Stretch Your Calves Workout

Pinch your calves with your thumb and forefinger at the lower end. Does it ache? Gradually move up, widening the gap between the two fingers and mounting the pinching pressure. Is it paining? If yes, your calf muscles could be stiffening up! Any further delay might expose you to grave risks.

The Workout

Can you spare five minutes everyday? That's all it takes to complete the three-part exercise as given below. Each part could also be attempted separately. However, it is advisable to complete the entire sequence of 15 steps and not stop at the end of Part 1 or 2.

PART 1:

1. Sit on a straight-back chair with both legs fully stretched out in front, your heels resting on the floor. Hold for 1 minute.
2. Slowly arch your toes forward to try and touch the floor. Resist the urge of bending at the hip while doing so. If you can feel opposing tugs in your calf muscles, you are on the right track!
3. Keep your toe in arched position for 30 seconds.
4. Without lifting your heels, make your toes move back -as much as they can go.
5. Keep your toe in back position for 30 seconds. Do not leave the chair.

PART 2:

6. Keep sitting on the chair. Bend your legs at 90o at the knees, and place your feet flat on the floor. Keep your back straight, aligned to the back of the chair.
7. Slowly straighten your right leg out until your knee is straight and the right leg is parallel to the floor. Do not move the left leg.
8. Hold position #7 for 10 seconds. Come back to position #6.
9. Straighten the left leg out until your left knee is straight and the left leg is parallel to the floor. Do not move the right leg.
10. Hold position #10 for 10 seconds. Come back to position #6. Leave the chair.

PART 3:

11. Stand 2-3 feet away from a wall.
12. Put your hands against the wall at about shoulder level to support your weight.
13. Lean in toward the wall by bending your elbows until you feel a stretch in the back of your calves.
14. Keep your body erect, your knees straight, and your hips forward. Do not bend at the waist. Make sure your heels remain on the ground.
15. Alternate foot position by turning the feet outward, stretching, then inward, and repeating the stretch.

Repeat steps 1-15 once.

Handy Tips

1. Children and adults of all age groups can perform the exercises.
2. If you run or walk a great deal, do Part 3 many times everyday. To increase the stretch, a fat book can be placed under the "ball" of the foot, letting the heels hang down.
3. Avoid achieving too much on the first day itself. Each Part should be performed in a slow, sustained manner, until a stretching or "burning" sensation is felt. This is a minimum amount of stretching.

Precautions

1. If you are suffering from arthritis at the ankles or knees, please do the exercises under medical supervision.
2. Sometimes stretching is employed as a warm-up before rigorous activity or as a cool-down after. On such occasions, just do the entire sequence once only.

Calf muscles add power and balance to your lower legs below the knees. They also function as "props" to reduce the burden of the upper torso on the leg bones. Thus, maintaining flexible calves allows the legs to work more efficiently. The above exercises serve as a starting point for more rigorous workouts, e.g. cycling or climbing stairs. So get started now!