To all the serious runners, all the casual runners, and all the ones who want to run: Are your calves slowing you down?

Are you struggling to hit that next personal best? Do you get tight calves after running? Read on to find out if your calves are affecting your running!

Your calf muscles are composed of two parts (the gastrocnemius and the soleus) that insert together at the heel through the Achilles tendon. These muscles play a key role in providing the force required to propel your body when you walk or perform explosive exercises like jumping, skipping and, of course, running. This means that when your calves are tired, tight or sore, your ability to walk and run would be affected because, like other muscles that are struggling, they wouldn’t be able to perform at their peak!

Most people won’t think twice about calf tightness because of how common it is, especially after a high intensity exercise like running. However, the tension you build up post-run can actually accumulate into something that not only slows you and your performance down but increase the risk of lower leg injuries occurring as well.

Tight calf muscles not only lead to reduced force to propel yourself forward, but also reduced mobility in the ankle joint. This can lead to compensations in the other muscles, where they end up working harder than they should, causing overuse and ultimately further damage to structures around your ankle. These give rise to common lower leg running injuries that you may have heard of, like shin splints, Achilles tendinopathy and even compartment syndrome. Not something you want if you’re looking to keep active and reach your running goals.

You need to get to the bottom of what is causing your calf tightness!

It is important to identify if your calf tightness is an issue, not only to avoid further complications but for improvements as well. An experienced physiotherapist can help you assess this essential muscle and determine the most appropriate stretches and exercises for you. The earlier you address your calf tightness, the sooner you can improve the movement and strength in your calves and the better you can run and progress your fitness goals.

Start releasing and strengthening your calves today!

Time to finally hit that personal best! Click below to see the top three things you can do for your calves to start improving your running today!