Calf Pain

Your calves are used in nearly every activity you do; walking, running, jumping, hopping and even standing on your tippy toes to reach for something high. And for females wearing high heel shoes. This is why it is not so surprising that many people suffer from calf and lower leg discomfort or pain.

There are 2 main muscles that compose the calf: Gastrocnemius and Soleus. Together these 2 muscles work to contract and relax in order to create movement. Not only are these muscles related to your lower leg, but as you will see below, they also attach to the Achillies tendon which runs into the back of the foot and ankle.

Muscles composing the lower leg

Most of us may have experienced a calf cramp at some stage in our life, and no matter to what degree the pain, it's a crippling experience.  It can be caused by a lot of things like dehydration, fatigue, lack of magnesium or temperature. Also not having enough salt intake in your diet may cause muscles to cramp. And no doubt you will continue to feel the after effects of this unless you receive the the correct advice.

Sometimes a simple stretch may help to ease some of the pain and even stop a cramp from happening, however if the muscle is in need of relief consult your myotherapist.

Below is a video that demonstrates some stretches you can use to help calf pain.

In some cases, tight calves and calf pain can be the cause of your shin pain. This will be explained in our next blog. So stay tuned!