Inner West Allied Health & Specialist Centre · Leichhardt
Exercise Library
Exercise programs from the physiotherapists at our Leichhardt clinic. Each exercise has a moving demonstration at the right speed, step-by-step instructions and a suggested dose. Search by exercise, injury or body part, build your own program, and download any program as a PDF.
General guidance only. Your physiotherapist will choose the right exercises, stage and dose for you.
Tap Add to my program on any exercise to build your own program, then download it as a PDF.
Ankle and Achilles loading program
A seven-stage progressive loading program for the Achilles tendon and ankle, from slow heel raises to single-leg jumps. Work through the stages in order and move up only when you meet the progression rule on each card. The loading sequence follows the posterior ankle protocol described by Mayes, Rio and Cook.
Pain rules for every stage
- Pain up to 3 out of 10 during the exercise is acceptable.
- Pain and stiffness the next morning must be no worse than before the session.
- If the next morning is worse, drop back one stage for your next two sessions, then try again.
- Note where the pain is. Tell your physio if it moves, spreads, or becomes deep at the back of the ankle.
- Stages 1 to 3: every second day. Stages 4 to 7: two to three sessions a week with at least 48 hours between them, and keep your highest heel-raise stage going on 2 other days.
Stages 1 to 3: calf strength
Slow, controlled heel raises to build capacity in the calf and Achilles before adding spring.
Double-leg heel raise
2 s up · 1 s hold · 2 s down
Progress when: 3 × 15 meets the pain rules for two sessions in a row. Then move to stage 2.
How to do it
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and fingertips on a bench or wall for balance only.
- Rise onto the balls of both feet as high as you can, keeping your weight over the big and second toes.
- Hold the top position for 1 second.
- Lower slowly until your heels touch the floor, then start the next rep.
Avoid
- Bending the knees
- Rolling out onto the little toes
- Bouncing or rushing the lowering
Do: 3 sets × 15 · Body weight
Single-leg heel raise
2 s up · 1 s hold · 2 s down
Progress when: 3 × 15 each leg meets the pain rules. Then add 5 kg in a backpack and build back to 3 × 15. Then move to stage 3, or to stage 4 if your physio has skipped stage 3.
How to do it
- Stand on the working leg with fingertips on a bench or wall for balance only. Bend the other knee to lift that foot behind you.
- Keeping the working knee straight, rise onto the ball of the foot as high as you can.
- Hold the top position for 1 second.
- Lower slowly until the heel touches the floor, then start the next rep.
Avoid
- Pushing through your hand to help the lift
- Hip dropping or trunk leaning
- Continuing once your height drops. That ends the set.
Do: 3 sets × 12 each leg · Body weight
Double-leg heel raise off a step
2 s up · 1 s hold · 3 s down below step level
Progress when: 3 × 15 meets the pain rules. Then move to stage 4.
How to do it
- Stand with the balls of both feet on the edge of a stair, heels hanging off, one hand on the rail.
- Rise as high as you can over 2 seconds and hold for 1 second.
- Lower over 3 seconds until your heels drop below the level of the step.
- Pause briefly at the bottom, then start the next rep.
Avoid
- Doing this stage if your pain is at the back of the heel bone (insertional). Your physio will skip it.
- Dropping quickly into the bottom position
- Bending the knees
Do: 3 sets × 15 · Body weight
Stages 4 to 7: spring and jump
Hops and jumps load the Achilles quickly. Start these only once stage 2 (or stage 3) meets the pain rules.
Double-leg hops on the spot
2 hops per second · 120 beats/min · land on each beat
Progress when: 3 × 20 meets the pain rules for two sessions in a row. Then move to stage 5.
How to do it
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, knees nearly straight.
- Turn on the beat. Hop on the spot twice each second, staying on the balls of your feet.
- Keep each hop low and quick, about 3 to 5 cm off the floor.
- Rest between sets: 2 minutes if your effort was 7 out of 10 or less, 3 minutes if it was 8 or more.
Avoid
- Heels touching down
- Landing loudly or bending the knees deeply
- Continuing once you lose the beat
Do: 3 sets × 20 (10 s) · Body weight
Single-leg hops on the spot
2 hops per second · 120 beats/min · land on each beat
Progress when: 3 × 20 each leg meets the pain rules. Then move to stage 6.
How to do it
- Stand on the working leg, other foot lifted behind you.
- Turn on the beat. Hop on the spot twice each second, staying on the ball of the foot.
- Keep each hop low and quick, with the knee nearly straight and the pelvis level.
- Rest between sets: 2 minutes if your effort was 7 out of 10 or less, 3 minutes if it was 8 or more.
Avoid
- Heel touching down
- Knee collapsing inward on landing
- Continuing once you lose the beat
Do: 3 sets × 10 each leg (5 s), building to 20 · Body weight
Single-leg jump for height
1 jump at a time · reset fully between jumps
Progress when: 3 × 3 each leg meets the pain rules and the jump height matches the other side. Then move to stage 7.
How to do it
- Stand on the working leg with the other foot lifted behind you.
- Dip slightly, swing your arms back, then drive straight up as high as you can.
- Land on the ball of the foot and let the heel and knee bend softly to absorb the landing.
- Reset fully before the next jump.
Avoid
- Stiff, noisy landings
- Knee collapsing inward
- Jumping again before you are balanced
Do: 3 sets × 3 each leg · Body weight
Single-leg jump for distance
1 jump at a time · hold the landing 2 s
Progress when: 3 × 3 each leg meets the pain rules and the distance is within 10% of the other side. Then discuss return to sport with your physio.
How to do it
- Stand on the working leg at a line on the floor.
- Dip, swing your arms back, then jump forward as far as you can.
- Land on the same leg and hold the landing still for 2 seconds.
- Walk back to the line and reset before the next jump.
Avoid
- Landing with a straight, stiff knee
- Putting the other foot down to catch yourself
- Jumping again before you are balanced
Do: 3 sets × 3 each leg · Body weight
Lower limb strength
Strength exercises for the calf, knee and hip. Heel raises are shown at normal speed and at 2 reps per second for speed and spring.
Calf: heel raises
Strength at normal speed, then speed and spring at 2 reps per second.
Double-leg heel raise
2 s up · 1 s hold · 2 s down
How to do it
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and fingertips on a bench or wall for balance only.
- Rise onto the balls of both feet as high as you can, keeping your weight over the big and second toes.
- Hold the top position for 1 second.
- Lower slowly until your heels touch the floor, then start the next rep.
Avoid
- Bending the knees
- Rolling out onto the little toes
- Bouncing or rushing the lowering
Do: 3 sets × 15 · Body weight
Single-leg heel raise
2 s up · 1 s hold · 2 s down
How to do it
- Stand on the working leg with fingertips on a bench or wall for balance only. Bend the other knee to lift that foot behind you.
- Keeping the working knee straight, rise onto the ball of the foot as high as you can.
- Hold the top position for 1 second.
- Lower slowly until the heel touches the floor, then start the next rep.
Avoid
- Pushing through your hand to help the lift
- Hip dropping or trunk leaning
- Continuing once your height drops. That ends the set.
Do: 3 sets × 12 each leg · Body weight
Double-leg heel raise
2 reps per second · 120 beats/min · up on each beat
How to do it
- Set up as for the normal-speed version, fingertips on a bench or wall.
- Turn on the beat. Rise on every beat, so you go up and down twice each second.
- Go as high as you can while keeping the rhythm. Heels lightly touch the floor between reps.
- Keep the knees straight but not locked, and keep the movement springy.
Avoid
- Heels thudding into the floor
- Bending the knees to drive the movement
- Continuing once you lose the beat or your height drops. That ends the set.
Do: 3 sets × 20 (10 s) · Body weight
Single-leg heel raise
2 reps per second · 120 beats/min · up on each beat
How to do it
- Set up as for the normal-speed single-leg version, other foot lifted behind you.
- Turn on the beat. Rise on every beat, so you go up and down twice each second.
- Go as high as you can while keeping the rhythm. The heel lightly touches the floor between reps.
- Keep the working knee straight but not locked and the pelvis level.
Avoid
- Heel thudding into the floor
- Pushing through your hand to keep up
- Continuing once you lose the beat or your height drops. That ends the set.
Do: 3 sets × 20 each leg (10 s) · Body weight
Knee
Quadriceps strength through full range and into full knee straightening.
Knee extension
2 s up · 1 s hold · 3 s down
How to do it
- Adjust the machine so your knee lines up with the machine’s pivot point and the shin pad sits just above your ankle.
- Sit back against the pad and hold the handles.
- Straighten your knees fully over 2 seconds and squeeze the front thigh muscles at the top for 1 second.
- Lower over 3 seconds without letting the weights touch down between reps.
Avoid
- Lifting your hips off the seat
- Swinging the weight up
- Letting the weight stack crash at the bottom
Do: 3 sets × 10 · Set by your physio
Terminal knee extension
1 s straighten · 2 s hold · 2 s return
How to do it
- Anchor a loop band to a fixed post at knee height. Face the anchor and place the band behind the working knee.
- Step back until the band is taut with the knee slightly bent and the heel flat.
- Straighten the knee fully by pushing it back into the band, and squeeze the front thigh muscles.
- Hold for 2 seconds, then let the knee bend slowly back to the start.
Avoid
- Lifting the heel
- Leaning the trunk back instead of straightening the knee
- Forcing the knee past straight
Do: 3 sets × 15 each leg · Medium band
Hip
Side-hip (gluteal) strength in standing.
Hip abduction
2 s out · 1 s hold · 2 s back
How to do it
- Place a loop band around both ankles. Stand tall with one hand on a bench or wall.
- Keep the standing knee slightly soft and the trunk upright.
- Lift the working leg out to the side to about 30°, toes pointing forward.
- Hold for 1 second, then return slowly without resting the foot down between reps.
Avoid
- Leaning the trunk toward the standing leg
- Turning the toes up to the ceiling
- Hitching the hip up
Do: 3 sets × 12 each leg · Medium band