How to do it
Back leg straight with the heel down for gastrocnemius; back knee bent for soleus and the Achilles.
Default dose
3 × 45s · each side
This is the library's default dose. Each person's programme is set after assessment, around the grade of their finding and their own conditions and limits.
Muscles involved
- stretching Gastrocnemius, Soleus
Muscle colours in the animation: orange working, blue stretching, amber holding still. These muscles were measured on the 3D model.
Where it sits in a programme: Lengthen
The second phase is lengthening: stretching a muscle or tissue that has shortened, so the joint regains the range it needs for a better posture.
Which postural findings it is prescribed for
It appears in the example programme on these pages:
Take care
- In the acute phase of a fresh injury, this exercise is taken off the programme.
- If the movement causes pain or makes pain worse, stop and contact the clinic or your doctor.
Source
Trial or systematic review:
- Radford JA, Burns J, Buchbinder R, Landorf KB, Cook C. Does stretching increase ankle dorsiflexion range of motion? A systematic review. Br J Sports Med. 2006;40(10):870-5.
Systematic review: calf stretching increases ankle dorsiflexion by a small but significant amount.