Description of Exercise
-Starting position: place one foot back from the other.
-Keep your heel of your back foot on the ground.
-Be sure that your back foot is facing forward.
-Lean forward at your hips until you feel a stretch at the calf.
-You can lean forward towards a wall or chair when doing this stretch.
-Hold 30 seconds and repeat twice.
-Repeat the stretch for the other leg.

Importance
Tight calf muscles (gastrocnemius) can lead to plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, and other diagnoses of the lower leg.

Flexible calf muscles are important to maximize runners’ stride length. They help cycling revolutions to be completed with more efficiency. Calf flexibility also helps to alleviate knee stress while biking.

Precautions
None

Recommended Repetitions & Progression
2 x 30 sec

Handout
Standing Gastrocnemius (Calf) Stretch

Needed Equipment
None

Difficulty of Exercise (Guide)