Calf muscle strains can be painful and take time to heal. To prevent them, it’s important to condition and stretch calf muscles regularly, as weak and tight muscles are more prone to injury. Calf stretches and exercises can be done at home or in the gym.
A calf muscle strain can be a debilitating injury, especially when participating in athletic activities. While the injury itself is generally considered minor, it can still be painful and take quite a while to heal properly. You will need to spend a lot of time off your feet to allow the muscle to heal, which can impair both athletic and daily activities. To avoid calf muscle strain, you must ensure that you condition your calf muscles properly before participating in any sporting event. A regular stretching and exercise routine is the best way to prevent a calf muscle strain.
The weaker muscles become more likely to tire quickly. When muscles get tired, they tend to tense up. This means that the calf muscle is more likely to strain during physical activity. Calf muscle strain occurs when the calf muscles are stretched beyond their capacity, and the small fibers that make up the muscles begin to tear. Therefore, tight calf muscles are much more likely to strain and tear, which means weak muscles that tire easily are more likely to strain and tear. Calf exercises and stretches can help strengthen the muscles and prevent strains.
An exercise routine that prevents calf muscle strain will include a lot of calf stretching. Your local gym or fitness center will have machines specifically designed for calf stretches, but calf stretches can also be done quickly and easily at home or in the office. All you need is a raised surface, such as a step. Stand on the edge of the step and let your heels dangle. This will stretch your calves, but be sure to hang from a handrail for balance. One wall can also be used for calf stretches; just press your toes against the wall and lean forward.
Calf exercises can help prevent calf muscle strain. These can be done again in the gym using specific equipment designed to work the calf muscles, but other exercises can be done on the step you used for the stretches. As you dangle your heels off the edge of the step, instead of just dangling your heels, use your calf muscles to pull your heels up so that your entire body weight is on the balls of your feet. Hold the position, then return to the starting position. Do this several times to strengthen your calf muscles.
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