Calf exercise - regressions, lateralisations & progressions

You've got to rehab someone to be more capacious than what they're likely to encounter. This provides a buffer. For example. An older patient's highest levels of activity are going up and down stairs. Short range triple flexion and triple extension. To only provide development exercise for that limited movement gives no "envelope of function" for how to respond to anything else. So, a runner with the ability to do a single leg heel raise needs a progression, and it isn't more of the same. Previous blogs explain why. So here's a progression from single leg heel raise - particularly relevant if the individual isn't ready for impact yet.

The above drill is a progression. A further progression would be ankling or calf dribble. A lateralisation, meaning on a similar level but different, would be a lateral march, perhaps with less heel contact than in this video from EXOS Physical Therapy Austin. Add a sled drag or band-facilitated reactive neuromuscular training for some reflex stabilisation or more, but still low level, force development. A regression would be a wall load and lift, or a wall load and lift (cut) lateral or crossover.