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Stretching the Achilles tendon and calf muscle to keep it limber and flexible can help reduce pain associated with tendonitis.
One useful stretch is the sitting Achilles stretch. To begin, find a towel, resistance band or other long flexible object, then sit on the floor. Extend one leg out in front of you. Keep the other leg straight and slightly off to the side or bend it and tuck it into your body as though you were sitting cross-legged. Loop the towel or band around your extended leg, covering the toes and the ball of your foot, and then gently pull the towel toward you, causing the toes to bend. This will stretch your Achilles tendon; hold the position for 10 to 15 seconds, then switch legs.
You can do another easy Achilles stretch while standing next to a wall. Face the wall and place both palms against the wall for support. Place one foot forward so that it is within 12 inches of the wall, then place the other foot back behind you, keeping the leg straight. Bend at the knees so that you stretch the Achilles tendon of the back leg as the angle between your shin and foot gets smaller. Once you feel a good stretch, hold it for 10 to 15 seconds and then switch legs. - Calf raises are a standard exercise for strengthening the gastrocnemius (calf) muscle, which can also help strengthen and support the Achilles tendon. Find a chair, counter top or other study object and stand next to it in case you need it for support and balance. Next, simply raise yourself up onto the balls of your feet using the strength of your calf muscles. Instead of quickly allowing your heels to come back down to the floor, lower yourself slowly over the course of several seconds. This will strengthen your calf muscles and help prevent irritation of the tendons that may occur during a jerky or explosive calf workout. As you increase your calf strength do more reps or hold dumbbells while you do calf raises for additional resistance.
- Being able to balance properly on your feet helps strengthen the muscles, tendons and ligaments of the foot and ankle, and can stave off pain and injury. The easiest way to train your body to balance is to stand on one foot next to a wall for support. If your ankles and tendons are weak, you may find balancing difficult at first. Try to balance on one foot for a minute without support from your other leg or hands. You will likely see marked improvement in your balance after a week or less of standing on one foot for a few minutes a day. As you improve, you can try to bend at the knee while you balance to stretch the Achilles tendon, or raise up onto the ball of your foot slowly to strengthen your calves. If you can work up to it, one-footed calf raises are a great way to build strength.
