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Do you need a calf-stretching gadget?

Paul Ingraham • ARCHIVEDMicroblog posts are archived and rarely updated. In contrast, most long-form articles on PainScience.com are updated regularly over the years.

Effective? I’m sure. Needful? Meh.

Stretching may be an effective part of treatment for plantar fasciitis. There are some calf-stretching gadgets available, like the Prostretch Flexibility Exerciser. I’m sure they can stretch calves. However, stretch is stretch, and the calf is an easy muscle to stretch strongly — anyone can already apply as much of a stretch to the calf musculature as you can possibly tolerate. There’s not really any way to improve on that. My advice is not to bother: one less plastic doohickey in the world.

⇐ Plasticity versus tolerance: they got more flexible, but how, dammit, HOW?!Doubting doubts ⇒
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