Were you aware that the two muscles need to be stretched
separately for optimum function?
The Soleus tends to be neglected as many people are aware of the classic
Gastrocnemius calf muscle stretch.
To stretch the Gastrocnemius, one foot is placed behind the body with a
straight knee, whilst the forward leg adopts a bent knee position. To stretch the Soleus, adopt this pose
and then bend the back knee by 5 degrees (play about with the position until
you feel a gentle stretch). I will
cover best practice for stretching in another article.
The Soleus muscle is larger than the Gastrocnemius. You can feel the Soleus’ sides bulging
out just behind the Gastrocnemius.
Tightness in these two muscles can contribute to a whole host of
problems developing – including tightness in the connective tissue under the
foot (the plantar fascia), tendonitis in the Achilles tendon, muscle tears and Achilles
tendon rupture.
As a Marathon runner, one should keep these two calf muscles
happy by ensuring they are adequately warmed up pre activity, stretched
adequately and appropriately post activity, that running shoes do not dig in to
the heels (Achilles tendon region), that training runs build up in intensity
and mileage gradually, that terrain changes are factored in gradually and that
competition terrain is incorporated during training where possible. Adding steep hills suddenly in to
your running programme could aggravate the Achilles tendon severely.
The main job of these two muscles is to point the toes
downward from the heel (plantar flex the foot). The Gastrocnemius also helps flex the knee. If you can keep these guys happy, your
running will benefit greatly!
It’s bye from me for now, but I’ll be catching you soon with
some Marathon Stretching Tips. Don't forget to join me at LSM for updates and special offers.
