Achilles Tendonitis Exercises

Achilles heel drop exercise

Achilles tendonitis heel drop exercises have proven to be successful for treating chronic Achilles tendon pain. The Hakan Alfredson’s heel drop protocol involves twice daily exercises for 12 weeks.

Advert

What is Hakan Alfredson’s heel drop protocol?

Alfredson created an Achilles rehabilitation program based on eccentric exercises but made three innovations:

  1. If your Achilles pain gets worse this is not necessarily a bad thing. It could just be part of the normal healing process.
  2. Heel drop exercises should be performed both with the leg straight and bent.
  3. A total of 180 repetitions should be done every day for 12 weeks. This is a lot more than most Achilles rehab programs would advocate.

Studies have been shown the Hakan Alfredson’s heel drop protocol to be the most effective treatment method for long-term chronic Achilles tendon pain in up to 90% of patients.

Heel drop exercises

Eccentric exercises involve dropping the heel horizontally in a slow and controlled manner. An eccentric muscle contraction is one where the muscle gets longer as it contracts.

With heel drop exercises it is the calf muscles at the back of the lower leg which are contracting at the same time as they lengthen. Also it is important to stretch these muscles regularly.

You must perform exercises daily for 12 weeks without fail. Some discomfort is likely. You may feel your injury is getting worse before you see improvement.

Advert
Achilles strap

Buy Achilles Straps

UPMedical.co.uk (UK)

Amazon.com (USA)

Why does Hakan Alfredson’s protocol work?

If you complete the two exercises strictly each day, this totals 180 repetitions per day for 12 weeks. In the short term, exercise:

  • Increases tendon volume
  • Stimulates collagen production

The tensile strength of the tendon will increase over time, making it able to cope better with the loads expected of it in day-to-day activities and sports training.

Keep a record of your exercises

It is important to keep a record of the exercises you do. Downloaded our 12 week exercise record sheet.

Achilles tendonitis exercises record sheet

Heel drop eccentric strengthening exercises

Heel drop achilles exercises play video

For Achilles tendonitis heel drop exercises keep the knee straight and bent to isolate the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles.

The gastrocnemius is the larger muscle that originates from the femur (thigh bone). Therefore stretch and strengthen it with the knee straight.

Bending the knee relaxes the gastrocnemius, leaving the soleus muscle to take more of the load.

Gastrocnemius heel drop

Begin standing with one foot on a step, heel raised up. Slowly lower your heel keeping the leg straight until the foot is parallel to the ground but no further.

Then push up to the starting position using your uninjured leg to assist and repeat. Perform 3 x 15 repetitions twice a day, every day for 12 weeks.

The exercise may be moderately painful and Achilles pain may get worse before it gets better. When 2 x 15 repetitions, twice a day become pain-free, increase the load.

You can do this by wearing a weighted vest or rucksack to increase the weight or load through the Achilles tendon

Soleus heel drop

You can do this in exactly the same way as the gastrocnemius heel drop exercises. Keep your knee bent at about 45 degrees (half squat position)

Stretching exercises for Achilles tendonitis

Achilles stretches don’t actually stretch the tendon much. It is the calf muscles that need stretching. Stretching is an important part of the treatment and rehabilitation of Achilles tendinitis. Tight or shortened calf muscles may increase the strain on the Achilles tendon making it work harder.

Gastrocnemius stretch

  • Place the leg to be stretched behind and lean forward, ensuring the heel is kept in contact with the floor at all times.
  • Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat it 3 times. This can be repeated several times a day and should not be painful.
  • A stretch should be felt at the back of the lower leg. If not then move the back leg further back.
  • A more advanced version of a calf stretch is to use a step and drop the heel down off it.

Soleus stretch

  • Keep the back leg bent to stretch the soleus muscle
  • Place the leg to be stretched behind and lean against a wall keeping the heel down
  • A stretch should be felt lower down nearer the ankle at the back of the leg
  • If this stretch is not felt then a more advanced version is to place the forefoot of the front leg against the wall with the heel on the floor and push the knee towards the wall

Download our App to access our step-by-step Achilles tendon rehab program: iPhone & Android

Stretching on a step

  • This stretch can be performed to further the stretch on the calf muscles and Achilles. Stand on a step with the toes on the step and the heels off the back.
  • Carefully lower the heels down below the level of the step until you feel a stretch – make sure you have something to hold on to!
  • Hold for 15-20 seconds. This should be performed with the knee straight and then repeated with the knee bent to make sure you are stretching both muscles.

References

Scroll to Top