Achilles Stretches You Don’t Want to Skip

Life’s problems wouldn’t be called “hurdles” if there wasn’t a way to get over them.
–Unknown

FAQ:  What can I do to help prevent Achilles tightness or to decrease pain from tightness in my ankles and feet as a result from running?

A. Achilles Treatment. There are three great strategies to keeping your Achilles tendon healthy and elongated. In addition to these strategies, if you already have tendonitis in your feet or Achilles tendon, it is important to ice after exercise and see a physical therapist for treatment.

1. Stretch the calves: Straight leg and Bent knee. The Straight leg calf stretch will emphasize the elongation of the Gastrocnemius (the more superficial muscle of the calves) and the bent knee calf stretch will focus more on the Soleus (the deep calf muscle of the calves) both which attach distally to the Calcaneal tendon (Achilles tendon).

2. Tennis Ball Massage: At the base of the heel and all along the bottom of the foot, you should stand on a tennis ball and roll it under the foot.  Apply slow moving pressure (to your tolerance and needs) at least three days/week or after each run. This will decrease the tightness in the tendons beneath the foot and tightness in the supporting muscles.

3. Foam Roll your entire lower leg and shin muscles: Foam rolling is a way to massage tight muscles and decrease knots that cannot be treated with stretching alone. It is important to break up muscle fibers that get tight during endurance running. When the muscles are more flexible and relaxed, there is less stress placed on your tendons and therefore you are less prone to tendonitis and injury.

Note: There are several deep muscles that support the body during running (Deep muscles: Plantaris, Popliteus, Flexor digitorum longus, Flexor hallucis longus, Tibialis posterior: responsible for foot inversion, stabilization of the foot, and foot flexion). By Foam rolling the entire lower leg and using tennis ball massage under the foot, you will place less stress on the calves for support and in turn less stress on the Achilles tendon.

– Anna Virginia Renderer, M.S.