Achilles specific exercises

In this stage the app will help you to carefully test what exercises your Achilles tendon can currently support and use that as a base to build from.

Don’t progress the exercises too quickly. Achilles tendinopathy is an overuse injury and you can actually make it worse by doing the exercises too often or progressing them too quickly.

Only increase intensities if pain or stiffness doesn’t increase in the 24 hours following a workout. We’ve included a detailed pain guide so that you can easily tell if you’re pitching your workouts at the right level.

When to progress

The app sets you specific targets, but you can usually progress to the next stage when you are able to do 10 slow repetitions of the Single Leg Heel Raise exercise over a step without feeling pain during or after doing them.

Other workouts

This stage includes workouts that improve the general strength, control and flexibility of your lower body in positions that don’t strain your Achilles tendon.

Activities to avoid

It’s best to avoid calf and Achilles stretches as well all jumping, hopping, and running activities during this stage.

Achilles specific exercises

If you’ve researched Achilles tendinopathy exercises, you’ve likely seen that heavy slow resistance training is the best type of exercise to do. However if you jump in using heavy weights right at the start, you’ll very likely just make your pain worse.

You have to first prepare your Achilles tendon and calf muscles for heavy strength training by first building your endurance using bodyweight exercises and eventually switching to light weights.

When to progress

You can proceed to the next stage if you can walk short distances without pain and complete the assigned strength training without an increase in pain.

Other workouts

The app provides you with cross training suggestions to help maintain your fitness. Your general strength and flexibility training from the previous stage will continue.

Activities to avoid

You should still avoid all calf and Achilles stretches as well as jumping or running activities.

Achilles specific exercises

When you run, your calf and Achilles tendon has to create and absorb large explosive forces. You’ll develop this ability in stage 4, but first you have to ensure that you have enough strength to be able to safely do those explosive exercises (plyometrics).

This is achieved through heavy strength training using weights. What’s seen as “heavy” varies between people and depends on your build. So we use your body weight to determine what weights you should build up to using.

For this stage, you should aim to slowly build up to using weights that are equal to 10% of your bodyweight when you do your Heal Raise exercises (e.g. if you weigh 70kg then 7kg is your target).

When to progress

Continue to the next stage when:

• you can walk 30 minutes and
• do your heel raises with weights equal to 10% of your body weight and
• complete the hop tests that the app sets you without an increase in pain.

Other workouts

You should continue your general strength and flexibility training. It may be OK to also add in some gentle calf stretches during this stage, but monitor your pain closely if you do.

Activities to avoid

You should still avoid all running and jumping activities.

Achilles specific exercises

This stage include plyometric exercises (hop sessions) that will help to restore your calf’s ability to create explosive forces and your Achilles tendon’s ability to absorb them and propel you forward.

It’s important to continue the heavy loaded Heel Raise exercises.

When to progress

You can move on to the next stage once you can:

• Walk 30 minutes at a brisk pace and
• complete your Heel Raise workouts with weights that are equal to 20% of your body weight and
• complete the full hop program without an increase in your symptoms.

Other workouts

Your cross training and general strength and flexibility work should continue.

Activities to avoid

No running yet, please.

Walk/Run program

Your Achilles is now finally ready to start running again, but it won’t yet have the endurance to cope with extended periods of running. It’s important to slowly ease back into running and the safest way to do this is through a program where you alternate between running and walking.

The app provides you with a walk/run program and also helps you to progress its intensity and duration at the right time.

Workouts (Achilles and general)

The main aim of your workouts is now to maintain the strength that you’ve built over the last few months.

You’ll notice that the volume and frequency of the exercises reduce. This is to allow enough recovery time between your workouts and run sessions.

When to progress

You can progress to the next stage when you can jog 20 minutes at an easy pace without aggravating your symptoms.

Activities to avoid

You should not yet do any high intensity sessions e.g. tempo runs, interval, or hill sessions.

The focus is now on regaining your previous running endurance in your Achilles and leg muscles. You can slowly increase your running volume. Research has shown that, to avoid injury, it’s best not to increase your volume with more than 10% per week.

When to progress

You can progress to the next stage when you’re able to run your normal weekly running volume at your regular easy running pace pain free.

Workouts

The strength workouts will maintain the strength that you’ve built in the previous stages. You should aim to strength train each muscle group twice a week.

Activities to avoid

Avoid high intensity running e.g. tempo, sprint or hill sessions. Your tendon will not yet have the strength to cope with the increased forces produced during high intensity running. To gain this strength, you first have to restore your full easy run capacity.

You can now start to train with increasing speed and intensity. Remember not to ramp up the intensity too quickly and allow enough recovery time.

You should continue with your weekly strength routine to support your running activities and reduce re-injury risk. The app provides you with exercises to help with this.