Are Your Calves Slowly Ruining Your Knees – Relieve Knee Pain FAST

Knee pain a huge issue that’s getting worse as society continues to sit.   Desk jobs, long commutes, and TV time have changed society into a community that sits to create money and to stay entertained.   With sitting come tight muscles, which cause improper movement patterns.  Over time, we start to believe that the upper thighs are the issue.   The quads, the IT bands and the hips.  While all of this are definitely issues, many people forget that the calves can also affect your knees just as much, if not more then your thighs.   Knee pain can be relieved, lessened and fixed with some of these key fitness tips.

Common Reasons Your Calves are Causing Knee Pain

• Tight Calves are pulling your feet OUT into a “duck like” walking pattern.   Your feet should be pointing straight forward was you walk not inward or outward.    SO if you have feet that point out there an immediate issue.
• Weak Calves do not allow you to pick up your feet.  You should be rolling your foot from heal to toe.  Most peoples calves are SO weak and tight that they can’t perform this rolling method.   This leads to more of a shuffle.

Fitness Fact :  When calves are tight or weak, stressed is placed on the posterior part of the knee where the calf muscle crosses.

How to Fix Your Calves to Assits to Help Relieve Knee Pain

1. Stretch – This alone will take some immediate pressure off the backs and side of your knees.   Try it right now if your aching (it feels awesome).
2. Foam Roll – Foam rolling is different then stretching because it gets deeper into the muscle.   The pressure of the foam roller also allows the knots in muscles to release.   This is 100% necessary.  Without releasing the knots in your muscles you will develop other common issues such as plantar faciatis, and shin splint (OUCH!).   Both of these are a result of tight calves.
3. Strengthen – Make sure you are strengthening ALL the sides of your calves, not just the back.

This previous article on strengthening your calves will walk you through it.

• “Give Your Body a Facelift – Bigger Calves, Smaller Calves and More Define.”  Outlines how to strengthen and roll your calves – the complete guide to calve strength and flexibility!

While there are  many reasons for painful knees, tight calves are a main contributor that gets overlooked on a daily basis.   IF you know someone that struggles with knee pain send them this article, pay these fitness tips forward.

“We Love Helping You, One Tip at a Time”

Adria