Tight calf muscles!

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SkinnyLight777
SkinnyLight777 Posts: 36 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys, what is the best relief for tight calf muscles? Also, does anyone no if the Arc Trainer, can cause tight calves, or does it stretch them some. As when I work out on it seems to give a good calf stretch. Yet my calf muscles are still tight. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! :)
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  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
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    Yup, your calf muscles are "tight" because you worked them. You worked out, got a good calf pump, and now you're feeling the results of that. Just stretch lightly and let time pass. If it's not painful in that "holy *kitten*, something is wrong" kind of way, you'll be fine.
  • SkinnyLight777
    SkinnyLight777 Posts: 36 Member
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    @BecomingBane thanks for your input. I have been gentle stretching. Yet seems always tight, not painful.
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
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    Again, that's call a "pump". When you exercise a muscle blood and fluid rush into the muscle causing it to expand.

    "The greatest feeling you can get in a gym, or the most satisfying feeling you can get in the gym is... The Pump. Let's say you train your biceps. Blood is rushing into your muscles and that's what we call The Pump. You muscles get a really tight feeling, like your skin is going to explode any minute, and it's really tight - it's like somebody blowing air into it, into your muscle. It just blows up, and it feels really different. It feels fantastic." -Arnold

    Odds are this is what you are experiencing, and not something more sinister. It will pass, usually lasts about an hour to a few hours depending on your level of hydration and rate of blood flow.
  • SkinnyLight777
    SkinnyLight777 Posts: 36 Member
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    @BecomingBane thank you! Yeah, its off and on all week. Or all month I should say. I guess that's what happening. Does it go away as you get stronger?
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
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    Not really. Soreness will go away as you continue to do the same activity, but "getting a pump" will pretty much always happen to some extent if you work the muscle tissue sufficiently. But, that isn't to say, that if your level of effort stays the same, you will continue to stress the muscle in the same way. As you gain strength and endurance, it will take more and more effort to stress the tissue in the same fashion, so you'd have to work harder to achieve the same level of "pump"
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    If it feels tight, and it's bothering you, then stretch them often.. like every hour or two. Here is how
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkgkmbXz8Mo

    Tight calves are pretty common nowadays partly because most shoes have a raised heel, which activates the calves more. Wearing "zero heel" shoes is the alternative.
  • SkinnyLight777
    SkinnyLight777 Posts: 36 Member
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    @BecomingBane Thanks again for the great information! @cherimoose thanks for the link! Will check it out!
  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
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    Roll them with a tennis or lacrosse ball.

    http://www.floota.com/SMR-Calves.html
  • FeelStrongBeStrong
    FeelStrongBeStrong Posts: 6 Member
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    A while back I had tight calf muscles causing knee discomfort. I used a piece of dowel and oil and rubbed / rolled them. Hurt like hell, but did the job.
  • Abakan
    Abakan Posts: 361 Member
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    Get yourself a foam roller, and look up how to use it on you tube. They really work at relieving muscle tightness. It will hurt to use it at first but use it after every work out and you'll really notice the difference it makes.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
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    You need to take magnesium.
  • SkinnyLight777
    SkinnyLight777 Posts: 36 Member
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    Thanks guys for you input!
  • ekat120
    ekat120 Posts: 407 Member
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    I was also going to say lacrosse ball! Love that thing.
  • ltworide
    ltworide Posts: 342 Member
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    Yep I love using the lacrosse ball to break up the tissue; the ball is also great to use on your chest, lats, shoulders and glutes. Put the ball into a sock or cut off/knee length nylon, pin the ball between your back/shoulders and a wall & roll out. The ball stays in place & easy to move around,

    I had a minor calf year earlier this year and did active stretching used the barbell to roll the calf on. It hurt like the devil rolling the injured tissue but I loved the results.
  • vfit10
    vfit10 Posts: 228 Member
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    Static stretch - foam roller
  • runshellersrun123
    runshellersrun123 Posts: 21 Member
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    Abakan wrote: »
    Get yourself a foam roller, and look up how to use it on you tube. They really work at relieving muscle tightness. It will hurt to use it at first but use it after every work out and you'll really notice the difference it makes.

    This is what I use. I absolutely have to use it nightly, or I start having plantar fascia pain from all the calf tightness. You have to roll it pretty hard on the sore spots/knots.
  • lee41major
    lee41major Posts: 18 Member
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    Make sure getting enough iron in your diet. It's main function is to get oxygen into the blood stream. I started getting calf cramping at night and since upping the iron intake, no more cramps. It worked instantly So if you're deficienct in iron it could greatly help you out.
  • SkinnyLight777
    SkinnyLight777 Posts: 36 Member
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    Thank you everyone for all your help! Will check on the iron. Tried foam rolling at the gym and feeling much better!
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    My calves started hurting after I started working as a sales clerk in a store for a while. Standing 5 hours at a time was difficult. I went to my orthopedist who sent me to a physical therapist. I spent about two months stretching my calves and achilles tendon and strengthening both. It made a big difference.
  • thebrock7
    thebrock7 Posts: 24 Member
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    Cherimoose wrote: »
    If it feels tight, and it's bothering you, then stretch them often.. like every hour or two. Here is how
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkgkmbXz8Mo

    Tight calves are pretty common nowadays partly because most shoes have a raised heel, which activates the calves more. Wearing "zero heel" shoes is the alternative.

    I have only recently heard about this trend towards zero heel shoes, minimalist running shoes etc. Do people have opinions on this as a solution? I have had calf soreness/tightness in my right calf for months and months now and wonder if this could provide some relief.

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