Achilles Tendon Pain: Phase 2
This video today is for anyone out there that has been dealing with some Achilles tendon pain. And they aren’t in that spot anymore where it’s super irritable. But it’s getting less painful with daily activities. Maybe you’re able to do a little bit of easy running without a lot of pain, but it’s still bothering you.
So at that point, we want to progress away from isometrics. Which are going to be simple, where we’re coming up under our heels and just holding it. We want to start to load your tendons more.
So we’ll start to progress to a calf raise. And so with tendons, we really want to emphasize tension and load. To do that, we’re going to load your tendon by doing a single leg calf raise off of a step, preferably. Off that step, you’re going to be able to let your heel come down as far as you can. So you’re getting into a lot of dorsiflexion.
And then we’re going to emphasize time as well. So we’re going to go up for a count of three, and then we’re going to come down for a count of three. The goal when you’re first starting is to do three sets of 12 for about the first one to two weeks.
You want to get heavy enough. Maybe you can just start with just body weight and that feels challenging enough. Or you can always hold on to a weight in your hand, or maybe in a backpack. And then you want to progress yourself. So week three, aiming for four sets of 10. And then week four, four sets of six.
And how do you know if you’re getting heavy enough? We don’t want to work to a complete failure, but you want there to be one to three reps left in the tank. So if you were doing four sets of 10 at that 10th rep, you would still be able to do 11, 12, maybe 13. But you couldn’t go beyond that. That’s a good way to figure out how hard you should work.
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Here at Peak Endurance Performance & Physical Therapy we help active adults in the Madison Area get back to the activities they love without pain or limitations. We see people of all ages, ability levels, and individuals trying to get back to a multitude of movements including: getting back into running, women postpartum, CrossFit athletes, climbers, gymnasts, wrestlers, overhead athletes, and your recreational weekend warrior. If you’re looking to get back to the activities that give you meaning, relieve stress, and make you feel like you again, feel free to reach out below and we’ll see if we’re the right fit for you.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this content is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you are experiencing pain or any symptoms, please consult your healthcare provider promptly. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen in our content.