Your Achilles tendon runs along the back of your ankle, connecting your calf muscles to your heel. An injury to this tendon can be excruciating and make working out problematic. With a little forethought, however, you can craft a workout that will rehabilitate your Achilles tendon. Get clearance from your doctor before making any attempt to rehabilitate an injury to your heel yourself.
Warm-Up
Start your Achilles workout with a thorough warm-up to ready your muscles for action. First, do 5 to 10 minutes of cardiovascular exercise such as marching in place. March at an intensity level that increases your heart rate and causes you to start sweating. After your cardio warm-up, perform a dynamic stretching routine comprised of flowing motions that stretch out all of the major muscle groups in your body. Include a rocking heel lift into a toe raise, where you rise up on your toes, lifting your heels from the ground, then rock back onto your heels, lifting your toes from the ground. Complete eight repetitions to prepare your calf muscles and Achilles tendon for your workout.
Cardiovascular Training
If you have an Achilles injury, it needs rest to heal completely. However, that does not mean you cannot exercise. Cardiovascular exercise that works your heart and lungs is important to your overall health and fitness. Choose cardio options that are low-impact, such as walking and biking. Consider exercising in water, which cushions the impact you feel while giving you an effective workout. Consult your doctor when choosing exercises. If any exercise causes pain in your Achilles, stop and contact your doctor for instruction on proceeding.
Achilles Strengthening
Incorporate exercises that will strengthen your Achilles tendon into your workout. Exercises such as calf raises — rising up on the balls of your feet and lowering back down while balanced on the edge of a step — will strengthen your Achilles and your calf muscles. Another effective way to strengthen your Achilles is with resistance-band exercises. For example, wrap a resistance band around the ball of your foot and flex and point your foot slowly. Proceed with caution and only after getting clearance from your doctor.
Achilles Stretching
The final part of an Achilles workout is stretching. Keeping the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of your calf flexible will lessen the pull they have on your Achilles tendon. Stretch them in a seated position. Loop a towel around the ball of one foot. Pull on the towel, flexing your foot toward your body. Keep the leg you are stretching straight to stretch your gastrocnemius muscle; bend it to stretch your soleus muscle.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Achilles Tendinitis; April 29, 2010
- Sports Injury Clinic: Warm-Up and Cool-Down
- Sports Injury Clinic: Types of Stretching
- American Council on Exercise: Ankle Flexion
- Sports Injury Clinic: Calf Raises
- American Council on Exercise: Seated Calf Stretch
- Sports Injury Clinic: Stretching Exercises for Achilles Tendinitis
Member Comments