Exercise Profile
- Target Muscle Group
- Exercise TypeSMR
- Equipment RequiredFoam Roll
- MechanicsIsolation
- Force TypeCompression
- Experience LevelBeginner
- Secondary Muscles
None
Target Muscle Group
Calves

Peroneal Foam Rolling Overview
Foam rolling your peroneals is a great way to warm up and cool down for your workout, especially if you plan to perform lower body exercises that require the calves to be more mobile.
When you foam roll the peroneals, or any muscle group for that matter, you alleviate some of the tension that is built up during the day and your workouts.
Peroneal Foam Rolling Instructions
- In a side lying position, place the foam roller directly underneath your thigh between your knee and hip.
- Support your upper body using your forearm and free hand. Adjust pressure into the roller with your free hand and foot.
- Slowly roll up and down the length of the peroneals while slightly rotating the leg periodically for 20-30 seconds.
- Repeat on the other side.
Peroneal Foam Rolling Tips
- The most important thing you can remember with any soft tissue work: KEEP BREATHING. Don’t hold your breath, you want to release tension, not generate it.
- Do not allow yourself to fall into overextension, keep tension through the abs.
- If you find a tender spot, pause for 5-6 seconds and focus on slow, deep breaths and try to relax.
- Foam rolling may be uncomfortable but that’s not an excuse to avoid it. It hurts because there may be physiological or neurological influences generating a pain response. The more you roll the better it’ll feel provided there’s no serious underlying mechanism.
- Be careful when you roll near the head of the fibula (just below the base of the knee) as the common peroneal nerve passes through this region and can become aggravated.
- Don’t slump into the shoulder capsule, maintain an active upper body.
- If you notice any burning, numbness, or tingling, keep moving past that area. It’s likely a nerve and pausing on it for any length of time would not be a good idea.
- If you find a sensitive spot, pause for a second and take the joint through flexion and extension. This a method of active release known as “tack and floss”.
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