Physical Therapy

What are good stretches to prevent Achilles tendonitis?

Prevent Achilles Tendonitis with Strong Calves and Stretches

What are good stretches to prevent Achilles tendonitis? So Achilles tendonitis occurs when the strain that you put on your muscle and and the Achilles tendon, it exceeds your ability to tolerate that strain and so ultimately you want to allow that muscle and that tendon to calm down and then build up strength with it. So having a strong calf and good calf range of motion is going to be the best way that you can prevent Achilles tendonitis. So strengthening exercises is the best prevention of Achilles tendonitis because you'll be able to tolerate more and so some people might say that you shouldn't stretch your calf in a standing position but ultimately the standing activities are the ones that are challenging. So practicing a calf raise there are a couple ways you can do it. You can start by standing on the ground and coming up on your toes like this. If that's too easy for you, you can go up on two feet and go slow on the way down to strengthen or you can do one foot at a time and if you want to make it even harder you can step up and have your heels hanging off of a ledge or a step and perform the same activity coming up tall, getting a big stretch at the bottom and then you can repeat that process with going up on two feet, coming down on one or just doing one at a time but taking your time and pausing at the bottom of that movement is going to give you a good stretch and you're strengthening it at the same time so that your Achilles tendon can tolerate more activity.

Strengthening exercises are the best way to prevent Achilles tendonitis. Some examples of strengthening exercises include calf raises, where you can start by standing on the ground and coming up on your toes, going up on two feet and going slow on the way down, and stepping up with your heels hanging off of a ledge or step and performing the same activity. Taking your time and pausing at the bottom of the movement is important for getting a good stretch and strengthening your Achilles tendon.

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To prevent Achilles tendonitis, it's important to focus on strengthening the calf muscles and improving calf range of motion. Strengthening exercises are key to increasing your ability to tolerate strain on the muscle and tendon. One effective exercise is the calf raise. There are different variations you can try based on your fitness level. You can start by standing on the ground and rising up on your toes. If that becomes easy, you can progress to doing calf raises on two feet and going slow on the way down to build strength. Another option is doing single-leg calf raises for an added challenge. To increase the difficulty further, you can try standing on a ledge or step with your heels hanging off, allowing for a deeper stretch at the bottom of the movement. Remember to go at a controlled pace and pause briefly at the bottom for a good stretch while simultaneously strengthening the muscles. By regularly incorporating these exercises into your routine, you can improve your calf strength and flexibility, reducing the risk of Achilles tendonitis.

How does someone get rid of tightness/tendinitis inside the crook of my elbow?

How to Relieve Elbow Tightness and Tendinitis

How does someone get rid of tightness or tendinitis inside the crook of my elbow? So typically tendinitis is an overuse injury and if you've had any sort of drastic change in the amount that you are using your elbow, especially like bending it, doing elbow flexion, whether that be curls or rows, or even holding like a mixed grip underhand deadlift can really strain that bicep tendon insertion. And so if you've had a change in the amount of sets you're doing per week, or the amount of elbow flexion movements that you're doing in a week, or the loads that you are using, any sort of drastic change or even a change of small progressions over a really long time without taking a small step back, or having a deload can contribute to that elbow pain. And so I encourage all of my athletes who have this to take a small step back, whether it be load or volume, to find what you can do in a tolerable range. So mild discomfort is okay, but anything that is truly painful wants to be avoided. And so taking that small step back and you can emphasize doing a slow eccentric motion, whether it be a row or a curl, to make that movement more difficult. So if you lighten up the weight on your bicep curls, you can go really slow on the way down, three seconds on the way down, and it will feel heavier as if you were doing a heavier weight at a quicker tempo. So if you go slower on the way down, that's a really good way to help alleviate tendonitis. But ultimately, look at your volume. If you've had a large change, that might be your culprit. And you can incorporate stretching to alleviate pain, but ultimately it's not going to fix the problem itself.

Tendinitis is typically an overuse injury, so if you've had a drastic change in the amount of exercise you're doing with your elbow, take a step back and reduce the load and volume. Additionally, you can do slow eccentric movements like rows or curls to help alleviate the pain. Incorporate stretching to further alleviate pain, but ultimately it won't fix the problem itself.

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To address tightness or tendinitis inside the crook of the elbow, it's important to consider that tendinitis is often an overuse injury. Drastic changes in elbow usage, such as increased sets or loads during exercises like curls or rows, can strain the bicep tendon insertion and contribute to elbow pain. Taking a small step back in terms of load or volume is advised to find a tolerable range. While mild discomfort is acceptable, any truly painful movements should be avoided.

One effective approach is to emphasize slow eccentric motions during exercises like rows or curls. By reducing the weight and focusing on a slower descent (around three seconds), the movement becomes more challenging. This can help alleviate tendinitis symptoms.

It's crucial to evaluate overall volume as well. If there has been a significant change in volume, it might be the main culprit for the issue. Additionally, incorporating stretching exercises can offer temporary relief from pain but won't resolve the underlying problem.

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Physician disclaimer

Dr. Mitchell Tanner, PT, DPT, CSCS answers your Physical Therapy questions. See all the advice Dr. Mitchell Tanner, PT, DPT, CSCS has and get answers to your own Physical Therapy questions.

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Hi, I’m Mitch! I’m a PT, and strength coach based out of Miami, Florida! Currently I work for Old Bull Athletics as a clinician and performance coach. Additionally I teach a CSCS prep course at the university level with Gifted Education, and I have my own online fitness coaching business.

My background started at the University of South Carolina, where I studied exercise science and got to do sport science with their D1 athletics programs. Additionally I facilitated the creation of Apex Athletic Performance’s sport biomechanics lab during this time.

I have my doctorate in physical therapy from the Medical University of South Carolina. During this time, I got experience working with EXOS and professional athletes. I also have experience working with the University of Florida’s running medicine staff.

Personally, my sport background includes competing in martial arts as a junior at the national and international levels. Currently, my sport focus is on powerlifting and general athletic development. 

On my page you can expect a biopsychosocial approach to fitness and rehab, as well as a pragmatic view of the current evidence.