Can calf muscle tightness be a cause for back pain?

Surprisingly Calf Muscle Tightness can lead to Back Pain – But How?
When the calf muscle group become tight, your body’s center of mass shifts forward causing your low back muscles to over-activate and increase low-back curvature to maintain erect posture during standing and walking.

This adds stress to your low back muscles and the rest of your upper body will over compensate for this weight shift. In your normal walk, as your ankle bends and unbends, your lower leg (shin) passes over the center of your foot. If your ankle is unable to complete this full range of motion, you begin to lose the ability to point your foot up or turn in or out.

What can you do about Calf Tightness?
The number one thing you can do to prevent tight calves is to stretch. If you’re not doing calf stretching exercises after your workouts, that’s a partof the problem.It’s not just important to stretch your calves after a workout – you should do it every hour or two throughout the day if you sit a lot.

How to do a calf stretch?
Standing calf stretches with your hands placed against a wall work well. You can do these at the office or almost anywhere where you have access to a wall.

Stretching with a Calf Stretcher
⦁ Place the foot flat on the CALF BOARD which is inclined to 30 to 45 Degrees with your knee straight.
⦁ Raise the heel of the other foot and load on the leg placed on the Calf Board.
⦁ Move your hip forward and feel the stretch in the Calf Muscle.
⦁ Hold it for 15 counts and then relax.
⦁ Repeat atleast 3 times and alternate the other leg.
Another quick way to stretch your calves is to stand on a step with your heels hanging over the edge. Hold onto the rail and drop your heels down off of the step and hold this position for 30 seconds. Hold for 15 seconds. Don’t forget to stretch your hamstrings and hip flexors since tight hamstrings also contribute to calf tightness.

“Calf Stretch Thrice a Day Can Keep your Back Pain Away”