Anna Pilates

GOT A GRUMPY ACHILLES? 🦶

The Achilles tendon is the strong, rope-like tendon at the back of your ankle that connects your calf muscles to your heel.

It helps you push off the ground when you walk, run and jump — so it deals with a LOT of load every day.

When an Achilles is feeling grumpy, simply stretching it more isn’t necessarily the answer. Tendons generally respond well to appropriate, progressive loading — building their capacity over time.

Good foot and ankle alignment helps us distribute load through the lower limb more effectively. Being able to maintain good ankle and foot placement while moving gives the Achilles a more stable foundation to work from.

Pilates can help build strength and control throughout the lower limb, including:

Foot & ankle strength and alignment

Calf strength

Balance & control

Whole-leg strength

And, when appropriate, progressing towards more dynamic movement and plyometrics can help prepare the body for running, jumping and higher-impact activity.

Because your Achilles doesn’t work in isolation.

Strong foundations. Progressive loading. Confident movement 🤍