Achilles tendonitis stretching exercises – When to avoid them and why

Many people with Achilles tendonitis feel a natural urge to stretch the tightness out of their calf muscles and tendon – in fact, stretching exercises used to be standard treatment. However, new research shows that Achilles or calf stretches are not really the best exercises if you have tendonitis and can even delay recovery in some cases. Learn why this is and what you can do instead to get rid of those tight calves and Achilles pain.

Remember, if you need help with an Achilles injury, you're welcome to consult one of our physio team via video call.

The terms tendinitis, tendonitis, tendinosis, and tendinopathy mean the same thing for all practical purposes, and we use these interchangeably in most of our articles.

In this article:

1. What is a stretch?

2. When not to stretch your Achilles tendon

3. Stretching isn’t totally banned

4. Why the calves feel tight with Achilles tendonitis

5. How to relieve calf tightness

6. The bigger picture

7. How we can help

Alison has also made a video about this:

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What is a stretch?

A stretch is when you pull one end of a muscle away from the other and hold that position for a period of time, usually around 30 to 40 seconds. This creates a temporary increase in the muscle’s length, which can make it feel looser and more flexible for a short while afterwards.

This temporary effect is one reason why stretching is often part of a warm-up or cool-down routine.

The calf is made up of two main muscles: the gastrocnemius and the soleus. Both muscles merge into the Achilles tendon, which then attaches to the heel bone.

When you stretch your calf muscles, you naturally also stretch your Achilles tendon. You can bias a stretch to target your gastrocnemius muscle by keeping your knee straight and the soleus muscle by bending it.

Many people with Achilles tendonitis complain of stiffness in the Achilles tendon and tight calf muscles, and it is natural to want to stretch them to get rid of the tightness – it might even provide short-term relief from Achilles pain.

However, because the effect doesn’t last very long, stretching is generally not useful as a long-term rehabilitation strategy for Achilles tendonitis, and research now supports what we've been seeing in practice – that in certain circumstances stretching can make things worse or delay recovery.

When not to stretch your Achilles tendon

Although these stretches can feel good and might be useful in some situations, they are not usually recommended during the early stages of Achilles tendonitis rehabilitation.

One reason for this is that stretching the calf places the ankle into dorsiflexion, where the toes move closer towards the shin. This movement pulls the Achilles tight over the heel bone, which increases compression where the Achilles tendon attaches to the heel bone.

While this compression is a normal part of everyday movement, doing this type of stretch when your Achilles tendon is painful, irritated, swollen, or has recently become symptomatic might aggravate it further. The compression created during dorsiflexion can be compared to pressing on a bruise.

You might feel discomfort during the stretch itself, but often the stretch can feel really good while you’re doing it; however, the tendon then becomes more painful afterwards – often only several hours later.

This is especially important if the pain is near the tendon’s attachment to the heel bone, known as insertional Achilles tendonitis. Research and clinical experience suggest that insertional tendonitis is often more sensitive to compression forces. The closer the symptoms are to the heel bone, the more likely it is that repeated dorsiflexion and stretching will aggravate the tendon.

Stretching is even more problematic if you also have heel bursitis – excessive compression and friction on the bursa is often what caused the injury in the first place.

For people with insertional Achilles tendonitis, we find it works best to temporarily reduce these compression forces during the early stages of recovery. This might involve using heel wedges in your shoes, doing your calf-raise rehab exercises on the floor rather than over the side of a step, and avoiding calf stretching during the early stages of rehabilitation.

Exercises that avoid stretching your Achilles tend to work better for insertional Achilles tendonitis during the early stage of rehab.

However, insertional Achilles tendonitis is not the only type that can be irritated by stretching. Some people with mid-portion Achilles tendonitis also find that stretching increases their symptoms.

Examples of exercises that cause a strong stretch at the Achilles tendon include:

• the typical runner’s calf stretch or hanging with your heels over the side of a step

• yoga poses such as downward dog or warrior

• exercises that involve deep squats and lunges.

Examples of exercises that stretch your Achilles tendon.

You don’t necessarily have to avoid all of these exercises, but you usually have to modify them. We’ve written detailed guides on how to adapt some of the most problematic exercises to help you stay fit and active throughout your recovery:

• Adapting Pilates for Achilles tendonitis

• Yoga and Achilles tendonitis – Tips and tricks for pain relief

• How to adapt squats for Achilles pain.

Because Achilles tendonitis is different from person to person, decisions about stretching should be made on an individual basis and ideally with guidance from a healthcare professional.

Stretching isn’t totally banned

Remember that not all dorsiflexion is harmful. It is a normal movement that we use throughout the day when walking, climbing stairs, or putting on our shoes. There is no need to be afraid of moving the ankle in this direction during such activities.

We simply want to reduce the amount of dorsiflexion during these activities for a short period, which is easily achieved by simply switching from flat shoes to shoes where the heel is somewhat higher than the toes, for example most types of running shoe. (Read more about the best everyday shoes for Achilles tendonitis.) Another solution is to put heel-raising inserts into your shoes.

Likewise, stretching is not something that must be avoided forever. As symptoms settle and the tendon becomes less irritable, dorsiflexion and stretching should usually be reintroduced as part of a rehabilitation programme that gets progressively more challenging as the tendon becomes stronger.

Even in insertional Achilles tendonitis, the goal is usually to reduce compression in the short term, allow the tendon to calm down, and then gradually reintroduce movements that place the tendon into a stretched position.

There might also be times when stretching still has a role in warming up or cooling down for sport and exercise. Whether stretching is appropriate will depend on your specific situation and how sensitive your tendon is at that stage of rehabilitation.

Why the calves feel tight with Achilles tendonitis

Many people assume that tight calf muscles are causing their Achilles pain, but the relationship is usually the other way around.

When the Achilles tendon is painful, people frequently change the way they walk, run, or move. They might avoid pushing off properly through the foot or alter their gait to reduce discomfort. These movement changes can increase tension in the calf muscles and create the sensation of tightness.

In other words, the calf tightness is usually a consequence of the Achilles problem rather than the cause of it.

This helps to explain why treatments that target the calf muscles, such as massage or other techniques that help them relax, can provide temporary relief. The muscles feel less tense, movement feels easier, and symptoms might settle for a while, but then creep back later.

Historically, this is one reason why stretching was commonly prescribed for Achilles tendonitis. The thinking was that if massage created temporary relief, then stretching the calf muscles regularly to relax them might solve the problem on a more permanent basis

However, our understanding of Achilles rehabilitation has evolved. Greater awareness of the role that compression plays in tendon irritation means that stretching is no longer routinely prescribed, particularly during the early stages of recovery.

How to relieve calf tightness without stretching

If tight calves are one of your main symptoms, there are other ways than stretching to address this that might be less likely to aggravate the tendon:

• Foam rolling can help reduce the sensation of calf tightness and improve comfort.

• Massage, whether self-administered with a massage gun or performed by a therapist, might also help relieve tension in the calf muscles.

• Some people also find dry needling helpful for managing calf tightness and discomfort.

These approaches can make the calf muscles feel more relaxed and might improve comfort during everyday activities.

👉 Remember that all these techniques should focus on the calf muscles and not the Achilles tendon itself.

The bigger picture

While treatments that loosen tight calf muscles can make you feel better temporarily, they do not address the underlying changes within your Achilles tendon.

Successful Achilles rehabilitation usually requires a broader approach. This often includes strength exercises for the tendon and calf muscles, along with appropriate activity modification.

💡 Reducing activities that overload the tendon while gradually rebuilding strength is typically a key part of recovery.

You can find a detailed discussion of the best evidence-based treatment options for Achilles tendonitis here.

How we can help

Need help with your Achilles or related injury? You’re welcome to consult one of the team at TMA online via video call for an assessment of your injury and a tailored treatment plan.

We're all UK Chartered Physiotherapists with Master’s Degrees related to Sports & Exercise Medicine or at least 10 years' experience in the field. All of us have a wealth of experience working with athletes across a broad variety of sports and ranging from recreationally active people to professional athletes. You can meet the team here.

About the author

Alison Gould is a chartered physiotherapist and holds an MSc in Sports and Exercise Medicine. You can follow her on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

References

1. Cook, Jillianne Leigh, and Craig Purdam. "Is compressive load a factor in the development of tendinopathy?" Br J Sports Med 46.3 (2012): 163-168.

2. Docking S, Samiric T, Scase E, Purdam C, Cook J. "Relationship between compressive loading and ECM changes in tendons" Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2013;3(1):7–11. Published 2013 May 21.

3. Pringels, L. et al. (2025) "Effectiveness of reducing tendon compression in the rehabilitation of insertional Achilles tendinopathy: a randomised clinical trial" British Journal of Sports Medicine. Published Online First: 26 February 2025.