Why calf tightness will happened?
The occurrence of calf tightness is due to the retrograde flow and pooling of venous blood in the branches of saphenous vein which as a results of failure of venous valves in the saphenous veins. The saphenous vein is a large, subcutenous and superficial vein of the leg which responsible in returning the blood from lower legs to hearts. When the venous valves is impaired or unable to function, it will increase the venous pressure and lead to the calf tightness being produced.
So How Do We Deal with it? Exercise
- Calf stretch
-Stand in front of a wall of a chair for safety purpose. Keep one leg back with the knee straight and the heel flat on the floor. Slowly bend the front knee until you feel a stretch over the back leg’s calf. Hold this position for 15-20s and repeat for 3x.
2. Hamstring stretch
-Lie on the yoga mat with both knee straight. Place a towel around the foot and pull the leg toward the chest until you feel a mild stretch, keeping the knee straight. Hold this position for 15-20s and repeat for 3x.
3. Ankle pump exercise
-Sitting with both knee straight. Then, point your toes as far away as possible and “pump” your foot in the opposite direction towards your face. Repeat for 20x.
4. Ankle circular movements
– Sitting with both knee straight. Then, move the ankle in clockwise direction and repeat it in anti-clockwise direction. Repeat for 20x for each direction.
5. Walking
-Walking for 15-30 minutes every day, 5 days/week.
6. Leg lifts
-Lying on your back, and lift one lower leg up at a time perpendicular to the floor. Hold in the position until you feel the blood starts to flow back up from feet, claves and thigh or until the tightness over the lower legs being reduced. Repeat with the other leg.
7. Self-massages
-Put some lotion/ massages oil over the lower legs and massages it up and down for 10-15 minutes.
Written By
Xin Ni
Your Physio Connaught
References
- (n.d.) Varicose Vein. Retrieved from
https://www.physio-pedia.com/Varicose_Veins#:~:text=Varicose%20veins%2C%20usually%20referred%20to,Prevalent%20disease%20process.
- Mayo Clinic. (2022). Varicose Veins. Retrieved from
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/varicose-veins/symptoms-causes/syc-20350643#:~:text=Varicose%20veins%20are%20twisted%2C%20enlarged,veins%20of%20the%20lower%20body.
- Biggers, A. (2022). How to treat, what causes, and how painful are varicose, or spider, veins? Retrieved from
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/240129
- (2020). Varicose Veins. Retrieved from
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/varicose-veins/