Seated heel raises are a fantastic exercise for targeting the soleus muscle, a key player in maintaining ankle stability and improving lower-leg endurance. Strengthening the soleus is particularly beneficial for running, walking, and managing lower limb injuries like Achilles tendinopathy or shin splints. These raises are a low-impact exercise ideal for gradual strengthening.
Unweighted
Instructions
- Sit on a sturdy chair or bench with your knees bent at approximately 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
- Place your hands on your thighs for balance.
- Press through the balls of your feet and lift your heels off the ground as high as possible, feeling the contraction in your calves.
- Slowly lower your heels back down to the floor, controlling the movement throughout.
- Repeat until you’ve completed the repetitions as prescribed by your physiotherapist.
Common Errors
- Using momentum instead of controlled movement.
- Letting heels drop too quickly without control.
- Incomplete range of motion—failing to fully raise or lower the heels.
- Slouching or poor posture in the seated position.
Progression: Add Weight
Instructions
- Sit on a sturdy chair or bench with your knees bent at approximately 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
- Place a weight on each thigh, just above the knees. Use your hands to stabilise the weights.
- Press through the balls of your feet and lift your heels off the ground as high as possible, keeping the weights balanced on your thighs.
- Slowly lower your heels back to the floor in a controlled manner, ensuring the weights don’t shift.
- Repeat until you’ve completed the repetitions as prescribed by your physiotherapist.
Common Errors
- Letting the weights move around or become unstable.
- Using jerky motions to lift the weights instead of smooth, controlled movements.
- Incomplete range of motion—failing to lift heels fully or control the descent.
- Allowing knees to splay outward instead of keeping them aligned with the feet.
To make the exercise more challenging, you can
- Increase the weight placed on your thighs.
- Perform the exercise on one leg at a time (unilateral seated calf raises).
- Slow down the movement to increase time under tension.
To make the exercise easier, you can
- Perform the unweighted version to reduce resistance.
- Use a lower weight if the weighted progression feels too challenging.
- Reduce the range of motion initially and build up over time.
All exercises are provided as an educational resource and should only be completed under the guidance of your physiotherapist.