The calf is composed primarily of two muscles: the gastrocnemius, or outer calf, and the soleus, or inner calf. The fibers of these muscles run down the calf. They attach to the Achilles tendon, which attaches to the calcaneus, the big heel bone at the back of your foot. When the two muscles contract and shorten, they pull up on your heel, lifting it and raising your body up on tiptoe. Every time you take a step, you push off the ball of your foot and your calf muscles lift all your body weight. If you spend a lot of time on your toes, such as in high heels, these muscles can become tight and short, making it difficult to stand comfortably in flat feet. You might also experience cramping in your calves from overly tight muscles. You can relieve that tightness with simple calf stretches using a bolster -- a large, firm pillow in the shape of a cylinder.
Step 1
Place the bolster on the floor approximately six inches from the wall. You need enough space to lean forward to get a good stretch in the calf.
Step 2
Put the ball of your foot on the bolster. Leave your heel on the floor.
Step 3
Lean forward and bend your knee to stretch your calf. Use the wall for balance and hold the stretch for 10 to 20 seconds.
Step 4
Switch feet to stretch the other calf. Stretch each calf twice.
Things You'll Need
- Bolster
