Why Do Leg Muscles Tighten During Running | Dr Chirag Patel

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• Tight calf muscles tend to be most common amongst
  relatively new runners. This gives us a few clues
  already. It can be linked to a number of problems
  which can affect those new to the sport
• A lack of flexibility in general
• Fatigued calf muscles
• Inappropriate footwear
• Wearing high heels daily
• Running too much, too soon
• Inadequate warm-up / cool-down
• Muscle imbalances elsewhere
• Running form
• Some people are just naturally less flexible than
  others. But the good news is that the lack of
  flexibility can be addressed with a comprehensive
  stretching program. This means stretching at
  least 3 times a day, if not more, to really see
  an increase in flexibility.

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If your calves feel like they cramp up when
running, but then they are fine after, it could
be fatigue thats causing the problem. The more
you run the stronger your calves become, but in
the meantime, try some strengthening exercises
single leg calf raises are great and require no
equipment. Gait analysis will basically ensure
that you are wearing the right running shoes for
your foot type. The most common problem in
runners is over pronation. Tight calf muscles and
over pronation often go hand in hand, so make
sure you get this checked and corrected if
necessary. Wearing high heels on a regular basis
can actually shorten the calf muscles too.
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Some training mistakes can also cause tight calf
muscles. Running too much, too soon can do it as
your muscles tighten up in response to the
increased stress that they are not accustomed
to.  Also, ensure you warm-up before running such
as cycling or stepping. Make sure you finish your
run within 5 minutes and then go for a thorough
stretching session, as this is where stretching
really comes into its own to reduce post exercise
soreness. Muscle imbalances are responsible for
so many running injuries and having tight calf
muscles whilst running is no exception. Everyone
is different and so it is hard to tell you what
may be affecting in a particular case, but a
common pattern is to look out for is
tight hip-flexors, leading to weak or mis-firing
glutes.This results in a lack of hip extension
when running and a bigger reliance on the calf
muscles for propulsion. A sports physiotherapist
should be able to assess you for muscle
imbalances and determine what may be affecting
you.
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Running form is basically the way you run and it
is something that we dont tend to think about
when running, especially when we first start out.
However, your running form could play a big part
in your calf muscle tightness and pain.
Stretching calf muscles regularly helps. Barefoot
running is increasing in popularity and its many
advocates say that it reduces injury rates
amongst runners and it promotes a more natural
running pattern, which modern running shoes have
altered. In todays ultra-technology world, most
of us have evolved to run with a heel strike
that is the heel hits the ground first. But
before running shoes, this would have been
painful and so our predecessors ran with a more
mid-foot strike. Running with a mid-foot strike
alters the biomechanics of your running cycle,
shortens your stride length and changes the
loading on your calf muscles, as well as reducing
the impact through the foot and lower leg. It is
important however, to avoid landing on just the
forefoot alone as this will increase the load on
the calf muscles and Achilles. If you run
entirely on your toes this could actually
further increase calf tightness.
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