How to Do the Achilles Tendon Crossover Exercise

Achilles tendon injuries are serious, take a long time to heal and often reoccur. They can also can ruin an athlete's career. You can prevent injuries and increase tendon and calf strength by using the Achilles tendon crossover exercise. Sometimes called the grapevine or karaoke, this exercise is fairly simple to learn and can be used to rehabilitate or strengthen the Achilles tendon and calf muscle.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Stabilize your body to learn this exercise by standing facing a wall within fingertip distance. This is especially important if you already have an Achilles injury. If you are in top physical shape, you can do this exercise without the stabilization.
2. Stand straight up slightly on your toes, with your feet shoulder distance apart and your fingertips touching the wall if needed.
3. Cross your right leg over your left leg and place your foot slightly on your toes in front of the left leg. As your right foot touches the floor, place your weight on the toe and foot and bring the right foot out to step sideways so your feet are shoulder width apart again.
4. Cross your left leg over your right leg and place your foot slightly on your toes in front of the right leg. As your left foot touches the floor, place your weight on the toe and foot and bring the left foot out to step sideways so your feet are shoulder width apart again.
5. Complete the crossover steps sideways for a short distance--no more than 20 feet if you are injured--and repeat the steps going back the opposite way.
6. Step up the pace if you are not injured and add a slight hop to build strength and endurance. You can really step up the difficulty by increasing speed and distance. Bend your knees slightly and move quickly in a step-hop fashion. This is a fun exercise for building the Achilles tendon.