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Physiotherapist Ashley Thompson
Updated 11-6-25
How Often
Complete four times per week
When to Stop
Discontinue if pain exceeds 3/10
1Bridge
3 sets of 8 reps
  • Start by lying on your back (palms down for more stability).
  • Bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor, shoulder width apart.
  • Push your feet into the floor, contract your glutes and lift your hips up from the ground until your body make a straight line from your shoulders to your knees (this is the bridge position).
  • Slowly return your hips to the ground and repeat.
2Bridge [Hamstring Focus]
3 sets of 8 reps
  • Lie on your back with your knees bent at approximately 30° and your feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart.
  • Rest your arms at your sides with palms facing down for stability.
  • Engage your core and gently press your lower back into the ground.
  • Push through your heels, lifting your hips off the ground until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
  • Hold the top position briefly, ensuring your hamstrings are activated.
  • Slowly lower your hips back to the ground with control.
  • Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

3Hamstring Curl
3 reps
15 seconds
  • Come into lying on your back with the target limb bent.
  • Initially these exercises commence at 90 degrees as demonstrated at the start of the video.
  • Dig the heel down and back towards your sit bone.
  • You should feel your hamstring active during this contraction.
  • Sustain the contraction as advised by your physiotherapist.
Ashley Thompson Peak Physio

Pain free

4Hamstring Curl [Seated]
3 sets
10 seconds
Red Band
  • Secure the resistance band around the ankle of the target limb to an anchor point at knee height.
  • Come into upright sitting by rolling forward onto the sit bones.
  • Keeping the back of the thigh in contact with the chair, pull the foot back to the chair.
  • Aim to bend the knee to or beyond 90 degrees.
  • Slowly return to the starting position whereby the knee is extended.
  • Repeat as per Physiotherapists guidelines.
5Plantar Fascia Stretch
2 sets
30 seconds
  • Position yourself in a lunge stance facing a wall or stable surface for support.
  • Place a rolled-up towel lengthwise under the toes of your back foot, allowing the toes to extend back and elevate.
  • Keep the heel of the back foot grounded and ensure your weight is evenly distributed.
  • Keep the back knee straight as you slowly shift your body weight forward into a lunge.
  • You should feel a stretch through the arch of the back foot and up into the calf.
  • Maintain upright posture, engage your core, and avoid arching the lower back.
  • Hold/maintain as prescribed by your physiotherapist.
6Plantar Fascia Stretch [Knee Flexion]
3 sets
30 seconds
  • Position yourself in a lunge stance facing a wall or stable surface for support.
  • Place a rolled-up towel lengthwise under the toes of your back foot, allowing the toes to extend back and elevate.
  • Keep the heel of the back foot grounded and ensure your weight is evenly distributed.
  • Shift forward into the lunge, directing the bend through the ankle rather than lifting the heel.
  • You should feel the stretch move lower in the calf and maintain tension through the plantar fascia.
  • Hold/maintain as prescribed by your physiotherapist.
7Heel Raise [Step]
3 sets of 12 reps
  • Stand on a step with your heels off the edge.
  • Slowly lift your heels up.
  • Slowly lower your heels down, going lower than the step.
  • Repeat this as many times as your Physiotherapist has prescribed.
8Heel Raise [Metatarsal Extension]
3 sets of 12 reps
  • Extend the toes over a rolled up towel or against the wall.
  • Ensure that the ball of the big toe maintains contact with the floor.
  • Lift the heels off the ground.
  • This is to bias the plantar surface of the foot and encourage lengthening.