As contrary as it might seem, sometimes the tightness we feel in our calves is a result of our calves being weak. First, look at your feet.Your shoes might be to blame. Tight Calves While Running | Calf Stretches and Strengthening to Avoid Strains 148 shares Our glutes, hips and core tend to get all the attention in discussions of running injuries, but our calves are responsible for quite a lot of the effort that goes into running. It’s for treatment but also prevention. Tight calves may be the result of a strain or tear in one of the calf muscles or it could be due to a cramp or spasm in the muscle, which is painful but usually short-lived and treated by stretching. The main stretch for the calves is to brace your hands on a wall or post and extend your leg as far as you can behind you while keeping your heel flat on the ground. Stretching needs to be done when the body is warmed up, so it’s better to stretch your calves after running rather than before. The last thing you can do to fix your tight calves will be to strengthen them. Tight Calves From Running? Do you feel tight in your calves after a long walk or run? Step Drops. Look into improving your flexibility. You’ll know you’re overdue for a new pair if they’re suddenly uncomfortable and the support has worn out.. Jaclyn Fulop, a licensed physical therapist and runner, says tight calf muscles are a common problem for runners, but often, the root cause is lower on the body. Hold this position for a few seconds, then release and repeat. Running requires our calves to work very hard. Strengthen Calves to fix Tightness and Prevent Injuries. Tightness in the calf muscle is also sometimes a symptom of overuse so if you are experiencing some pain and stiffness it might be signal from your body that you are overtraining. The Calf. Our Proven Methods To Help A Tight Calf. Step drops can be helpful to relieve your tight calves after running. If you’re running often, you need to be stretching just as much to reduce the risk of tight muscles in your calves. Strong calves give you better running form as you exercise, more power, and faster times. 4. This can be due a buildup of tension, or trigger points in your calf muscles, and is a common presentation in our Physiotherapy clinic.