2 Self Myofacial Releases for Early Morning Heel Pain

A. Anatomy and Function of SOLEUS

• The soleus originates from just below the knee and inserts onto the Achilles tendon. 
•  The soleus is responsible for plantarflexion of the foot.

Reasons to Treat

• Excessive tension in the soleus can cause pain at the site of injury, or further down the kinetic chain (in the Achilles tendon or plantar fascia).

Set-up

•  Sit on the ground with your legs straight and calves on top of the roller.
•  Using your arms, press yourself up so that your buttocks are hovering over the ground.

Performance

•  From the starting position, roll back and forth, keeping the knees unlocked.
•  Focus the pressure on the medial and lateral areas of the lower part of the calf, just above the ankle.
•  Roll for 30–60 seconds.
•  To increase the pressure, try stacking one leg on top of the other and rolling only the bottom leg.
•  To further increase pressure, actively dorsiflex the toes (pull them toward your shin) to place the soleus on stretch.

Alternate Modalities

•  Use a tennis or lacrosse ball to increase the pressure. This method is generally easier on the arms and upper extremity since you don’t have to hold yourself up.

B. Anatomy and Function of Gastrocnemius

•  The Achilles tendon connects the gastrocnemius and soleus to the calcaneus.
•  The Achilles tendon aids the gastrocnemius/soleus in producing plantar flexion.Reasons to Treat
•  Excessive tension in the Achilles tendon can lead to issues further up (the gastrocnemius/soleus) or further down (the plantar fascia) the kinetic chain.

Set-up

•  Sit on the ground with your legs straight and calves on top of the roller.
•  Using your arms, press yourself up so that your buttocks are hovering over the ground.

Performance

•  From the starting position, roll back and forth, using both a knees locked and knees unlocked position.
•  Focus on rolling from the top of your heel to midway up your lower leg.
•  Roll for 30–60 seconds.
•  To increase the pressure, try stacking one leg on top of the other and rolling only the bottom leg.
•  To further increase pressure, actively dorsiflex the toes (pull them toward your shin) to place the Achilles tendon on stretch.

Alternate Modalities

•  Use a tennis or lacrosse ball to increase the pressure. This method is generally easier on the arms and upper extremity since you don’t have to hold yourself up.