Piriformis muscle - relaxation exercises

Foot massage is one of the best anti-stress procedures: both in a specialist’s office and at home. This article will teach you the technique of relaxing foot massage and proprietary techniques for lower leg and foot massage. It will allow you to add similar sessions to the main procedure or conduct them as an independent technique.

In terms of time, the procedure can last from 10-15 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the goals.

Causes of heaviness in the calf muscles

Modern medicine conventionally divides the causes of heaviness in the calf muscles and lower extremities into two large groups. The first includes only indirect provoking factors, often acting complexly in the presence of certain circumstances. The latter are direct pathologies, diseases or syndromes.

Physiological and external factors:

• Taking a number of medications and substances. The use of certain hormonal drugs, diuretics, and other substances can create a feeling of heaviness in the lower extremities in the medium term;
• Excess body weight. Overweight people experience increased stress on the lower limbs in general and the calf muscles in particular, which provokes a deterioration in the contractile activity of blood vessels and soft tissues, creating a feeling of heaviness;
• Sedentary lifestyle. Sedentary or standing work, with regular long-term static loads, is a fairly significant factor in the formation of the above-described pathology;
• External environment. Sudden changes in temperature, pressure and other environmental parameters can affect the circulation of systemic blood flow in the body, the functioning of soft tissues and vascular structures of the lower extremities, which ultimately creates negative preconditions for excessive tone of the posterior muscles of the leg;
• Elderly age. In older people, the elasticity of soft tissues, the flexibility of ligaments, tendons and other elements of the lower extremities significantly decrease. This almost always leads to the formation of regular heaviness in the legs;
• Pregnancy. One of the most common physiological causes of muscle heaviness is pregnancy, which is associated not only with an increase in body weight, but also with hormonal changes in the body.

Pathological factors of heaviness and congestion in the calf muscles:

• Spinal diseases. A wide range of pathological conditions associated with the spine creates the prerequisites for the appearance of cramps and fatigue in the calf muscles. The most typical in this regard are osteochondrosis, herniated intervertebral discs, vegetative-trophic disorders, dystrophic deterioration of tendon reflexes, and so on;
• Joint problems. Typical symptoms of joint pathology are pain, fatigue and spasms in the back muscles of the leg, a feeling of stiffness, swelling, aches and heaviness in the legs. The most well-known diseases in the context described above are arthrosis, arthritis, congenital or acquired pathologies such as flat feet, high feet, heel spurs, etc.;
• Pathologies of the cardiovascular system. Heaviness in the muscles can be one of the symptoms of serious diseases and syndromes associated with improper functioning of the heart or vascular structures. The best known in this regard are heart defects, cardiomyopathy, myocardial dystrophy, chronic types of venous insufficiency, thrombophlebitis, thromboembolism, varicose veins;
• Other problems. In some cases, diseases of the kidneys, liver and other internal organs, from thunderonephritis, chronic failure to diabetes and a number of autoimmune reactions, can have a secondary pathological effect on the leg muscles.

Exercises to relax your legs

There is a set of simple exercises to relieve muscle tension and leg fatigue. You can do them at home before going to bed or at work during your lunch break, when there is still half a working day ahead and your legs are already tired.

• Sit on a chair, raise your legs and stretch them forward. Hold in this position for a few seconds, then lower and relax. Repeat the exercise several times.
• While sitting on a chair, place your feet parallel to each other. Without lifting your heels from the floor, pull your toes up. Allow your legs to remain tense, then return your toes to the starting position. Now, in the same way, without lifting your heels from the floor, rest your toes on the floor and press. After a few seconds, relax your legs. Repeat both exercises several times until you feel your leg muscles relax.
• While standing, lift your left leg, bend it at the knee and swing it. Lower your foot to the floor. Repeat the same with your right leg. Now bend your knee and reach your buttocks with your heel. Repeat the exercise with the other leg.
• Grab your leg just below the knee with your hands, lift it and swing your arms from side to side. Return your leg to the starting position. Do the same with the second leg.
• The following leg relaxation exercise is performed while lying on the floor or bed. Place a small pillow under your head, bend your legs at the knees and place them shoulder-width apart. Socks should point slightly to the sides. Relax your legs and lie in this position.

How to relax your calf muscle at home

Modern medicine recommends that if regular heaviness appears in the calf muscles and lower extremities with the development of secondary pathological symptoms, immediately contact a specialized specialist for a comprehensive diagnosis, including both laboratory tests and instrumental studies.

This will allow you to timely, accurately and unambiguously make a final diagnosis, and then prescribe appropriate therapy. The exception is the cases described in the previous section of the possible causes of severity and attributed to physiological or external factors. In the latter case, such problems are irregular, sometimes occur one-time, and do not have medium-term complications and systemic pathological complex symptoms.

Self-massage for relief and relaxation

One of the most effective methods of quick first aid for the regular appearance of heaviness in the legs is a comprehensive massage. It should be understood that not every person can carry out appropriate activities with the help of an experienced chiropractor; accordingly, you should learn basic self-massage techniques and do a massage for the calf muscles yourself at home.

Modern practicing manual therapists recommend carrying out complex measures not only in relation to the calf muscle itself, but also adjacent localizations, in particular tibial structures, periarticular areas, and so on, which include:

• Stroking;
• Squeezes;
• Rubbing;
• Kneading;
• Pressure;
• Chopping;
• Sawing;
• Patting;
• Shaking;
• Felting and compression.

There are a huge number of different methods for holding an event. Some of them are intended for a narrow range of use and can be applied to a certain category of the population, for example, professional athletes. Others are more general and classic. Let's take a step-by-step look at how to do a self-massage of the calf muscles for an adult:

• The basic position for the calves is sitting. One leg lies on the knee of the other at an obtuse angle and rests against a horizontal surface, while the knee is bent. The effect of kneading should begin with the lower part of the muscle and gradually move to the top. Work regarding the localization of the calf muscle consists of stroking with one hand with alternating changes of upper limbs, simple squeezing, “long” kneading with one hand, shaking;
• The basic position for the tibia muscles is sitting on a bench. The free leg is bent at the knee at a right angle and the sole rests on the ground; the lower limb being massaged is placed on it. In this case, the last foot from the outer part of the ankle rests on the knee of the supporting leg, the lower leg is located parallel to the horizontal surface. Possible measures are recommended to begin with the ankle, performing rubbing, flexion-extension along the axis of the joint. On the peroneal muscles in both initial positions, stroking with the opposite hand, squeezing with weights, kneading with four fingers, and performing rotational movements are performed;
• The basic position for the periarticular area is sitting on the couch. The non-working leg rests on the floor, and the other is extended along it. Possible measures include rubbing movements, “forceps”, linear impact with the pads and tubercles of the fingers, circular manipulation, and other measures.

Massage of calf muscles for a child

Since children in the vast majority of cases cannot independently and efficiently massage themselves, appropriate measures are carried out by parents. The procedure allows you to overcome physiological hypertonicity, activate blood circulation and lymphatic drainage, and prevent a number of pathologies in the lower extremities, in particular rickets, valgus, flat feet, and so on.

The basic procedures are identical to those above for adults, however, they are carried out more gently, with only light superficial movements in the form of stroking and squeezing.

Manual actions are performed primarily with the fingertips, without touching the popliteal fossa, and medium and high intensity rubbing, kneading and pinching are recommended only in cases where the child is at least several years old. How to massage the calf muscles yourself, watch the video:

Relaxing foot massage: technique

1. First, we perform stroking using oil. We work without taking our hands off the client. You can perform classic stroking, or you can circle the foot from the big toe along the inner arch, then the heel and return along the outside of the foot. Then we again perform concentric stroking so that one hand replaces the other. Gradually, the client's foot will become softer: this occurs due to muscle relaxation, as these movements relieve tension.
2. Next, we work on each part of the foot separately. First we work with the heel bone, then the middle of the foot and finish with the phalanges of the toes.
   

   Important!

   You need to start from the heel, because if you work this area well, the relaxation will go to the Achilles tendon, and this improves blood supply to the brain.

   So, we place one hand under the ankle, the second hand is applied in the form of a lid. We begin to perform movements that resemble displacement. We do these movements with closed fingers, tightly squeezing the heel. We perform four rotations in one direction, then four rotations in the other direction. Even if we work only with the heel, the whole foot still moves.

3. Then we lock our hands and cover the heel, clamp it and also make movements reminiscent of displacements. We rotate four times in each direction. This heel work includes work on the Achilles. By stretching the heel, we also stretch the Achilles. We work with our whole body so that the stretching is performed effectively. Then we again perform intermediate stroking of the lower leg and foot, only now we perform it more intensely, squeezing our fingers. This gives a gentle stretch to the ligaments and tendons. This is where the work with the heel ends.
4. Next, we continue working with the foot. There is no need to hold the foot firmly, as the client may experience numbness in the foot. We hold the leg softly and freely. You need to work on the point that is located in the very center of the foot under the heel. In the middle of the foot, closer to the inner edge, we find the most tense place and work it with the thumbs of both hands. The thumbs massage this point, following one after the other.
5. We work the middle part of the foot. We find tense places and work them out: you will feel small tubercles under the skin, reminiscent of a grain of wheat - this is the tension that needs to be relieved. Ideally, the client should not feel any pain or tickling. We work on this part of the foot slowly, stroking it periodically. Ask the client about the sensations at the moment when you work on tense areas. It is necessary to ensure that there are no unpleasant sensations. The client should feel lightness in the body - this will mean that the tension points have been completely worked out. Next, we move to the inner arch of the foot, if there are tension points there, then we work on them.
6. We begin to work on the bumps on the foot. We knead the tubercle of the little finger and thumb in turn. With one hand we gently hold the foot, and with the other we work the tubercle of the little toe in a circular motion. We perform the movements clockwise from ourselves: this is how we comply with physiological norms. You can work with any finger of your hand.
7. Next we move on to the tubercle of the thumb. We work until we feel that the bump under the finger has become softer. All movements should be slow and calm.
8. By this time, the foot should already become soft and pliable, as the tension has almost been relieved. Don't forget to stroke your shin and foot between exercises.
9. Then with our thumbs we go down between the bumps and rise above them, as if we were drawing a checkmark with the pads of our thumbs. We repeat this several times. Then, during such movements, we begin to slightly stretch this part of the foot. We continue until we feel that the spasm that was holding our fingers in tension begins to release. Then we stroke the entire foot with squeezing movements.

Treatment of discomfort conditions

The choice of a specific treatment regimen is made exclusively by a specialized specialist based on the appropriate final diagnosis confirmed by laboratory and instrumental research methods.

It should be understood that there are no universal sets of measures in this context.

Since the specific choice of treatment regimen directly depends on the pathological cause that caused regular heaviness in the posterior muscles of the leg and other unpleasant symptoms. The following actions are possible within the standard protocols:

• Conservative therapy. For acute and chronic types of diseases, a wide range of medications is used, including painkillers, relieving swelling and inflammation, restoring peripheral blood supply, improving healing dynamics, and so on;
• Surgical intervention. It is prescribed for severe types of injuries and extremely acute conditions, in cases of advanced and degenerative dystrophic processes of soft tissues, as well as in cases of ineffectiveness of standard conservative therapy. Necessary surgical procedures are carried out solely according to indications and necessity;
• Physiotherapy. After overcoming the most acute period of the pathological process and the start of positive dynamics of recovery, the relevant specialized specialists are recommended to carry out a wide range of restorative measures, including exercises as part of physical therapy, massage sessions, as well as instrumental physiotherapy techniques.

In cases where the above-described problem is not associated with any disease, pathology or syndrome, then in most cases it is sufficient to eliminate the external cause that causes fatigue in the posterior muscles of the lower leg, adjusting the lifestyle, including diet, dynamic distribution of physical activity, and so on.

The main preventive measures include:

• Taking vitamin-mineral complexes and microelements;
• Regular moderate physical activity with dynamic load distribution and exclusion of static overloads on the lower limbs;
• Rejection of bad habits;
• Proper nutrition;
• Regular attendance at preventive examinations for the purpose of early detection of potential pathologies;
• Periodic self-massage sessions and other activities as necessary.

Why do muscles become clogged when running and walking?

There are a number of reasons why muscles quickly become clogged (tired) and succumb to spasms during physical activity. The most typical reasons for which the calf muscles become clogged when running and walking:

• Incorrect walking and running technique. When performing the above-described types of physical activity, the lower extremities are significantly strained, do not receive enough nutrients in the short term, tissues accumulate lactic acid and create the preconditions for the formation of fatigue. If the running and walking technique is incorrect (ragged rhythm, acceleration or deceleration for too long, incorrect positioning of the support, and so on), the corresponding soft structures “clog” very quickly, which in some cases prevents further training process;
• Poor quality shoes . The lack of special shoes that are comfortable enough and suitable for walking and running for a long period of time also makes a negative contribution;

• Bad track. It is advisable to walk and run on a flat surface. If sports events are carried out on bumps and tubercles, and the surface does not meet the standards, then the risks of rapid clogging of the calf muscles already at the first stage of the training process increase significantly;
• Excess weight. In people with excess body weight, even when following the training technique, choosing the right shoes and route, the muscles experience increased stress and “clog” faster. In this case, it is worth temporarily reducing the intensity of the loads and replacing some of the running activities with walking;
• Drinking regime. Modern professional athletes know that during prolonged monotonous physical activity in the form of walking or running, it is advisable to regularly consume liquid in small quantities throughout the session. Dehydration can be one of the reasons for the rapid formation of muscle spasms and other unpleasant phenomena, often even dangerous to health.

What to do if your calf muscles are clogged

During the process of walking or running, it is necessary to adjust the technique of performing the activity, balance the rhythm of the procedure, if necessary, drink water in small sips, and also choose the most comfortable pace for yourself and the place where the training will take place. Immediately after running and walking, if your calf muscles are clogged, you should do the following to relieve discomfort:

• Take a warm shower;
• Lie in a horizontal position and raise your legs above your head for 15 minutes;
• Relax as much as possible and do a light foot massage.

End of the massage session

At the end, we take the client’s leg, lift it, bending it at the knee, hold it by the shin and, with the palm of our hand, begin to strongly bend the foot. We stretch it in this way to the maximum and freeze. We hold our foot like this until we feel it sink even lower. While we are waiting for this, you don’t have to move, or you can use your other hand to stretch the Achilles with gentle movements: this way we help it relax and stretch faster. Waiting for the angle of the foot to become even stronger usually takes a minute and a half. Then gently and slowly lower the foot and shake the heel bone. This way the muscle gets complete relaxation.

Having worked both legs in this way, we ask the client to roll over onto his back. We take him by the heels and, using our weight, rest our feet and perform a slight rocking motion with stretching. This movement only needs to be done once. Then, holding the lower part of the lower leg with one hand, with the other hand we hold the distal part of the foot and perform circular movements of the foot. We make movements slowly, evenly and calmly. We repeat everything on the second leg. And at the end we perform heel pulls again.

A relaxing foot massage is a great treatment that will help you attract more clients - you can do a short 10-minute massage as a gift or have a full session as your main treatment!

Author of the article:

Practicing: 15 years, Teaching: 8 years