Align Physical Therapy Miami

Calf stretch? The question should be: Is the tightness in my calf truly caused by a tight muscle? WHY ISN’T IT LOOSE YET🤪

Many times over a tight calf can be caused by a pinched nerve in your back. Your lumbar and sacral nerve roots control the motor and sensory of your calf or in simple terms your sensation and strength. Tightness, burning, aching, tingling, and/or feeling as if you just ran down 200 flights of stairs (unless you did) can be a feeling that is rooted in your spine.

Even tendonitis in the calf (Achilles) can be rooted from the spine. If the electricity is not being sent to the muscle from the circuit breaker (I.e. your spine) your calf (gastric + soleus) will be loaded with a weight it cannot handle leading to unnecessary strain.

Before you go and stretch your calf- consult a Mckenzie credentialed Doctor of Physical Therapy to sort out the source of this tightness!

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Not what you were expecting?🤱🏼😂... sometime after the age of 12 we stop laying on our stomachs! I dare you- ask your grandparents when the last time was that they were in this position. Most will tell you it’s been awhiiiiile! Let me preface this conversation with THIS POSITION IS NOT FOR EVERYONE AND EACH PERSON SHOULD UNDERGO A MECHANICAL ASSESSMENT to make sure what they are doing is ensuring a healthy spine...BUT life is a balance and there’s nothing wrong with a little tummy time in a healthy spine🙏🏻

Post work out BACK EXTENSION!

How often are you in this position? Never do we spend time on our stomachs! Tummy time? — psshh for toddlers 🤪. We sit all day and everything in life is a balance- let’s face it! Try this pose after your work out —-which was most likely full of squats, deadlifts, and triceps dips off a bench (even upper body exercises are in lumbar flexion) —- this will restore your spine- hold it 3 minutes and slowly ease into a higher incline.