Calf stretches before physical activity can help prevent injury to the calf muscles and Achilles tendon. Different stretches target different parts of the calf muscle, and it’s important to hold each stretch for about 10 seconds and keep the extended leg straight.
The calf muscle is located at the back of the leg, between the knee and the ankle. Their primary responsibility is to cushion your ankles and feet when they hit the ground while walking or running. Performing calf stretches before running or other exercises can help ensure that the muscle can absorb additional shock and prevent injury to the muscle, as well as to the ankles and feet.
The Achilles tendon is a tough, fibrous band that attaches the calf muscles to the heel. If the tendon is torn or injured, it can cause extreme pain and make walking difficult. One of the most common types of calf stretches is done to prevent Achilles tendon injury before physical activity. In this exercise, a person sits on the floor with one leg extended and one leg bent toward themselves. He or she grasps the foot of the extended leg and pulls it slightly toward the body to flex and stretch the calf muscle near the Achilles tendon.
Calf stretches also target the inner calf muscle. To exercise the inner calf, a person typically sits on the floor with one leg bent and one leg extended, similar to stretching the Achilles tendon. The heel of the bent leg is held flat on the floor, while the subject pulls the bent leg in as far as possible until a distinct stretch is felt in the inner calf muscle.
To fully ensure the preparation of the calf muscles before physical activity, a person can also stretch the outer calf muscles. Calf stretches that target the outer calf muscles typically involve a person sitting on the floor and extending both legs straight in front of him or her. A jump rope or elastic exercise band can be wrapped around the outside of your feet so that when the rope or band is pulled, it gently stretches your outer calf muscles. If a person is flexible, he or she can forego the assistance of a rope or band and simply lean down to the ground and gently pull their feet in.
Calf stretches must be performed correctly to be as effective as possible in preventing injury. A person will generally need to hold each calf muscle stretch position for about 10 seconds to fully stretch the muscle. Any extended leg must be held completely straight during the stretching process or it will remove the pressure needed to fully feel a true stretching movement in the calf muscles.
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