Calf Growth and Fascia Stretching

Fascia is the connective tissue made of collagen that surrounds muscles throughout the body. The more weight a particular muscle bears, the more fascia surrounds it. The calf muscles are behind the lower leg and continually bear the weight of the body during normal daily activities of standing and walking. Due to the large amount of fascia surrounding these muscles, it is extremely difficult to see any definition in them after workouts. Follow workouts with calf muscle stretches in order to stretch the surrounding fascia and give the muscle room to grow.

  1. Additional Benefits

    • The main purpose of the calf muscle is to lift the heel off the ground. While stretching the calves stretches the muscles' surrounding fascia, it also holds benefit for the heels and soles of the feet. Activities that require a lot of momentum to lift off from the ground, such as jumping and climbing, place a lot of stress on the lower legs and Achilles tendon. Calf stretching relieves pain in these areas. It is also useful to treat pain associated with plantar fasciitis and shin splints.

    Feet-Flat Stretch

    • The wall calf stretching technique stretches both the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles of the calves. It is prescribed to relieve plantar fasciitis and is performed by first standing a few inches in front of a wall. You then place one foot ahead of the other and bend the knee of the leg in front while keeping the foot flat against the ground. The other leg extends behind you as you push against the wall to stretch the calf of the extended leg. Hold this stretch for approximately 20 seconds before switching legs. Do not stretch to the point of pain.

    Calf Raise Stretch

    • The calf raise stretch also treats plantar fasciitis but it does not work the soleus muscle because the knees are never bent. To do the calf raise stretch all you need is a stair step. Support your body weight by resting the balls of your feet and toes on a step and let your heels hang off the edge of the step. To avoid falls, hold onto the stairwell banister. When your feet hang the calves relax and stretch. You will feel it up the back of the legs and along the soles of the feet. Hold this stretch for up to half a minute before contracting the calf muscles and raising your heels back up to the level of the step. Remember -- you should not feel pain when you stretch. If you do, stop the stretch.

    Caveat

    • Most calf-strengthening and stretching techniques require raising the calves and heels off the ground from a standing position. This means everyday walking strengthens and builds these muscles and proper technique should be exercised to avoid injuries to the ankles and knees. It is important to lift the foot from the ground with the ball of the foot supporting your weight and all five toes flush with the ground instead of just the last three toes. Rolling your foot upward off the last three toes also rolls the ankle joint and compromises your center of gravity, increasing the risk for sprains. Keeping your five toes on the ground as you press up and come down also eliminates the possibility of shin splints.