To Have Happy Feet, Pay Attention to Your Calves

The real foundation of your body is the group of muscles in your lower leg, between your knees and your ankles. These muscles control the way your ankles, feet and toes move whenever you walk, jump, jog and climb up or down stairs. The interaction is similar to the control your forearm has over the movements of your wrists and fingers.

Your calves--the muscles in the back of your lower legs--are much larger than the muscles in the front and sides of your lower legs. Calf muscles have to be strong enough to raise the weight of your body over your toes and powerful enough to help propel your entire body’s weight forward (as in a lunge) or upward (as in a vertical jump).

In contrast, the side and front muscles near your shin bone are smaller because their job is more intricate and not as heavy. They decelerate the foot (a lighter load) as it is pulled down by gravity when you are running or walking. This way, you can roll from your heel to your toes gradually without your toes slapping the ground too abruptly. These muscles are also designed to bend and revolve your ankles in various directions so the rest of your body can remain stable and balanced when you are walking on uneven ground or rocky terrain; it’s like the suspension system of a car that keeps the ride smooth.

Most people who lead active lives know how crucial it is to have strong calves. But, as in all parts of the body, you’ve got to remember that strong muscles must also be flexible to work properly. When your calves are working, they need to move freely through a wide range of motion without stiffness or tension hindering their action. For example, think back to when your calves got really sore and tight. Do you remember how awkward it was to walk down a flight of stairs when your calves were that stiff? You probably had to grab the handrail because your balance was so poor that you felt you could fall any minute. So it’s not enough to just have strong muscles--they must also be flexible in order to be functional. Besides that, tight, inflexible calves make it too easy to suffer muscle tears or strains.

To improve your performance in virtually any sport activity and to decrease injuries, add these two moves to your strength-training program:

Single Heel Raises: To exercise your left calf, place all of your weight over your left leg while bending your right knee. Hold on to a stable surface with one hand. Now spread the toes of your left foot inside your shoe, and keep those toes relaxed through the whole movement. Slowly raise the heel of your left foot by contracting your left calf. Be careful to keep the weight evenly distributed on the ball of your foot and not off to the side. Then lower your heel. Take 2 seconds to go up, pause at the top of the move and take 2 seconds to go down. Complete eight slow reps. Increase your tempo and perform 12 more faster reps, continuing to pause at the peak of the lift. Make sure your ankle does not roll outward toward the side of your foot. Repeat 2 to 3 sets. As your calves get stronger you can hold a 5-to 10-pound dumbbell in one hand during this exercise. Between each set, do the following stretch. When you’re finished, repeat both moves on the other leg.

Calf Stretch: Begin by holding on to a sturdy surface for balance. Step back and extend your left leg behind you.

Bend the front knee and keep your back leg straight with both your heels on the ground. The key to this stretch is to make sure you are standing far enough away from your balancing point so your back leg has to lean forward by bending the ankle. Press your back heel toward the ground to relax and decrease tension in the calf muscle. Contract the muscles along the front of your shin as if you were trying to lift the toes away from the ground. Keep your weight evenly distributed over the front two corners of your left foot. Hold this position while you breathe slowly and deeply for three breaths.

When it comes to training your calves, performing these two moves together is more effective than doing each one separately. Your calves will get stronger and still maintain their flexibility, so they can do their job to carry you smoothly on your way.

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Joan Voight, a San Francisco-based journalist, contributed to this column. Karen Voight is a Los Angeles-based fitness expert whose latest video is “Pilates: Abdominals & Back.” She can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]. Her column appears the first Monday of the month.