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 bending of the ankle affect hamstring stretching? ￼

Ankle Position and Hamstring Stretching: Surprising Insights Revealed

How does bending of the ankle affect hamstring stretching? This is a great question and the short answer to it is that changing ankle position does not affect the stretching of your hamstrings at all. But bending the ankle and changing ankle position like elevating the toes for example might feel like you are stretching the hamstrings more. But what's actually happening is you are stretching the calves which cross over the back of the knee and can feel like the hamstrings sometimes. But whenever you lift the toes up you are getting a bigger hamstring stretch. But if you are feeling a greater hamstring stretch with the toes up it's either calves or the nerves that run all the way down your back to the heel. So you are stretching those nerves but you are not actually changing the position of the hamstrings or how much length change you are getting from the hamstrings by moving the ankle. So it might feel like you are getting a bigger stretch when you lift the toes but it is probably not. On the inverse side of that if you elevate the heel and have your toes a little bit pointed this actually could give you a better hamstring stretch if you are limited in your ability to stretch your hamstrings by ankle mobility. So if your ankles are really tight and you feel a stretch in your calves when you are trying to stretch your hamstrings maybe lifting the heel could be better but ultimately the hamstrings do not cross the ankle joint. So any change in ankle position is mostly going to affect how much tension you have on the calf and the nerves that run from your back down to the bottom of your ankle.

Changing ankle position does not affect the stretching of your hamstrings, but it can affect how much tension you have on the calf and nerves that run down your back to the bottom of your ankle. Elevating the heel and having toes slightly pointed may give you a better hamstring stretch if you're limited in your ability to stretch your hamstrings due to ankle mobility.

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Changing the position of the ankle does not impact hamstring stretching. While bending the ankle or elevating the toes may create a sensation of increased hamstring stretching, it is actually the calves that are being stretched. The calves cross over the back of the knee and can sometimes feel similar to the hamstrings. Lifting the toes may give the illusion of a larger hamstring stretch, but it is likely stretching the calves or nerves running down the back to the heel. The position of the ankle does not alter hamstring length or position. However, if ankle mobility is limited and stretching the hamstrings is challenging, elevating the heel with pointed toes could provide a better stretch. It's important to note that hamstrings do not cross the ankle joint, so ankle position primarily affects tension in the calf muscles and nerves running from the back to the ankle.

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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.