horrifically tight calves

goofygirl

Does anyone have any tips as to how to deal with horrifically tight calves? I've stretched till the cows come home - and I know there are differing opinions on how effective stretching is anyone - but they're still so sore.

I imagine it might be a lifestyle thing, I just started a desk job a few weeks ago and before that I was on my feet all day at work so my legs aren't used to being stationary for hours on end. The human body is made for motion.

But in the meantime anyone else suffer from this?

buck65

Deep tissue massage , your only man!
Hurts like hell though.

MarieC

goofygirl wrote: »

Does anyone have any tips as to how to deal with horrifically tight calves? I've stretched till the cows come home -

Tight calves..........stretching til the cows come home.......next you're going to say its all a load of bull!!!

Sorry couldn't resist.

mrak

buck is right - the calves respond great to massage. I have a yoke at home called "the stick" that I picked up in roadrunnersports in san diego a few years ago that is also good. You might be able to get one off the interweb. It's basically like a bendy rolling-pin and lets you do it on yourself and you're supposed to use it after runs.

geld

Goofy,

Try a foam roller. Coupled with stretching this did the trick for me. The only other thing is to be patient as it's not an overnight fix.

ss43

goofygirl wrote: »

Does anyone have any tips as to how to deal with horrifically tight calves? I've stretched till the cows come home - and I know there are differing opinions on how effective stretching is anyone - but they're still so sore.

I imagine it might be a lifestyle thing, I just started a desk job a few weeks ago and before that I was on my feet all day at work so my legs aren't used to being stationary for hours on end. The human body is made for motion.

But in the meantime anyone else suffer from this?

Do you wear high heels? High heels put your calves in a shortened position which over time leads to them becoming them shortened (due to mscle moemory). If you do heel drops you can help offset this.

Heel drops - Stand on a step. Your feet should be about half on the step and half behind it. Lower yourself down the way your heels are below the step while the front half of your foot is still on it. This should stretch your calf.
Hold on to something (the bannister and the wall if you're on a staircase) while you're doing it. Lean forward very slightly and contract your core a little bit. Start by doing 10 reps a few times a day. After a few weeks you could do them standing on one foot but there's no need to rush into that.

Maybe you could try making circles with your ankles to keep your calf muscles active while you're sitting at your desk.

goofygirl

high heels? i think i've heard of those. oh yes! i wore a pair to my debs

yeah i've been trying heel drops, they definitely help a bit. where i've just started work has an AMAZING gym and recreation centre so i went there and lunchtime and did about 15 mins stretching on one of the mats. guess i'll just make that an a regular fixture.

pudgey22

Hey goof,did u injure your calf or just an overall tightness??I felt a strain after doing the burren half marathon,thought it would be sore for a day or two, but it's still causing me problems. Tryin to go back to the running gently, it's a nightmare as i was doin 30miles a week.Still gettin a strain even on 3-4k runs, and that's 4 weeks later.
Massagin it and doin a bit of exercise on it,hopefully be right in the next few weeks,ah well...

Domer

Check out this link:

http://www.thestick.net/Articles/Calf_%20Heart_%20Attack.htm

I know it is on the stick website, but it is a good read, and good advice even if you dont have the stick.

A good rehab program is an integral part of any treatment program, otherwise the injury will keep coming back, or worse, wont go away!

Good luck,
Domer

bananamansgay

im suffering from exactly the same thing. i had a deep tissue massage last night (and yea it hurt alot!) thay are a little looser today.

your runners might be a factor too, maybe a gait analysis might be helpful.

im doing Skerries on sunday and im terrified how my calfs will react once i get off the bike..... tonic water helps to keep cramp away so im drinking alot of that and a lot of water to keep muscles hydrated.

ecoli

mrak wrote: »

buck is right - the calves respond great to massage. I have a yoke at home called "the stick" that I picked up in roadrunnersports in san diego a few years ago that is also good. You might be able to get one off the interweb. It's basically like a bendy rolling-pin and lets you do it on yourself and you're supposed to use it after runs.

You can pick up the stick over here. there a cycle shop on greenhills road that you can pick it up for bout 50e great investment

rigal

Cheers ecoli - must pop out and buy one as have had similar problems myself..

mrak

ecoli wrote: »

You can pick up the stick over here. there a cycle shop on greenhills road that you can pick it up for bout 50e great investment

wow mine was $15 some difference.

ecoli

mrak wrote: »

wow mine was $15 some difference.

Might be a different one when i was in US they were cheaper but i dont think they were than much cheaper could be though typical rip off nation to over price these items still in saying that i would still buy one

Running Bing

The stick is $42.50 off the website so not a huge difference tbh.

Is there much difference between the stick and a foam roller?

ecoli

Running Bing wrote: »

The stick is $42.50 off the website so not a huge difference tbh.

Is there much difference between the stick and a foam roller?

I find the stick really gets in deeper into the muscle and i find it to be more of a benefit personally

pudgey22

Just looked at the website, it's amazing that someone can register the name "The Stick".
What about good old fashion rubbing yourself, old school!?
Will have a look about Galway for some deep tissue massage thingmebob,hopefully will keep the injury at bay for the future.

Running Bing

pudgey22 wrote: »

Just looked at the website, it's amazing that someone can register the name "The Stick".
What about good old fashion rubbing yourself, old school!?

Unfortunately you cant do that any more as its been patented. Its called "The Rub"® and it costs $19.99.




Seriously though think Ill have to pick one of those sticks up. I've been threatening it for a while now and Im sure the calf's will thank me.

pudgey22

The Rub! I'd forgotten about that, i actually have some of that at home someplace, i got it off someone in Tullamore a few years ago, dirty charcoal coloured stuff wasn't it??
Of no medicinal use whatsoever, used it on my ankles and did fek all use

BeepBeep67

I always carry Tiger Balm in my bag - I find when I racing I have a few sore spots - lower back - hams - calves, after my warm up I rub this in and for me does the trick.

mrak

I think there might be a big stick and a small one - I think I got the smaller one because it could fit in the sports bag. Not sure if that accounts for it being cheaper or just one of those constant sales that they have in the states. I used it a lot for a few months and after that it ended up gathering dust in the same press as my briquette-sized garmin, hydration camelback(!) and countless other products I got when I thought I could buy my way into being a decent runner.

dmire

An alternative to "The Stick" is "The Rolling Pin." Alot cheaper and readily available, works for me, although you may get a few strange looks if anyone sees you using it

chinguetti

Hurt my calves while doing the Cork Marathon so went for physio and had a small tear on my right calf. Got a few sessions for treatment and the last day, physio said that she would give me shoe inserts to help my calves.

Doing all the limbering up as told but wondering why i need inserts which will shorten my calves and not lenghten my calves. I think that this is a bad idea as it sounds wrong to me.

Domer

Shoe inserts possible means Orthodics. These should be used in place of the insoles that come with your shoes, so therefore will not alter the calf as such. The main benefit is in the medial arch (and possible Lateral and Transvers arches also). Depending on your gait, whether you pronate or supinate, the orthodics will help balance your gait appropriately.

ergo

sorry for the bump but found this thread in my search after I've started getting quite bad calf pain/tightness as I've increased the mileage ahead of Berlin

am trying deep tissue massage with a tennis ball - anyone used this with success?

link here
http://www.floota.com/SMR-Calves.html

Magee2

<snip>

mithril

Massaging them with a golf ball works well for me.

hot to trot

Your muscles are like strings of sausages. They are individual but have a continuous skin( fascia) that connects them. Tightness in one will have a knock on effect on the ones further up and down the line.
If you are tight in the calves - make sure that you also stretch your hamstings and gluts and a bit of a rolling of a ball in the soles of your feet also can improve the flexibility all the way up the line.