By Frankie Berry-Moore, Sports Massage Therapist at Bristol Chiropractic Sports and Family Clinic | Updated 28 September 2026 | 9 min read ✔ Evidence-Based ✔ Written by a Sports Massage Therapist ✔ SMA Registered In a nutshell: Tight calves are one of the most common complaints in runners, and there's rarely just one cause. Fatigue and overuse, a recent change in footwear, calves that aren't yet strong enough for the load you're asking of them, and poor recovery (including sl
