November 19, 2022

Massage gun for calf strains - how can it help?

Estimated read time 3 minutes.

If you were to list the unsung heroes of the human body, your calf muscles would be pretty close to the top. When you’re on the go, so are they, helping to support the bulk of your body mass, working to maintain your balance, and enabling the explosive capability needed for all kinds of exercise.

With your calf muscles being so important, when you have a problem with them, you certainly know about it. Which makes looking after them so vital. And it’s here where you can really benefit from the percussive massage that a massage gun provides.

The issues you can have with calf muscles

Your calf is made up of two muscles that serve very different purposes. Unfortunately, both are prone to aches and strains.

The larger gastrocnemius muscle is packed with fast-twitch fibres that come into play when you take part in dynamic, strength-focussed sports and workouts. The smaller soleus muscle is made up of slow-twitch fibres that excel at endurance and support.

Depending on the nature and intensity of the activity, it’s common for these muscles to become stiff and sore when over exerted.

The benefits of massage gun treatment

A massage gun is a great tool for increasing the flow of blood to your calf muscles, which is important both before and after exercise.

When used prior to activity, massage activates and warms up the muscles ready for what’s ahead. This will help the muscles perform better and reduce the risk of injury. And if you’re a little stiff from a previous workout, it will help ease that tension so you’re ready to go again.

That same increase in blood flow is hugely beneficial after exercise too. Massaging the calf area post-activity will reduce the inflammation and stiffness you feel in the muscles the following day.

Should you use a massage gun for calf pain?

Massage is great for relieving tightness and soreness in the calves and is proven to promote healing by helping to break down scar tissue in injured muscles. However, if you have an injured calf, you need to be very careful.

If you ever feel sharp pain during massage treatment, that’s a sign to stop and rest the muscle. If the pain persists, it may be best to see a doctor.

Using a massage gun for tight calf muscles

Massage guns are as simple to use as they are effective:

Get comfortable in a position where you can easily access your calf muscles.
Choose the right attachment to work your calf area. Our own MuscleGun Carbon massage gun comes with a variety of head attachments, and we recommend starting with the ball attachment to best work the calf area.
Using the control panel on the top of your device, choose your desired speed setting. Again, we suggest starting on setting four.
Gently float the device across your calves in a sideways motion, from the top of the muscle down towards the top of your ankle.
Continue this for about two minutes until you feel the tension ease. Gradually apply more pressure, and adjust the speed setting, to the areas where you feel the muscles are particularly tight or sore.