Are You Stretching Your Calf Muscles Effectively?

The calf muscles at the back of the leg are actually divided into two layers - superficial and deep. The superficial muscles, which most people are familiar with, include the gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris muscles. The deep layer is often overlooked, and includes the popliteus, flexor hallucis longus, flexor digitorum longus, and the tibialis posterior muscles.

It is particular important for sports people that BOTH layers are stretched (see image below) to keep the muscles flexible and reduce your risk of injury.