It can also help to stretch out the calves before going to sleep to avoid any possible tightness when waking up. Knowing how to release tight calves when you wake up can be extremely beneficial in relieving muscle tension. It can also result from prolonged periods of sitting, a long day of walking, or a strenuous day of activity. The calves can feel tight when waking up because the muscles in the foot and leg end up tightening overnight. So, why are my calves so tight when I wake up? Why Are My Calves So Tight When I Wake Up? Stretching should be incorporated pre- and post-workout. Not cooling down post-exercise can cause tightness, too. If your body is unaccustomed to running or hiking, or if you’ve recently increased intensity, this can cause the muscles in the calves to tighten and become sore.Īre you properly warming up before exercising? Running cold without performing dynamic stretches can cause calves to become tense. However, hiking can tax the calves when trekking long distances and steep inclines and declines.īoth of these forms of activity engage the calves, which can result in tightness or tension. Running itself is a high-impact form of exercise. So, why are my calves so tight when I run? To find out more, keep reading! Why Are My Calves So Tight When I Run or Hike? These are only a few of the factors that can cause tight calves. Tight calves can result from poor ankle mobility, over-exercising, or a lack of hip mobility. Why Are My Calves So Tight? Examining Some of the Most Common Causes of Tight Calves We also discuss how best to reduce tension in the calves to prevent any repercussions of tight calves, like Achilles tendonitis. In this article, we dive into why your calves may be tight. Once you do that, you can begin focusing on relieving tension in the calves with methods such as assisted stretching. To be able to address tight calves, you must first pinpoint the cause. It is very successful and associated with a high patient satisfaction rate.What are the causes of tight calves? There are more than a few reasons why the calves can become uncomfortable and tight, affecting everyday movements like walking and standing. This operation can be done as a day case and will not need any immobilisation but just a few days of rest. Only those few patients that do not improve over time may benefit from surgery which means a portion of the “aponeurosis” of the tight calf muscle is released. In addition, footwear adjustments will help further. The associated forefoot problem (but also the plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinopathy) should improve with time. When there is less dorsiflexion, a dedicated stretching program should be initiated. With the knee extended, the foot should dorsiflex 10 degrees and with the knee bent dorsiflexion should improve at least another 10 degrees. Assessment is made by gentle passive dorsiflexion of the ankle joint with the knee bent and extended (Silverskjold test). In order to prevent these problems, knowledge on how to test and how to treat is crucial. Pain in the big toe joint, hallux valgus and hallux rigidus, hammer toe deformities, rupture of the plantar plate, stress fractures and in diabetics, forefoot ulcers can also be the result of the tight calf muscle. The tightness of the gastrocnemius muscle may lead to an overload of the forefoot and can cause capsulitis (inflammation of the MTP joints) which is often referred to as metatarsalgia. It is generally recognised that a tight calf muscle (which in most cases is a tight gastrocnemius) may contribute to Achilles tendinopathies and plantar fasciitis but it is less well known that the calf tightness can be linked to forefoot pathologies. This means, the patient has no problems putting pressure through the foot and pressing it downwards but does not have enough movement “upwards” which can lead to many problems. Most often a genetic predisposition is responsible for the reduced so called “dorsiflexion” of the ankle/foot. High heeled shoes and prolonged periods of sitting at a desk reduce the flexibility of the gastrocnemius muscle. In particular, the gastrocnemius muscle, which spans over three joints (the knee, the ankle and the subtalar joint) plays an important role and can be linked to many foot and ankle pathologies. On the other hand, pathologies “higher up” in the body can contribute to foot and ankle problems. Inappropriate footwear, sedentary working life or excessive impact activities are just a few of them. The more common ones can be linked to modern lifestyle. There are many reasons why the forefoot can become painful. Minimally Invasive Stiff Big Toe Surgeryįoot Pain and the Role of the Tight Calf Muscle.Minimally Invasive Foot and Ankle Surgery.HCA Chiswick Outpatient & Diagnostic Centre.
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