Sore Calves? How to Prevent & Treat Tight Calf Muscles - StrengthRunning

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of Sore Calves? How to Prevent & Treat Tight Calf Muscles from StrengthRunning. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

Recovery first: When calves are sore, avoid long periods barefoot or in zero‑drop shoes, skip steep uphill running, and use compression socks/sleeves to boost blood flow.
Self‑care: Light foam‑rolling of the calf and soleus, plus a golf‑ball or lacrosse‑ball massage on the foot, helps release tension. Stay well‑hydrated and skip heavy static stretching while the muscle is healing.
Strengthen to prevent: Incorporate low‑drop shoes off‑the‑track, run fast strides or hill sprints at least twice a week, add skipping/form drills, jump‑rope bursts, and regular lower‑body strength work.
Targeted calf work: Eccentric calf drops are excellent for building Achilles‑tendon resilience and calf strength.

Workout Example

Calf‑Strength & Recovery Session (choose 2‑3 elements each week)

Fast Strides – 8‑10 × 100 m strides at a pace faster than your usual 10 k race pace, jog or walk back for full recovery.
Hill Sprints – 6 × 30‑second uphill sprints (hard effort), walk/jog down for recovery. Focus on landing on the fore‑foot/mid‑foot.
Eccentric Calf Drops – 3 sets of 12 reps per leg. Stand on a step, rise onto both toes, shift weight onto the working leg, lower heel below the step slowly (3‑4 seconds), then switch legs.
Recovery Add‑Ons (on easy days) – 5‑10 min of gentle foam‑rolling the calf and soleus, followed by a 1‑minute foot massage with a lacrosse ball. Wear compression sleeves if you need extra support.

Feel free to adjust the number of reps or the stride distance to match your current fitness level and log the paces in the Pacing app.

Closing Note

Give these strategies a try, mix and match what feels best, and watch your calves get stronger and more resilient. Customize the paces and volumes in the Pacing app to fit your own training plan – you’ve got this! 🚀