports MD, but it’s so far not resolved. What do you think is most likely, or something else: problems further upwards due to a dysfunctional “kinesthetic chain” or maybe I’m simply sitting far too much? I’d have expected gastroc problem on the leg with the broken ankle, but on both?
Hi Lee,
I’m sorry to hear about your injury and the complications related.
It’s hard for me to say what’s going on without a full history and exam.
If it were me, I’d continue working with your sports MD and also add in some body work with a massage therapist, chiropractor or physio that is experienced in soft tissue work (bonus if they have some experience with lower extremity biomechanics or good experience working with athletes post surgery)
I’d say it’s likely that you’ll have to add in an active component by addressing the strength and function of the hips and pelvis as well as the lower legs.
I hope you feel better soon!
Peggy