SPORTS PHYSIO INFO SERIES BLOG #2
SPORTS PHYSIO INFO SERIES BLOG #2
January 15, 2020
Did you know your calf muscle is made of TWO different muscles?
One of the main focuses of pre-season is increasing fitness and this means more running. You are either a passionate runner or absolutely despise the thought! Irrespective of how you feel about it, running is a paramount part of any pre-season training, especially AFL.
Too often we see running related sports injuries come into the clinic with persistent calf tightness, acute calf tears or even Achilles tendon and “shin splint” pain as a result of the sudden and rapid increase in running frequency during pre-season. Major risk factors for these types of injuries include a lack of calf strength and flexibility. The calf complex needs to be able to tolerate the stress going through the lower leg as it propels us forward during running and absorbs the shock and forces going through our bones and connective tissue.
The calf is actually made up of two portions:
1. Gastrocnemius (thicker and bulkier muscle)
2. Soleus (thinner and deeper muscle)
During running, the gastrocnemius can take around 1-2x your body weight, but did you know that the soleus can take up to a massive 8x your body weight? Hence, the importance of having adequate strength and function in BOTH the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles.
How do you know if you have sufficient flexibility and strength in your calf muscles?
Stay tuned to see how we assess within the clinic the function of your calf and what it means for you!
If you have any questions or want to pop into the clinic, call 9873 2770 or book online today https://bookings.nookal.com/bookings/location/39XKS