The gastrocnemius muscle is a short, horseshoe-shaped muscle in the calf, close to the knees; the soleus muscle is the longer muscle of the calf that lies beneath the gastrocnemius. Tight calf muscles can throw your spinal alignment off, increasing your risk of muscle tightness, muscle strains and ligament sprains throughout your body. Stretching your calf muscles can prevent such injuries, especially if you wear high-heeled shoes. Stretching maintains and increases the flexibility of your calf muscles, permitting you to exert a greater amount of force from your legs when you walk, exercise or participate in sports.
Step 1
Do an easy 10- to 15-minute aerobic warm-up to increase circulation and the elasticity of your calves, including your Achilles tendon.
Step 2
Stretch your gastrocnemius by standing on the edge of a sidewalk, step bench or treadmill; hold on to the rails of the treadmill, a wall or a car, maintaining your balance. Place the ball of your right foot on the edge of the platform you are standing on with your right leg fairly straight; the ball of your foot is where your toes attach to your foot. Slowly drop your heel toward the ground or floor, using the weight of your body to stretch your calf; increase the intensity of this stretch by pushing your heel even closer to the ground. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds, then switch legs.
Step 3
Stretch your soleus by standing on your right foot just as you would for the gastrocnemius stretch. Sink your heel toward the floor and bend your right knee; bending your knee focuses the weight of your body more on your soleus muscle than on your gastrocnemius. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds, then switch legs. Alternate between the gastrocnemius stretch and the soleus stretch for four to five repetitions of each stretch per leg.
Step 4
Stand close to the corner of a wall, the post of a squat rack or the trunk of a tree. Place the heel of your right foot on the floor as close to the base of the wall as possible; your toes should be up on the wall. Lean past the corner of the wall, feeling the stretch along the entire length of your calf. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds, then switch legs. Do four to five repetitions per leg.
Tips and Warnings
- Stretch after an aerobic workout two to four times per week.
Things You'll Need
- Squat rack
References
- "Anatomy & Physiology"; Gary Thibodeau, Ph.D., and Kevin Patton, Ph.D.; 2007
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; You Asked For It: Question Authority -- Is Stretching Worthwhile?; David Nieman, Dr.P.H.; July/Aug. 2008
- "Personal Trainer Manual"; American Council on Exercise; 1997
