Stiff calves can result from staying in one position for too long or exercising too much. The gastrocnemius and soleus muscles are the major muscles of the calf. Stiff calves are common in athletes and can be treated with stretching, massage, and heat application. DOMS is a positive response to exercise and can be treated with blood flow stimulation. Sleeping on your stomach or wearing high-heeled shoes can also cause stiff calves.
Stiff calves tend to be a result of staying in one position for too long or putting too much strain on the tissues through exercise. Felt as stiffness, pain or soreness in and around the calf muscles in the back of the lower leg and heel, this condition results from too little or too much movement in the area. While stiff calves are a normal consequence of activity and often a sign that the muscles located there have had a lot of exercise, they can cause discomfort. Recommended treatments include stretching, massage and heat application or a topical heat massage.
The major muscles of the calf, sometimes referred to as a single muscle group known as the triceps surae, are the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. These muscles point the foot down at the ankle in a movement known as plantar flexion and are therefore very active during movements such as running, climbing and jumping. They also help strengthen upright posture by preventing the body from tipping forward when standing. Because they connect the back of the leg to the heel bone in the foot via a single large tendon at the back of the ankle called the Achilles tendon, the calf muscles do all of these things by contracting, which causes the muscle to shorten and pull. up on the heel, bending the foot down.
Stiff calves are extremely common in both recreational and athletic athletes, as many activities require the use of the calf muscles. Runners, basketball players, boxers, dancers, and anyone else who spends a lot of time on their toes can be chronically affected by stiff calves. Similarly, individuals who strength train these muscles through exercises such as seated or standing calf raises may experience pain or tightness in this area.
Called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), this condition is felt in less than a day and lasts up to three days after a strenuous workout, particularly among individuals who haven’t exercised previously or in a while. It is caused by microscopic tears in muscle fibers that occur during exercise as the muscle resists the forces acting on it, either from body weight or external resistance such as a barbell. As the body heals itself naturally, the muscles adapt and get stronger. This means that inflammation felt in the muscles is a positive, albeit often uncomfortable, response.
DOMS felt in the calves can be treated with stretching, massage, or soaking in warm water. Anything that encourages blood flow to your muscles can be beneficial. However, ibuprofen is not recommended for post-workout muscle stiffness, as tissue inflammation is a necessary part of the adaptation process.
Stiff calves can also be a result of staying in one position for too long, particularly if the muscles have recently been worked out. One example is sleeping on your stomach: When lying face down, your foot is placed in a plantar flexed or pointed position, which shortens your calf muscles. When trying to stand up first thing in the morning, which stretches your calves, you may feel stiffness and tightness in your muscles or near your Achilles tendon, making taking those first steps somewhat difficult. Calf cramps during the night can also be experienced in this sleeping position, leading to calf stiffness upon waking.
A similar cause of stiff calves is wearing high-heeled shoes. This places the muscles in a constantly shortened position and therefore can cause a feeling of tightness when you take off your shoes and stretch the muscles. The most recommended treatment for these causes of calf stiffness, other than behavioral change, is massage and stretching, which send blood flow and oxygen to the tissues and return the muscles to their resting length.
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