HANDS AGAINST WALL CALF STRETCH

Tight calf muscles can lead to pain in your feet, heels (plantar fasciitis), Achilles tendons, shins (shin splints), knees, hips, and back. Tightness commonly results from sitting too long with your knees bent and your feet held in a relaxed forward position (plantar flexion), which shortens your calf muscles. Since almost everyone is guilty of sitting too much, most of us have tight and inflexible calf muscles meaning that they are not in an optimal condition for them to play their role in the normal biomechanics of walking and running. As a result, the muscles and joints above and below your calf muscles are forced to compensate, which leads to the aches and pains mentioned above.

This calf stretch uses a wall for support to help you stretch your calf muscles.

Skill Level: Beginner

Training: Static Stretching

Type: Isolation

Force: Pull

Equipment: A wall

1° Muscles: Calf Muscles (Gastrocnemius, Soleus)

SET-UP

Facing a wall, standing several feet away.
Place your palms against the wall shoulder-width apart.
Stagger your stance by placing your left foot forward.

EXECUTION

Lean forward whilst keeping both heels on the ground by bending your arms at the elbow until a mild stretch is felt in the right calf.
Hold for the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
Swap legs to stretch your left calf.
Repeat 2-5 times.

Whilst ideally your heels should remain firmly planted on the ground if you are unable to do this, raise the heel of the leg that is being stretched very slightly to allow you to stretch your calf muscle.
Keep your heel, hip, and head straight.