Calf Muscle Tightness: Treatment Options

Calf Muscle Tightness: Treatment Options

Calf muscle tightness can lead to long-term problems without treatment. If tight calf muscles develop from overworking the muscles, not enough physical activity, or wearing shoes like high heels, regular stretching can help improve flexibility. Rest from exercises that overwork the calves, or more physical activity for those that are sedentary, can help decrease muscle tightness. Physical therapy can also be used to improve the range of motion and stability of the foot and ankle.

For cases of calf muscle tightness due to neurological conditions or injuries, other treatment options are available to try to relax the nerves causing the muscle tightness. These include Botox injections into the calf muscles or muscle relaxant medication like baclofen, taken either by mouth or delivered directly into the spine through a pump put in through surgery. A series of casts may be applied to the foot over time to hold the ankle in a new position and gradually stretch the calf muscles.

Ankle braces can also help keep the foot in better alignment to make walking easier. These treatments are often not the most effective and may take a long time to see some improvement. If treatment is unsuccessful, surgical options are available. Surgery for calf muscle tightness involves cutting where the calf muscles attach to the Achilles tendon, called a calf muscle release or recession, or making small cuts into the Achilles tendon, called Achilles tendon lengthening.

Both procedures help decrease pulling on the foot, allowing the calf muscles to stretch better. Sometimes, a calf muscle release is performed to decrease pulling on the Achilles tendon and plantar fascia to help treat chronic cases of plantar fasciitis. Surgery can be performed through an open incision or endoscopically through small incisions with the use of a tiny camera, as seen here. After surgery, a patient's foot may be placed in a boot or cast for a few weeks, followed by physical therapy to improve strength, range of motion, and walking.