How Massaging Your Calves Can Strengthen Your Heart (4 Easy Exercises)

Editor’s note: The calves are the driving force behind blood circulation, helping the venous blood flow back to the heart. If the calves are stiff, the blood will not be able to return to the heart. This article introduces four types of massage and exercise methods which use calf movements to help with the smooth flow of blood and body fluids, thus rendering the heart stronger.

Calves are Vascular Pumps to Help Blood Flow Back to the Heart

The blood sent from the heart transports nutrients and oxygen through the blood vessels to the microvasculature throughout the body. During the process, a portion of the blood leaks out of the blood vessels to replenish nutrients for the cells of the subcutaneous tissues and to absorb the waste materials and carbon dioxide, and it then reenters the blood vessels and flows back to the heart. This process takes about 60 seconds, and this cycle will continue as long as the person is alive.

The blood vessels that transport blood from the heart are arteries, and the vessels that return blood to the heart are veins.

The arteries use the heart as a pump, supplying blood at a fixed speed, and the blood flows together to the extremities of the body.

The arteries don’t have to work on their own, as the heart is a pump that helps send blood throughout the body.

So, what is the pump that helps the blood flow from the veins back to the heart? It is the calf muscles.

When the calf muscles are tightened, they will compress the veins that return the blood to the heart from the muscles. You can think of this process as pressing the pump with both hands when filling the tires of a bicycle with air. When standing, the blood in the veins will flow from the bottom to the top, and there are valves inside the veins to prevent backflow.

In modern times, many people don’t have a large physical workload, so they must use some methods to promote the operation of the venous valves to maintain balance.

The following are three methods to massage the calf muscles.

Three Types of Massage to Promote Blood Circulation

1. Massaging the calf muscles

Carefully massage the muscles from the Achilles tendon to the kneepit.

There’s no need to exert a lot of force. Please use a comfortable amount of force to massage the muscles. Massage each leg for about two minutes, and you can do this during breaks at work.

Massaging the calf muscles Courtesy of Shy Mau Publishing Co.

2. Pushing the soles of the feet (+ rotating the ankles)

It is recommended to do this massage after bathing or before going to bed. Please massage both feet separately.

With the soles of your feet facing you, divide them into two parts as shown in the picture.

Slowly push towards the middle and then slowly release.

Repeat about 30 times, and the blood circulation in the veins will be improved, and the feet will become warm.

As if folding the bottom of the feet in half, slowly push towards the middle and then slowly release. Courtesy of Shy Mau Publishing Co.

3. Carefully massage the reflex areas on the soles of the feet with a massage wand

When the soles of the feet become hard and hot to the point of wanting to apply ice, the situation is quite serious. At this time, please first buy a commercially available foot massage wand.

(1) First, carefully massage the reflex areas for the kidneys, located in the center of the soles, with the massage wand, then roll the wand in the direction of the arrows in the picture towards the inner ankle bone.

(2) Carefully massage the areas that feel uncomfortable or hot.

(3) Repeat steps (1) and (2) to improve blood circulation.

Carefully massage the reflex areas on the soles of the feet with a massage wand. Courtesy of Shy Mau Publishing Co.

• Carefully massage the center of the sole with a massage wand
• Roll the wand in the direction of the arrows towards the inner ankle bone

We Should Walk a Lot to Exercise Our Calves for Smooth Flow of Body Fluids

Although we know that “the calves are the pumps to help the blood flow back to the heart,” I think most of us have the experience of having our feet become heavy and swollen after sitting for two hours at a meeting. This is because we kept the same posture for a long time, without using our calves.

However, we cannot suddenly stand up or walk around in the office...

At this time, it is recommended to exercise our toes.

Among the calf muscles, there is a gastrocnemius muscle, which is connected to the heel, and other muscles are extended to the toes through the back of the ankle.

The key in exercising the toes is to make large movements and move them slowly.

[Moving the ankles to form a toe-out position + inhaling for four seconds] ⇔ [Separating the ankles to form a toe-in position + exhaling for four seconds] Repeat this set of movements three times, to improve body fluid circulation, and the body will feel relaxed and comfortable.

Inhale four seconds. Courtesy of Shy Mau Publishing Co.

Exhale for four seconds. Courtesy of Shy Mau Publishing Co.

The best way is to walk.

Walking for five to ten minutes during the day will help the venous blood return to the heart.