So this year there’s been some trouble with my Achilles mainly due to either packing on too many miles during the week, that my body isn’t ready for, or not getting enough recovery. Either way I had this trouble back in August 2022, and it flared up again in January of 2022, setting back some training for the upcoming half-marathons I had planned.
After doing some internet research, and putting together a plan of action, I compiled a routine that’s been able to get me back on track and keep me relatively healthy as I go through training. Check it out below.
Prehab and Running Warmup
You’ll want to only perform this 2-3x per week, when you first start out. Keep that same frequency for the first 2-3 weeks until you no longer get pain before, during, or after your runs. Once you get strong enough, and your calf muscles begin to loosen up increase the frequency depending on your running schedule to 3-4 times per week.
*you shouldn’t be trying to max out weights, but rather use your bodyweight for all of these exercises*
| Exercise | Set | Rep or Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ankle Circles | 1 | 30 secs each foot |
| Med Ball Slams | 1 | 10 reps |
| Lying Straight Leg Raise | 2 | 20 seconds each |
| Side-lying leg raise | 2 | 20 seconds each |
| Opposite Arm and Opposite Leg Balance | 1 | 60 seconds |
| Calf Raise | 2 | 12 reps |
| Calf Stretch into Soleus Stretch | 2 | 30 seconds |
| Step-Ups | 2 | 12 total |
| Lateral Band Walks | 2 | 30 secs each |
| Single Leg Eccentric Drill | 2 | 30 seconds |
| Ankle Dorsiflexion with mini-band | 2 | 30 seconds each leg |
| Alternating Dumbbell Lunge | 1 | 12 total |
| Hamstring Stretch | 1 | 1 minute |
| Quad Stretch | 1 | 1 minute |
| Plank | 1 | 45 seconds |
Post Run and Cool Down Exercises
The below routine has been useful after mid to long runs to make sure that I properly cool down, and adds in a layer of low-impact resistance training to help build up the muscles around the ankle and lower body.
I recommend adding this into your post-run workout, and aiming to complete this 2-3x per week as you progress.
| Exercise | Sets | Rep or Time |
|---|---|---|
| Static Lunge Stretch | 2 | 30 seconds each side |
| Single Leg RDL | 2 | 10 reps each side |
| Side lying Leg Raise | 4 | 10 reps each side |
| Single Leg Leg Press | 6 | 5 reps each side |
| Banded Hip Extension | 4 | 10 reps |
Christopher Sandoli 