Tight Calves?

Today I'd like to offer you an alternative to doing a typical calf stretch for tightness in the back of the lower leg. It's a nerve mobilization exercise.

Your nervous system is one big connected web — it starts in your brain and spinal cord, then branches out like tree roots to every part of your body: muscles, skin, joints, and organs.

So when one part of a nerve gets stuck, tight, or irritated, it can affect other parts of the system — even areas far away. It’s kind of like pulling on one corner of a spider web — the whole web shifts and responds.

I had an erroneous idea that you shouldn't ever stretch a nerve - if you did you would cause pain and damage the nerve. But the truth is, nerves need to have some mobility and studies have shown that peripheral nerves can tolerate up to 15% elongation before it impairs conduction (which is the strength and speed of the communication).

Nerves get stuck because of tight muscles and/or fascia not allowing free movement of the nerve. Poor posture and alignment can create chronic compression on nerves. (Think about slouching for long periods of time)

Injuries can create inflammation which can press on or irritate nerves in the area. Scars and adhesions can do the same. Even doing the same motion over and over again like jumping can tighten or thicken the tissues around a nerve which might limit its glide.

A nerve mobilization is a gentle movement technique used to help your nerves glide and move more freely through your body.

Before we explore a tibial nerve mobilization you'll need to start with an assessment so check out how your calves feel by doing the traditional calf stretch with one foot behind in a lunge.

I want to be clear that less is more and when stretching you are going for a stretch intensity of about 3 out of 10. While nerves need to be mobile - they do not like to be strongly pulled on. We are not going for the typical strong stretch sensation that dancers love so much.

Instead you are looking for sensation along the back of the leg and into the foot. It might feel like a regular stretch but might also feel like a little tingling sensation or awareness (especially on the bottom of the foot) That tells you that you are targeting the correct area.

Make sure to watch the clip all the way through as I demonstrate multiple ways to do the mobilization! And then, of course, reassess your calf tension to see if your brain and body liked this drill. If it did, doing it a few times a day could give big benefits!

To your success,

Deborah