Calf and ankle stiffness


Deigh

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Over the last few years there has been a gradual tightening of my calf muscles overnight. I do some floor exercises daily and also walk usually 2K most mornings I use a tens type device on my feet when catching up with Email but the discomfort from  the calves is increasing. I've looked on the internet to see if there is a machine for calf massaging but cant  find anything suitable. I've added a few minutes stretching my ankle muscles to my floor exercises by standing and raising myself onto the balls of my feet for a few seconds at a time.

 

Has anyone any suggestions that can help me solve the problem?

 

Deigh

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Well, Deigh.

Perfect timing for this question. 

I have seen a podiatrist in town who is a podiatry surgeon as well.

He's going to cut the tendon which will loosen things up.

I don't know if you'd be willing to try that.

 

💚👑

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No thanks Janelle, thats too radical for me! What I need is an exercycle but there is no place in our small flat I could store one. I'll find a solution soon!

Deigh 

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3 hours ago, Deigh said:

No thanks Janelle, thats too radical for me! What I need is an exercycle but there is no place in our small flat I could store one. I'll find a solution soon!

Deigh 

Here ya go Deigh, a real space saver for the flat!:hmmmm:

 

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Now that is really something Will, Thanks,  Surprisingly enough I actually had a go on one once. Owned it for about a month and had very limited sucess but think I actually managed to master it slightly. Bruises and strains were very evident and I decided to take up an easier hobby like cake decorating.

Deigh

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GQ, My mother had that surgery several years ago, but the reason for it may have been different from yours; Her toes curled under so that when she walked, she was walking on top of her toes. FWIW, THE SUR5GERY WAS SUCCESSFUL, AND SHE NEVER HAD THAT PROBLEM AGAIN,

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Hi Deigh maybe an under desk cycle something like this https://www.self.com/gallery/best-under-the-desk-exercisers. You can also use some of them for hand/arm pedaling.

 

Janelle, you don't want to cut the tendon completely, you want to do tendon lengthening surgery, where they do a zig zag cut that lets them pull the tendon longer without breaking it, and then you need to stretch it regularly as it heals so it remains at a good length and functional. they tried to do that in my calf when I had the tendon surgery in my quad (rec fem), but there was too much scar tissue (probably from long term clonus tearing the muscle) so they didn't do it. But I got enough extra length in the quad that it hasn't been necessary to do my calf, although my calf muscles don't really work because the scar tissue stops them from contracting properly too.

 

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4 hours ago, Deigh said:

Now that is really something Will, Thanks,  Surprisingly enough I actually had a go on one once. Owned it for about a month and had very limited sucess but think I actually managed to master it slightly. Bruises and strains were very evident and I decided to take up an easier hobby like cake decorating.

Deigh

Deigh, I can only imagine the balance and coordination it takes to ride one of those things! These days I'm good just to navigate up a few steps post stroke. I have a great Trek bicycle just siting in the garage but as much difficulty I've had with walking and navigating, especially uneven surfaces, there's no way I'm going to try the bike. I've had a few good falls, to include a fractured vertebra from a good fall in the house. Now I have out of my love for outdoor cycling thought about those 3-wheeled bikes. I see a lot of them in our area. We even allow golf carts on the public roads in my small town with a good population of older folks. I have to admire you though Deigh, even when I was young and growing up, I never attempted ever riding a unicycle. Like those folks that even dare ride them on a tightrope in the circus:whew:

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Heathber, thanks for that suggestion, Over the last few years I've looked into those devices whenever they have come into view and so far I havn't found one that is satisfactory. Most of them end up in peoples garages or storerooms and only come out when they are considering having a garage sale! The principle is ideal so I will keep looking or perhaps invent my own!

Deigh

 

 

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Deigh, About your stiffness in ankle and calf-I get the same thing, It's probably tone. But, ln thinking about it, I realized that I don't move around much either, which is one of the reasons you can get tone in the first place. When it gets cold, my ankle, foot, and lower leg areas can get downright achy feeling. During one of those achy periods, I posted about it on here, and was told by several people that movement  helps. So I experimented with different movements and found  that circular movements worked best for me. What I mean by "circular movements": I draw imaginary circles in the air with my toes, clockwise and counterclockwise. If you watch your foot while doing this, you'll actually see your whole foot moving, which is the main reason it seems to help, I think. YOU CAN DO THIS LYING down, or sitting up. Or, while standing on your head. It doesn't seem to matter. All that seems to matter is the movement.   Becky

 

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Yep Becky, lack of movement is probably the cause. Prior to the stroke we lived in a camperbus which would be driven most days and it was not  automatic so one's legs got a lot of activity with gear changing even if one was sitting down doing it! Nowadays by late afternoon my energy level has fizzled and the rest of the day is spent sitting down with the regular toilet dashes the only real activity!

 

Since the morning is the best time for me I do all my exercise routines and walks before lunchtime. Today (Thursday here) is the only time we actually go out in the evening for an hour at our club where I drink a little beer, play pool and actually if lucky get a circuit of the dance floor when a slow waltz is being played. so, whilst admitting my shortcomings there is very little I can do about it. Except moan!

Deigh

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Deigh, it's pretty much the same here as for winding down in energy by the afternoon. During the early evening hours is when my foot and ankle start to really bother me. I guess it's because they are tired and stiff from being mostly stationary all day.  This is when I do the circular exercises with my foot a lot.  Becky

 

 

 

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  • 2 years later...

Deigh,
I've been having cramps in my calves and feet every morning. I also have issues with diabetes. I just slug on through it.

Mike
2012/02/14 coming up on an anniversary

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Stiffness is a tricky thing to handle. My legs always feel stiff so have evolved an exercise routine to try and handle it. Every morning I do a floor exercise routine, getting to my feet again afterwards is not ot be filmed!

 

Most mornings I am involved with the stroke chat forum so to avoid wasting this time my feet are on a REVITIVE device which sends mild electric shocks through my feet and legs. During this time both legs are wrapped in leggings that pump the muscles to encourage activity.

 

Now, to be honest I'm not positive that all these things do me any good but I am still able to walk a fair distance every day and I'm not keen to experiment by dropping any of them.

Regards

Deigh

 

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I've been having a problem (screaming) with calf and leg cramps in the morning, exaggerated by arthritis. My regimen that seems to have worked well is that I keep a pump bottle of BioFreeze (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002J9HBY8/?coliid=I1KUIPWIF1VXU4&colid=8EUZCHDJOGKS&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it) by my bed and when I wake with cramps I lather up with it. Over the past couple weeks my mobility has increased and cramps don't don't seem to be as often

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When I used to fish a lot wearing full body waders leg cramp was very common. There is no way you can quickly remove waders to massage the legs so I used to carry salt or iodine tablets. Sucking one of them would instantly unlock muscles. That might be trick you could try!

In fact every fishermen  carried them and would suck them occasionally throughout the day. It is common knowledge that perspiration takes salt out of the body and believe me if you fished in body waders when the sun came out you were soaked in sweat very quickly.

Deigh

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