Running Injury Prevention How to Treat Tight Calf Muscles After Running By Christine Luff, ACE-CPT Christine Luff, ACE-CPT LinkedIn Twitter Christine Many Luff is a personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach. Learn about our editorial process Updated on August 15, 2019 Medically reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and nutrition and exercise healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Michael Lau, PT, DPT, CSCS Medically reviewed by Michael Lau, PT, DPT, CSCS Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Michael Lau, PT, DPT, CSCS, is a licensed physical therapist, strength and conditioning coach, and co-founder of The Prehab Guys. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Verywell / Ryan Kelly Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Causes and Symptoms Treatment Prevention Tight calf muscles are a common problem for runners. They can occur naturally as your body responds to the stress placed on the muscles (known as the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles) while running. The most common symptoms of tight calf muscles are pain, spasms, or a "pulling" sensation when you point or flex the foot. 1:10 Watch Now: How to Avoid Cramps and Treat Tight Calves You can decrease your risk of injury by prepping the calves in advance of a run with a series of simple stretches. Regular stretching at the gym can also help keep the muscles supple and prevent the excessive contraction of tissues between runs. Causes and Symptoms Running is a high-impact activity that places repetitive stress on the calf muscles. Calf tightness can vary from one person to the next. Most people will experience tightness before a run which eases as they begin to hit their stride. Other runners will experience tightness while running. For this group, the problem often stems from biomechanical problems in which the foot strikes the ground unevenly and places excessive stress on the calf muscles. Tight calf muscles may lead to overpronation in which the heel rolls inward as you take a step. A poor shoe fit and/or an improperly supported foot arch can also do the same. The problem can be further exacerbated by dehydration. The rapid loss of salt through sweat can trigger muscle cramps in the lower extremities, most especially the feet and calves. Proper hydration before, during, and after a run can help prevent this. Treatment While the treatment of tight calf muscles can vary by the underlying cause, stretching tends to improve most symptoms if performed correctly. To do so safely: Never rush a stretch. Stretch slowly and hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.Do not stretch through pain. If you feel pain during any part of a stretch, ease back and maintain gentle pressure until the muscle relaxes on its own. If the pain persists, stop.Always stretch both sides. This ensures your gait is balanced.Never bounce when stretching. Doing so will increase your risk of a strain or rupture. Stretching Exercises for Soleus and Calf Muscles If you experience a charley horse, self-massage and gentle stretching can usually help ease the spasms. Try taking a lunge position with your good leg forward and your cramped leg extended back. You can also stand on your tiptoes for a few seconds to gently alleviate the cramp. In the pain is severe, an ice pack can provide relief, followed by an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug like Advil (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naproxen). A sports drink may also help by quickly restoring fluids and electrolytes if you are dehydrated. If the calf tightness is chronic and causing impairment, consider seeing a physical therapist or sports massage therapist. Several courses of deep tissue massage can often help alongside warm-water hydrotherapy. Some therapists may recommend a plantar fasciitis night splint to prevent the muscle from seizing up when you sleep. We've tried, tested, and reviewed the best plantar fasciitis and heel spur relief products. If you're in need of a relief product, explore which option may be best for you. Prevention Tight calf muscles are more often the result of inadequate stretching complicated by an underlying foot or gait abnormality. To this end, there are several things you can do to prevent them from occurring: Try to never run cold. Always stretch before a run and cool down when you finish. This is especially true in cold weather. Watch those hills. It is easy to overdo it on a hill run when you are bounding on your toes and hyperextending your calves. Either slow down or take breaks when navigating a steep incline. Avoid repetition. If your calves had a hectic workout one day, don't follow up with the same routine the next. Repeated stress is more likely to trigger a charley horse or injury. Keep hydrated during a run. If running on a hot day, rehydrate regularly with an electrolyte-rich sports drink. Make stretching a part of your gym routine. Even simple toe and heel raises can keep the calve muscles from seizing up between runs. Yoga is also beneficial to runners who are experiencing tightness. Get the right shoes: If you are an avid runner, invest in a properly fitted pair of shoes from a specialist running store. If you have high arches or flat feet, speak with a podiatrist about custom orthotics or insoles. How to Do the Calf Stretch for Your Achilles Tendon 8 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Bryan dixon J. Gastrocnemius vs. Soleus Strain: How to Differentiate and Deal With Calf Muscle Injuries. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2009;2(2):74-7. doi:10.1007/s12178-009-9045-8 Malisoux L, Chambon N, Delattre N, Gueguen N, Urhausen A, Theisen D. Injury Risk in Runners Using Standard or Motion Control Shoes: A Randomised Controlled Trial With Participant and Assessor Blinding. Br J Sports Med. 2016;50(8):481-7. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2015-095031 Miller KC, Stone MS, Huxel KC, Edwards JE. Exercise-Associated Muscle Cramps: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention. Sports Health. 2010;2(4):279-83. doi:10.1177/1941738109357299 Page P. Current Concepts in Muscle Stretching for Exercise and Rehabilitation. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2012;7(1):109-19. Blyton F, Chuter V, Walter KE, Burns J. Non-Drug Therapies for Lower Limb Muscle Cramps. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;1:CD008496. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008496.pub2 Baoge L, Van den steen E, Rimbaut S, et al. Treatment of Skeletal Muscle Injury: A Review. ISRN Orthop. 2012;2012:689012. doi:10.5402/2012/689012 Castro-sánchez AM, Matarán-peñarrocha GA, Lara-palomo I, Saavedra-hernández M, Arroyo-morales M, Moreno-lorenzo C. Hydrotherapy for the Treatment of Pain in People With Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:473963. doi:10.1155/2012/473963 Monteagudo M, De albornoz PM, Gutierrez B, Tabuenca J, Álvarez I. Plantar Fasciopathy: A Current Concepts Review. EFORT Open Rev. 2018;3(8):485-493. doi:10.1302/2058-5241.3.170080 Additional Reading Hotta, K, et al. Daily Muscle Stretching Enhances Blood Flow, Endothelial Function, Capillarity, Vascular Volume, and Connectivity in Aged Skeletal Muscle. J Physiol. 2018; 596(10): 1903-1917. doi: 10.1113/JP275459. Macklin, K.; Healy, A.; and Chockalingam, N. The Effect of Calf Muscle Stretching Exercises on Ankle Joint Dorsiflexion and Dynamic Foot Pressures, Force, and Related Temporal Parameters.The Foot. 2012;22(1):10-17. doi: 10.1016/j.foot.2011.09.001. By Christine Luff, ACE-CPT Christine Many Luff is a personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit