Best Exercises for Achilles Tendonitis That Will Relieve Your Pain

One of the best exercises for Achilles tendonitis is stretching. It reduces tension in the Achilles tendon and surrounding muscles and might alleviate swelling, help increase flexibility and mobility, and reduce muscle spasms.

Here are several exercises for Achilles tendonitis that can help relieve your discomfort caused by the condition.

Achilles Tendon Stretches To Try

To reduce the pain, give these exercises for Achilles tendonitis a go, and you may notice a significant improvement.

1) Runner's stretch

To relieve the pain of an inflamed Achilles tendon, try the runner's stretch. This simple move will loosen your calf muscles and ease discomfort.

How to do runner's stretch?

Stand with your back to a wall or chair.
Bend your right leg, and place your foot behind you.
Make sure you keep your heel on the floor, and point your toes straight ahead.
Bend your other knee towards the wall till you feel a gentle stretch in your calf.
Don't lean so far that you feel strain.
Hold for 30 seconds, and do three repetitions on each side.
Stretch your leg by bending your knee and placing it against the wall.
Keep your back leg straight, and slowly bend your front leg till you feel a stretch.

2) Toe-to-wall stretch

If the runner's stretch gives you shoulder pain, try a toe-to-wall stretch. It places less stress on the upper body and is just as effective in improving mobility by reducing stress on the Achilles tendon.

For pain relief in your leg, try this stretch.

Stand facing a wall and place your toes up and against the wall.
To achieve a deeper stretch, place your toes higher.
Lean forward, keeping your heel on the floor. (Your other leg should be behind you, with the heel on the ground and toes pointing forward.)
Hold for 30 seconds, and complete three reps.

3) Heel drop

Heel drop is the best exercise to relive foot pain. (Image via Unsplash/Simona Roubkova)

One of the best exercises for Achilles tendonitis is the heel drop. You can do it on a staircase or stepladder, but make sure it's locked in position. If you're doing this stretch with the leg that has an Achilles tendon issue, be careful not to fall off the ladder.

How to do heel drop?

When climbing a flight of stairs, hold the handrail.
Place the ball of your foot on the edge of the bottom step.
Relax your other foot as you drop down onto the heel of your standing leg.
Hold for a 30-second count, then do 3 reps.

Do this exercise under supervision of a healthcare professional if you have trouble balancing.

Exercises for Achilles Tendonitis to Relive Pain

To strengthen the calf and heel muscles, try these exercises for Achilles tendonitis. They will help reduce stress on the Achilles tendon and prevent problems in the future. Strengthening these muscles also makes them stronger so that they can hold up the body as you move around. Here are the exercises:

1) Seated heel raise

Standing heel raises can help provide comfort from pain. (Image via Unsplash/Joppe Spaa)

During seated heel raises, the calf muscles contract to lift the heels. That strengthens the calves, which is important for supporting the Achilles tendon.

Perform these exercises for Achilles tendonitis daily, preferably after each meal.

Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
Raise your heels as high as you can, and lower them slowly.
Complete one set of 20-25 reps.
Do that 5-6 times each day.

2) Standing heel raise

Resistance band can tone the calf and heel muscles. (Image via Unsplash/Artem Beliaikin )

You can do heel raises while standing up. This variation engages the muscles attached to the Achilles tendon and makes the exercise more challenging.

To strengthen your feet, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and hold on to a chair or countertop for support.
Lift your heels, and rise onto the balls of your feet.
Pause, and slowly lower your heels.
Repeat the exercise up to five or six times a day.

3) Resistance band calf exercise

A resistance band can tone your calf and heel muscles. Start with a light resistance band and increase the thickness as your tendon gets stronger.

To stretch your foot, sit on the floor or bed with your legs straight out in front of you.
Wrap a resistance band around the ball of your foot, and bend your knee slightly.
Hold the ends with your hands, and pull to flex your foot toward you.
Pause, release, and point away from you.
Do three sets of 10-15 reps each leg.

Try the aforementioned exercises for Achilles tendonitis to see improvement in the days or weeks to come, so persevere with them till you're on the road to recovery.

Remember that it's vital to continue with any prescribed instructions from your doctor or physical therapist while you're doing these exercises for Achilles tendonitis. Follow up with your doctor once a week during recovery to ensure that your condition is improving.

Edited by Bhargav