With the forward hunched posture that is so common today, lots of people end up with tight calves. This foam rolling exercise is a good way to help those tight calves to switch off and relax again.
| Anatomy and Function | The Gastrocnemius originates from just behind both sides of the knee and inserts onto the Achilles tendon. The gastrocnemius is responsible for plantar-flexion of the foot and knee flexion. |
| Reasons to Treat | Scar tissue and/or excessive tension in the gastrocnemius can cause local pain, pain further down in the Achilles Tendon or Plantar Fascia, or further up around the knee. |
| Set-up | Sit on the ground with your legs straight and calves on top of the roller. Using your arms, press yourself up so that your buttocks are hovering over the ground. |
| Performance | From the starting position, roll back and forth, keeping the knees locked. Focus the pressure on the medial and lateral portions of the calf to work the medial/lateral (outer/inner) heads of the Gastrocnemius. Roll for 30–60 seconds. To increase the pressure, try stacking one leg on top of the other and rolling only the bottom leg. To further increase pressure, actively dorsiflex the toes (pull them towards your shin) to place the gastrocnemius on stretch. |
| Alternate Modalities | Use a tennis or lacrosse ball to increase the pressure. |