Calf Pain Exercises

Myofascial self-massage for calf pain

Do you have hardened muscles or fascia in your calves? Then massaging your calves can help relieve the tension. If you want to work on the area holistically, you should also roll out the sole of your foot.

Massaging the calves: loosens up calf muscles

Sit with your legs extended and place your calf on the BLACKROLL® so that it is in the middle of your lower leg. Now push and pull with your opposite leg and back and forth with your arms on the fascia roll so that it rolls along the muscles on the back of your calf.

Time: one minute

Sets: two to three

Tip: for more pressure when massaging your calves, you can also use the BLACKROLL® MINI. To do this, place a BLACKROLL® BLOCK so that your heel is free in the air and you can roll back and forth easily.

 

Self-massaging the soles of your feet: loosens up hardened calves

Stand in a relaxed position or sit on a chair. Place a BLACKROLL® MINI under the sole of your foot. Apply as much pressure as you can tolerate and slowly move your foot back and forth on the roll. If a spot is particularly painful, remain there for some time with constant pressure or the slightest roll.

Time: one to two minutes per side

Sets: two to three

Tip: instead of using the BLACKROLL® MINI, you can also use the BLACKROLL® BALL 08. This creates a higher point pressure to loosen up your hardened calves.

 

Mobilization and stretching exercises for calf pain

Once the tension is released, round off the relaxation process with targeted stretching exercises. You should continue to stretch with the myofascial techniques.

 

Calf pain stretching exercise: loosens up hardened calves

Stand in a walking position in front of a wall and support yourself with your hands. Make sure that the entire sole of the back leg to be stretched is completely on the floor and the knee joint is extended. Now shift your body weight to the front leg until you feel a significant stretch in your calf.

This exercise helps you release the tension in your calf muscles and make your ankle more flexible.

Time: one minute

Sets: two

Tip: bend the knee joint of the back leg slightly every other set and hold this position while stretching. This is how you reach a different part of the calf muscles.

 

Calf pain mobilization: loosens up tight calves

Sit on the floor with your legs extended and place a BLACKROLL® SUPER BAND around the tip of one foot. Now actively move your ankle so that the tip of your foot alternately points toward and away from you. Support the movement toward you with the band to achieve a greater range of motion. Hold this position for two to three seconds before moving the tip of your foot away from you.

This exercise helps you release the tension in your calf muscles and make your ankle more flexible.

Time: one minute

Sets: two to three

Tip: use the BLACKROLL® SUPER BAND to maintain some resistance to the extension of your toes, so your calf muscles need to work harder in that direction. You can relax your calves during the subsequent return movement.

 

Activation and strengthening exercises for calf pain

The activation and strengthening exercises are not part of the direct treatment of pain, but they can prevent calf problems. Weak leg muscles are often the main cause of calf problems. You should therefore perform specific exercises to strengthen your calves and leg muscles.

 

Calf pain exercise: activates your calves

Stand in front of a wall with the tip of one leg on the BLACKROLL® BLOCK so that your heel is in the air and you can support yourself on the wall with your hands. Now push yourself up onto your toes and bring your heel down slowly and in a controlled manner until you feel a stretch in the calf muscles. Repeat these movements several times.

This exercise helps strengthen your calf muscles and stabilize your ankles.

Repetitions: 10 to 15

Sets: two to three

Tip: if you do not reach the specified number of repetitions, stand on the BLACKROLL® BLOCK with both toes. There will be less strain on your calf muscles.

 

H3: Strengthening exercise: strengthens your leg muscles

Stand in a walking position with the back leg on a BLACKROLL® and shift most of your body weight onto the front leg. Do single-leg knee squats. Your rear knee joint should move perpendicular to the floor.

This exercise helps you strengthen the muscles in your entire front leg.

Repetitions: 10 to 15

Sets: two to three

Tip: finding this exercise for calf pain too difficult? Then plant your back leg solidly on the floor. That can help a little more with the movement.

These are the products we recommend for calf pain exercises: