Prevent Pain in Calf Muscles for Better Tennis Fitness

Keep your calves healthy - stretch them after each tennis practice

Strained or torn calf muscle is a frightening thought for every tennis player. It can easily happen when you push off or lunge after a ball. Often it happens when the athlete hasn’t warmed up properly or the calf muscles are de-conditioned and tight. Previous calf injuries make the calf muscles more vulnerable for future injuries as well.

Calf muscles are deceivingly powerful—they help the body to sustain its upright posture, they propel the body forward in running or walking and assist in lifting the body to stand up. They are strong and thick even on slender individuals.

There are five calf muscles: gastrocnemius, soleus, tibialis posterior, flexor digitorum langus and flexor hallucis longus. The last three are deep inside under soleus, which is under gastrocnemius. Gastrocnemius is the outer muscle that gives the calf its bellied shape. It attaches through the Achilles tendon to the heel bone. It is extremely strong and has the power to lift the entire body weight in jumping, climbing or descending the stairs or hills.

The calf muscles are constantly working against the gravity, preventing us from tilting over. If the calves become dysfunctional, other muscles have to compensate to keep the body upright: knees, inner thighs and low back. And the more the other muscles work, the more the calves weaken and become more dysfunctional. And in every movement you do—on the tennis court or in the gym—the other muscle groups work even harder.

Dysfunctional calves cause shin splints, or pain in the bottom of the foot that often is blamed on bad shoes or flat feet. Cramps in the calves are caused by the hard work that they are not accustomed to, or by improper nutrition, dehydration, vitamin deficiency, drug side effects or poor circulation. Don’t drink beverages with too much sugar or stimulants. Drink a lot of plain water. Gently massage the cramped up calf and flex the foot toward the knee. Cramps in your calves are telling you a message—listen to your body and learn.

Get the habit of stretching your calves after each tennis practice. While you are still thinking about your game, go to the net post, flex your foot and put the heel as close the post as you can. When you have your foot “stuck” in this position, start moving your hips forward toward the post until you feel a good stretch in the calf. Hold it for one minute and switch the legs.

To get functional calves, you need to keep them loose, free of tightness and trigger points with myofascial release, and you should also work on proper alignment of all four weight bearing joints: ankles, knees, hips and shoulders. Perform following re-aligning exercises regularly:

At least 3 to 4 times per week perform a thorough stretch routine. If you have more physical discomfort and aches and pains that you wish, you also need to do a myofascial release routine, preferably daily, until your discomfort goes away.

Listen to your calves and keep them healthy. Improve your tennis fitness to improve your tennis game.

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For more info: ex Ms Natural Olympia Suzanna McGee is an experienced athletic trainer, competitive tennis player and a freelance writer. She lives in Venice Beach, CA and online at www.sixftlion.com