Loosen Up Your Tight, Painful Calves With These 6 Simple, Expert-Approved Stretches

Updated on 4/14/2019 at 12:30 PM

Sore calf muscles tend to crop up after hard runs, intense cardio sessions, or tough lower-body workouts, and are particularly annoying because of how long they can hang around. "It's hard to rest your calf," explained Michael Fredericson, MD, professor and director of physical medicine and sports medicine at Stanford University. "You're always walking on it." That lingering pain is a frustrating inconvenience, but it can also turn into something more serious if you don't give it some extra attention. POPSUGAR asked two experts for their treatment tips to get you back on your feet and pain-free as soon as possible.

Foam Rolling

When it comes to your calf muscles, "I find it's helpful to foam roll prior to stretching," said Steven Mayer, MD, sports medicine specialist at the Northwestern Medicine Running Clinic. The foam roller loosens up the muscles and tendons, he explained, so that you can get an even deeper stretch afterwards. If your calf muscles are feeling sore, he recommended foam rolling your entire calf and Achilles tendon, which runs down the back of your calf towards your heel. If you don't have a foam roller, you can also use a lacrosse ball, which can be especially effective for treating shin splints.

Dynamic and Static Stretching

According to Dr. Fredericson, dynamic stretching is the most effective way to loosen up tight, sore calf muscles. Dynamic stretching, which is active stretching that incorporates movement, warms up your muscles as it loosens them, allowing you to stretch more effectively. Dr. Fredericson recommended walking on your heels, skipping, and doing high knees to loosen up your calf muscles.

Once you've warmed up with dynamic movements, your static stretching will feel even better. Dr. Mayer advised standing on a curb, ledge, or step with one heel hanging off to stretch the back of your calf. Make sure to hold this position for 30-45 seconds. Then, bend your leg at the knee and hold again to feel a stretch in your Achilles tendon. "That will get the different muscles in the calf, instead of just isolating one specific muscle," Dr. Mayer explained.

Other Sore Calf Treatments

Looking for more calf relief? There are a few other tricks you can try.

Heel lifts: Dr. Fredericson recommended putting small heel lifts in both shoes, which can redistribute your weight and take the strain off your calf muscles when you walk or stand.
Ice: If your calves are sore 24-48 hours after a workout, Dr. Fredericson said that ice can help bring down any inflammation.
Heat: If you're dealing with soreness a few days post-workout, ice will only tighten up your muscles more. Try using a heating pad instead, which will loosen and relax them.
Ibuprofen: An anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen "can be helpful," Dr. Fredericson, although he recommended stretching as a more effective option.

If you're still dealing with calf soreness after several days of careful stretching, consider seeing a doctor; Dr. Mayer pointed out that hip and back injuries can contribute to calf soreness as well. "Sometimes you want to do a more holistic evaluation," he said.

Read on to see exactly how each stretch is done. And to loosen up your legs even more, try these eight muscle-lengthening stretches.

Foam Rolling: Calf

Sit on the floor with your left ankle crossed over your right, and place the roller or ball under your right calf.
Lift your pelvis off the ground so your weight is supported by your hands and the roller.
Roll the length of your calf, from the back of your knee to the Achilles tendon. Do roll the inside and the outside of the muscle as well.
Repeat for 30 to 60 seconds, then switch legs.

Foam Rolling: Shin

Starting on all fours, place the roller directly beneath your shins.
Keeping your hands grounded, roll your knees toward your hands, stopping the roller right above the ankles. A slight twist will allow you to reach the entire muscle.
Roll for 30-60 seconds.

Dynamic Stretch: High-Knee Skips

Skip in place by hopping on your right leg while bringing the left knee up toward your chest. Engage your abs as the knee comes toward your chest.
Switch legs, and keep skipping while pumping your arms.
Skip for 30 seconds.

To modify, don't bring your knee up as high.

Dynamic Stretch: High Knees

Run in place while lifting your knees to the level of your waist. Engage your abs as the knee comes up.
Pump your arms to warm up your upper body.

Dynamic Stretch: Heel Walks

Standing with your feet shoulder-distance apart, lift your toes as high off the ground as possible so that only your heels are touching.
Walk toward your left for 20 yards, keeping your heels on the ground while flexing the toes toward the sky.
Repeat the same motion back toward your right, resting at your starting point. Repeat three times.

Static Stretch: Curb or Wall Stretch

For a deeper stretch, use a curb, stair, or ledge. If you have weak Achilles tendons, use a wall instead of a ledge, as shown in the picture.

Find a wall and stand a few inches away. With one foot, put your toes on the wall, keeping your heel on the floor, and flex.
Hold for about 30 to 45 seconds, then alternate with your other foot.
You can also do this stretch using a curb or step and hanging your heels off the ledge.

Repeat with a bent knee.