Tightness in the interior calf muscle

slieber
slieber Posts: 765 Member
edited September 19 in Fitness and Exercise
Anyone out there know what I can do to loosen this up? I dance - ballet - about 8-10 hours a week, and workout at the gym at least 5-6 hours a week (cross-training stuff).

It's not involving the ankle. It would be kinda like the posterior tibialis, I think. It's not particularly painful but very tight and very annoying and I'm afraid it will get worse. I can't seem to find a stretch that will stretch this part of the calf. Massage doesn't seem to do much. I have a calf/foot-massager machine.

Thanks to anyone who's able to help.

Replies

  • slieber
    slieber Posts: 765 Member
    Anyone out there know what I can do to loosen this up? I dance - ballet - about 8-10 hours a week, and workout at the gym at least 5-6 hours a week (cross-training stuff).

    It's not involving the ankle. It would be kinda like the posterior tibialis, I think. It's not particularly painful but very tight and very annoying and I'm afraid it will get worse. I can't seem to find a stretch that will stretch this part of the calf. Massage doesn't seem to do much. I have a calf/foot-massager machine.

    Thanks to anyone who's able to help.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    Hmmm....it is hard to get that deep even with a massage. Maybe some heat, rest, massage, and stretching. There's not much you can do besides flexing your foot to stretch that.
  • laughingdani
    laughingdani Posts: 2,275 Member
    You might want to try to get more potassium on very active days; because it sometimes causes muscle cramps or tightness in the muscle and having extra potassium at those times alleviates or prevents that.. You can take potassium tablets or eat foods rich in potassium. A group of people and I just had a discussion about the same thing tonight at church. :smile:
  • msmonarae
    msmonarae Posts: 30
    You should try this all natural sports drink Zico coconut water. It has more potassium than a banana and taste pretty good and only 60 cal. It has no additives and is good for you. I like the Mango flavor. Hear is the website.:wink:

    http://www.zico.com/
  • sweetiemylove
    sweetiemylove Posts: 1
    Be very careful with potassuim tablets and taking extra. High levels of potassuim "may" be a contributing factor to heart attacks. consult a doctor before taking too much potassuim
  • Coach2010
    Coach2010 Posts: 209
    One Soccer stretch would be to get into a standard push up position, and place one foot behind the other, and while focusing on the one foot remaining on the ground, gently push back the heal (slowly) backward as far as you can. i like that stretch a lot. I also push forward, then push my heal back again a little bit farther.

    I stretch that out during a game, on the sidelines, or when I'm in the gym (or jogging) and I feel the tension starting to build.

    I looked up your area of contention, and found this link that I liked in regards to explaining the pain, and suggested exercises to address it.

    http://www.easyvigour.net.nz/casestudy/h_posttibialtendonitis.htm

    Hope this helps. Cheers! :drinker:
  • Coach2010
    Coach2010 Posts: 209
    One Soccer stretch would be to get into a standard push up position, and place one foot behind the other, and while focusing on the one foot remaining on the ground, gently push back the heal (slowly) backward as far as you can. i like that stretch a lot. I also push forward, then push my heal back again a little bit farther.

    I stretch that out during a game, on the sidelines, or when I'm in the gym (or jogging) and I feel the tension starting to build.

    I looked up your area of contention, and found this link that I liked in regards to explaining the pain, and suggested exercises to address it.

    http://www.easyvigour.net.nz/casestudy/h_posttibialtendonitis.htm

    Hope this helps. Cheers! :drinker:
  • slieber
    slieber Posts: 765 Member
    CoachLou, THANK YOU! That's precisely what I was looking for. Now that I know what to massage (do the trigger point), I can do that.

    I have equipment at home such as a home ultrasound machine and a TENS unit, along with a calf massager machine. I'll focus on the trigger point mentioned in that article you gave me, and using the TENS unit in that spot.

    I also have a "pro-stretch" that will do similar stretches to your push-up one, although I'll give yours a try on the chance that it stretches out that part a bit more efficiently than the pro-stretch.

    Yes, there are alignment problems, too, which I have orthotics for, but also have supplemental arch supports that I'm going to start wearing again. All this equipment was due to having had a broken ankle that took about 2 years to fully come back from.

    Bless you for this info! I think I can cope with it now. :happy:
  • Coach2010
    Coach2010 Posts: 209
    Enjoy! Cheers! :drinker:
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