24/07/2025
Burlington Running Club
Burlington Hops & Rocks Festival
Are your calf muscles tight with running?
The calf is composed of two muscles: 1. gastrocnemius and 2. soleus. The two muscles turn into the achilles tendon as it inserts into the back of the heel (calcaneus).
Tight calf muscles can result from a variety of factors including
: Overuse during physical activities such as running, jumping, or high-intensity workouts, especially without proper warm-up or stretching.
: Weakness and/or reduced capacity of the calf muscles to tolerate activity (loading).
: A sedentary lifestyle (lack of loading), prolonged sitting or standing
: Poor footwear can also contribute by limiting mobility and altering gait.
: Dehydration or imbalances in electrolytes like potassium and magnesium may lead to cramping and muscle tension which highlights the importance of adequate hydration.
: Poor circulation due to vascular compromise can contribute to calf tightness.
Identifying the underlying cause is key to effective treatment and prevention.
Let's assume calf muscle tightness is due to overuse but not necessarily due to weakness or reduced capacity. In this situation, you are strong and have been training, but the calf muscles are just tight due to a prolonged run. Stretching the calf muscles would be the most appropriate course of action. Applying heat and/or massage can be helpful as well.
Since the calf is composed of two muscles, there are two main stretches that can be performed. 1. Wall stretch with knee straight and 2. Wall stretch with knee bent. Each stretch can be performed for 30 seconds, 3-5x each.
*If you are having tightness and/or pain closer to the achilles tendon vs. the actual calf muscle, then stretching is probably not indicated. We will discuss more on achilles tendinopathy next post.
Photo credit: Cleveland Clinic
