calf muscle issues

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jrevis001
jrevis001 Posts: 505 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So my calves have always been tight. Since early childhood I have suffered with cramps in my calves waking me up in the middle of the night. When I start to run/fast walk (I'm only doing short bursts at the moment aiming to be able to run longer) I notice my calves force me to slow down because they're so tight. They're really the only muscle on me that bothers me. Any suggestions on stretches and diet or vitamins?

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  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,138 Member
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    I also have tight calves. I use a foam roller and a hard rubber ball to trigger point. It hurts but it's the only way I can stay on top of it. This link explains abut, there's plenty online.

    http://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/what-is-a-foam-roller-how-do-i-use-it-and-why-does-it-hurt
  • Ironmaiden4life
    Ironmaiden4life Posts: 422 Member
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    oh_happy_day wrote: »
    I also have tight calves. I use a foam roller and a hard rubber ball to trigger point. It hurts but it's the only way I can stay on top of it. This link explains abut, there's plenty online.

    http://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/what-is-a-foam-roller-how-do-i-use-it-and-why-does-it-hurt

    This^^^^

    Also look up PNF ( proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation ) stretching on youtube.
  • htimpaired
    htimpaired Posts: 1,404 Member
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    All of the above. My tight calves have stopped me from running/anything high impact for the past 4 months-it's gone waaaay beyong normal wear and tear. Doctors don't know what's wrong, they're throwing around all sorts of possible diagnosis, but in the mean time I'm in pain and can hardly walk. Make stretching and strength training a part of your regular routine so that you can avoid potentially chronic issues.
  • jrevis001
    jrevis001 Posts: 505 Member
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    Awesome! Thanks! I did some stretches and used the foam roller. Ouch! But hopefully this will help.
    htimpaired wrote: »
    All of the above. My tight calves have stopped me from running/anything high impact for the past 4 months-it's gone waaaay beyong normal wear and tear. Doctors don't know what's wrong, they're throwing around all sorts of possible diagnosis, but in the mean time I'm in pain and can hardly walk. Make stretching and strength training a part of your regular routine so that you can avoid potentially chronic issues.
    I hope you find relief soon!
  • goanothermile
    goanothermile Posts: 98 Member
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    Calf muscle problems can be a real plague. Tight is a problem. However, if you strain or tear one... it becomes a bigger problem.

    Last year I spent some rather painful time with a physical terrorist... I'm mean therapist trying to recover from strained calves from running. The biggest problem was lack of flexibility. Foam rolling and yoga have helped a lot. More than a year and three half marathons later and I've had further major problems. However, they will still tighten up if I run really hard.
  • jrevis001
    jrevis001 Posts: 505 Member
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    Dang! Sounds like it's going to be a tough road conditioning into running. :s My calves were so tight and in so much pain yesterday I tried yoga and stayed away from cardio. The rest helped because they're not so bad today. It's going to be a lot of stretching!
  • toesinarow
    toesinarow Posts: 17 Member
    edited August 2015
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    I've heard potassium and magnesium supplementation can help with muscle tightness and cramping. I'd ask someone knowledgeable what are the best forms to take. :) Definitely lots of water also!

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