Tight Calves

[Catrin]

I decided to take this week off the bike for recovery - my schedule didn't really allow it anyway but that is beside the point. Things get back to normal next week.

I've noticed before when I take more than a couple of days break from riding that my calves get very tight and also get twinges in my hamstring (the one with scar tissue). What is up with that

My trainer at the gym commented today on how tight my calves are and suggested heat to get the lactic acid out of them. Is that the normal approach? I've a "stick" that I use on my calves almost daily and I love the thing... It is amazing to me sometimes how much soreness I do find with it and I wasn't aware of it before I used it for that session (I only use it for a minute or so, don't want to over do it).

Anyway I was curious if this calf issue is common for other cyclists, if I am developing a problem I want to head it off at the pass...no overuse injuries this year please...

[OakLeaf]

I have a history of calf/Achilles issues, and one thing I've found is that working on my feet has helped a LOT with that. It took mobilization by the PT to get my rigid feet and ankles to start to work like joints again, a lot of spiky roller work which hurt like !@#$@% (walking on pebbles is an alternative), plenty of strength and proprioceptive work, and I'm still in process. But they are much, much better.

One thing I wasn't expecting was how weak they were in places, for all the tightness. It makes sense of course. The single most helpful exercise has been the single leg calf raises. I started with my hands on a rail (a light touch was enough, but made all the difference in the world when I had very little proprioception) and I've finally progressed to sometimes being able to do 15 straight with no hands. As tough as they are, they give me near instant relief.

As I said in the other thread, "four corners of the feet" - lifting all three arches - works even inside a cycling shoe, and I pay as much attention to my feet as I can when I'm riding.

Fit is key, along with not ankling, but I know you've been through your fit six ways to Sunday.

[Catrin]

This is helpful Oakleaf. I've no idea if I "ankle" or not, and I've done a lot of work with calf raises over the past two years - both standing and weighted. If I say so myself I have some great looking calves after all of the riding and weight lifting! I HAVE had major foot/ankle surgery (with no follow-up PT) and am quite sure that I've stiff ankles in both feet due to some problems with my feet since I was born. Mom must not have had the full manual on how to put my feet together

I simply can't afford more PT this year, and yes, I've been fit every which way possible. They don't FEEL tight to me, but my group trainer/coach at the gym has noticed it enough to comment to me away from the others about how tight they are...

Are you referring to "proprioception" as in "body-awareness"? I do still have some problems with that, my old trainer thought that was part of the reason for my rate of falls per mile of mountain bike trail.

So I will try to use heat more often, massage them after every workout, add unsupported single-leg calf raises to my routine and figure out what ankling is to determine if I am guilty...thanks!

[OakLeaf]

Ankling means pumping your toes up and down in sync with your pedal stroke. It was popular in the 70s. People understand now that it's inefficient and hard on your calves and Achilles. I pretty much have to do it when my crankarms are too long, also.

Proprioception - yeah, the sense that tells each part of your body where the other parts are. One of the exercises I've been slacking off on is simply standing on one leg with my eyes closed on an unstable surface.

[Catrin]

Ankling means pumping your toes up and down in sync with your pedal stroke. It was popular in the 70s. People understand now that it's inefficient and hard on your calves and Achilles. I pretty much have to do it when my crankarms are too long, also.

hmmm, I've no idea if I do this or not, I will try to be more aware of my feet the next time I ride...

Proprioception - yeah, the sense that tells each part of your body where the other parts are. One of the exercises I've been slacking off on is simply standing on one leg with my eyes closed on an unstable surface.

I've started taking a Bosu class at my gym, amazing what you can do with those things! At the end of class when we are cooling down the instructor has us do all kinds of mean and wicked things...standing on the Bosu with our arms outstretched and tracking with our eyes...standing on top of the Bosu with our eyes closed. I have huge problems with that - even with both feet on the ball. I will work on these things with more attention...

[Catrin]

Also, for some reason I posted this in the wrong forum...would one of those with the magic wand please move it to the health if you get the chance - thanks!

[bluebug32]

My calves are always tight too. I've noticed that stretching them gently every day for a couple of minutes has really helped. I also, at the suggestion of the lovely TE forum, I also keep my ankles from flexing during my pedal stroke. I realized that as I was scraping back through the pedal stroke, that my ankle was constantly flexing as well to add extra umph to that scraping motion. Now I think "quiet ankles" and that works to keep them happy (as well as my achilles and calf). As for heat, I would apply that only if it feels good. I doubt there's a whole lot of lactic acid hanging out there after a rest week, but apply ice or heat, whichever feels better. Massage is always good, too.

[Catrin]

I had wondered how long lactic acid sticks around - and they always get sore during rest weeks - calves and one hamstring One of my "corrective exercises" given me at my new gym is a "search and destroy" on my calves with the massage stick...I now have one at home. My trainer/coach seems to think that this is the second most important out of the 6 correctives they have given me. Part of their fitness assessment is to determine those areas in which we need strengthening or to pay extra attention...

If the wind allows I hope to go on an easy ride tomorrow and will try to remember to pay attention to what my feet are doing. I also need to get into the habit of applying the stick every exercise or ride day...

Thanks all!

[Catrin]

Found this link to a group of stretches for tight calves, I will try some of these out after intense activities.

[Catrin]

Thanks Murienn - I think I will work on putting together a thread that references all of the various discussions and links on stretching like you have for saddle information. This would be helpful to many of us I think.

[OakLeaf]

Just don't neglect your feet. If you have congenitally weird feet plus a history of injury (same as me, except I've had only soft tissue injuries), that's MORE reason to work on strength, mobilization and proprioception of all the dozens of muscles and joints in the feet. If the foundation is off, the whole chain will be off.

[Catrin]

Just don't neglect your feet. If you have congenitally weird feet plus a history of injury (same as me, except I've had only soft tissue injuries), that's MORE reason to work on strength, mobilization and proprioception of all the dozens of muscles and joints in the feet. If the foundation is off, the whole chain will be off.

Duly noted, and I've never thought about that! It makes sense...

[Catrin]

For some reason I've been resistant to adding to my usual set of stretches that came out of spinning class. Those are good starts but it's been proved I need more than that. It is time to change that, I really want a season with no injury that is preventable. Actually I had that last year - no over-use injuries - but if I am already noting tight muscles this early in the season it is time for another approach.

I think that compiling and posting the assorted links and stretch-related discussions found on TE for a general post will help me put all this together in my head and hopefully help someone else at the same time.

[klesko]

I have achilles and plantar fascitis issues and the single thing that helps me is stretching my calves every morning. I just do a simple lean on the foot of the bed and do it feet straight forward and another set with toes pointed in. My podiatrist told me to do it both ways and the calf stretch with toes pointed in really helps me. I did calf raises for a while but those are too aggressive for my achilles tendon.

[bluebug32]

Another thought....do you stretch your hip flexors and quads? If these are tight, they can cause an imbalance, which is generally felt in the hamstring/calf.