Weekday Mobility: Calf Performance (Part 2)= How to Fix a Calf Strain

This section is on one way to solve a calf strain. Grant strained his the medial most proximal (crosses the knee) aspect of his gastrocnemius which is a huge muscle that makes up the part of the calf.

Here are the main tips on how to solve a calf strain:

Your test prior to this process should be walking or even squatting (overhead squatting puts a lot of stress on the ankle joint secondary to the pistol).

1. Confirm it is NOT a tear.
– see video for test
– you should be able to walk around no problem even if there is pain
– there should be no gaps in the muscle tissue (where there are potential tears)

2. Help speed up and decrease the swelling
– walking around
– voodoo floss (2 minutes)- distal to proximal (down to up)
– can apply heat if the tissue itself is NOT hot or cut

3. Check the Joint Range of motion- warrior stance (this exercises is specific to the subtalar joint- midfoot to rearfoot joint which is essential to optimal calf function).

4. Check the sliding surfaces- do the tissues slide or is there a knot in one aspect of the calf?
– use the pipe, barbell, peanut (2 lacrosse balls) to pressure wave across the knotted tissue.
– Voodoo Floss 2 minutes overtop strained region

5. Apply muscle dynamics (an active way of mobilizing the muscle tissue).
– internally rotate the strained leg and place in a position of stretch that is challenging, not sketchy, and feels like it is making a change.

Re-Test walking around and or overhead squatting.