Exercises to Help You Bounce Back from Achilles Tendon Injuries
Enhance your recovery from Achilles tendon injuries with these targeted exercises designed to restore strength, flexibility, and stability.
Enhance your recovery from Achilles tendon injuries with these targeted exercises designed to restore strength, flexibility, and stability.
Achilles tendon injuries can be painful and debilitating, but with the right exercises, you can aid recovery and prevent future issues. Here are some exercises to help you bounce back from Achilles tendon injuries:
Sit on the floor with your legs extended. Loop a towel or band around the ball of your foot and gently pull it towards you, feeling a stretch in your calf and Achilles tendon. Hold for 15-30 seconds and switch legs. This stretch helps to improve flexibility in the Achilles tendon.
Stand facing a wall with your hands on the wall at shoulder height. Step back with the injured leg, keeping it straight and your heel on the ground. Lean forward into the wall, feeling a stretch in your calf and Achilles tendon. Hold for 15-30 seconds and switch legs. This stretch targets the Achilles tendon and calf muscles.
Stand on the edge of a step with your heels hanging off the edge. Slowly lower your heels below the step level, then rise back up to the starting position. This exercise strengthens the Achilles tendon and calf muscles.
Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the ground. Slowly lift your heels off the ground, keeping your toes on the floor. Lower your heels back down slowly. This exercise strengthens the calf muscles and Achilles tendon.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Rock back onto your heels, lifting your toes off the ground, then rock forward onto your toes, lifting your heels off the ground. This exercise helps to strengthen the calf muscles and improve balance.
Stand on one leg and try to maintain your balance for as long as possible. To make it more challenging, try closing your eyes or standing on an unstable surface like a pillow. This exercise improves stability and proprioception.
Sit with your legs extended and wrap a resistance band around the ball of your foot. Push against the band, pointing your toes away from your body, and then slowly return to the starting position. This exercise strengthens the calf muscles and Achilles tendon.
Sit with your feet flat on the floor and a towel under your feet. Use your toes to scrunch the towel towards you, then push it back out. This exercise helps to strengthen the muscles in your feet and lower legs.
Stand with your knees slightly bent. Slowly lift your heels off the ground, keeping your knees bent, then lower them back down slowly. This exercise targets the soleus muscle, which supports the Achilles tendon.
Sit with your legs extended. Slowly rotate your ankle in a circular motion, first clockwise, then counterclockwise. This exercise helps to improve mobility and flexibility in the ankle and Achilles tendon.
If you are recovering from an Achilles tendon injury or any other condition, consider seeking the help of a Warrior Health physical therapist. Warrior Health offers modern sports medicine and physical therapy to help reduce pain, improve strength and flexibility, and get you back to your favorite physical activities. With proper treatment and care, Achilles tendon injuries can be effectively managed, allowing you to enjoy a full and active life.
