Gastrocnemius Stretch (7 Simple Ways)

Do you have tight calf muscles?

This blog post will go through the 7 best ways to perform a Gastrocnemius Stretch.

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Gastrocnemius Release

To get the most out of the following exercises, perform this release technique before you start any of the Gastrocnemius stretches.

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a) How to Release the Gastrocnemius

Instructions:

• Firstly: Go for a 5-10 minute walk to warm up the muscle.
• Sit on the floor.
• Place the back of your calf on top of a foam roller.
• Place the other leg on top.
• Keep the leg at the bottom completely relaxed.
• Apply pressure to the foam roller by pressing the top leg downwards.
• Rotate your leg left/right to search for tight areas.
• Make sure to cover the entire calf muscle.
• Continue for 1-2 minutes.

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How to stretch the Gastrocnemius

It is vital that you specifically position your leg so that you can FEEL the stretch in the calf muscle!

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You can target different parts of the Gastrocnemius:

• Lateral (Outer) head: Point feet inwards.
• Medial (Inner) head: Point feet outwards.

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1. Seated Towel Stretch

Instructions:

• Sit down on the floor or chair.
• Loop a towel around the forefoot.
• Keep your knee completely straight by pushing the knee down.
• Pull the towel with your hands.
• Aim to feel a stretch in the back of the calf.
• Hold for 30 seconds.

2. Standing Lunge

Instructions:

• Assume a deep lunge position with your hands on the wall.
• (The leg at the back will be the side that will be stretched.)
• Keep the back leg completely straight.
• Lunge forwards.
• Do not allow the heel on the back leg to lift off the floor.
• Hold for 30 seconds.

3. Gastrocnemius Stretch Against Wall

Instructions:

• Stand in front of a wall.
• Place your forefoot onto the wall.
• Aim to get your heel as close to the base of the wall as possible.
• Keep your knee completely straight.
• Lean your hips towards the wall.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• Alternative: Use a wedge underneath the foot instead of the wall.

4. Assisted Calf Stretch in Supine

Instructions:

• Lie down on the floor.
• Instruct a helper to:
  • Push your knee down to lock it in a straightened position.
  • Push your ankle backwards.
• Hold for 30 seconds.

5. Gastrocnemius Stretch on step

Instructions:

• Stand on a flight of stairs. (Facing up stairs)
• Place the leg that you are going to stretch on a lower step.
• Make sure that the balls of your foot on the back leg is on the edge of a step.
• (You can use your hands for balance.)
• Keep the knee of the back leg completely straight throughout this stretch.
• Slowly lower your heel down.
• Aim to feel a stretch in the back of the calf.
• Hold for 30 seconds.

6. Downward Dog

Instructions:

• Place your hands and feet onto the ground.
• Keep one leg straight and other slightly bent.
• (The leg that is straight is the side that will be stretched.)
• Drive the heel of the straightened leg into the ground.
• Hold for 30 seconds.

7. Dynamic Stretch (Eccentric)

Instructions:

• Hold onto an appropriate amount of weight in one hand.
• Stand on the edge of a step.
• (You can use your other hand for balance.)
• Keep your knees completely straight throughout this exercise.
• Slowly lower your heel as low as possible.
• Aim to feel a stretch in the back of the calf.
• Perform 10 repetitions.

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Common Questions:

a) What causes Gastrocnemius tightness?

• Using high heels
• Duck Foot Posture
• Achilles tendon issues
• Toe walking
• Overuse of calf muscles
• Ankle Sprain

b) How do you know if the Gastrocnemius is tight?

Instructions:

• Lie down on the floor.
• Loop a towel around your forefoot.
• Keep your leg completely straight.
• Pull your foot backwards. (Ankle Dorsiflexion)

Results: If your ankle does not have at least ~10 degrees of ankle dorsiflexion, then it is likely that you have a tight Gastrocnemius muscle.

(Note: There are other reasons why you might have limited mobility: Check out this post to increase your Ankle Dorsiflexion. )

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Conclusions:

• A tight Gastrocnemius muscle can result in limited mobility in the ankle which can lead to multiple issues in the body.
• Try out all of the Gastrocnemius stretches as recommended on this blog post.
• Choose and persist with the one where you can feel the most effective stretch.

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Disclaimer: The content presented on this blog post is not medical advice and should not be treated as such. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Use of the content provided on this blog post is at your sole risk. For more information: Medical disclaimer.