A bent-knee calf raise is a heel raise on one leg with the standing knee kept slightly bent the whole time. Bending the knee shifts more of the work to the deeper calf muscle (soleus). In the video it is done behind a chair, with one hand on the backrest for balance. Achilles, calf and ankle programs often pair it with the straight knee version.

How to do the bent-knee calf raise

Stand behind a sturdy chair and rest one hand on the backrest.
Bend the knee of your other leg to lift that foot off the floor behind you, so you stand on the leg you are working.
Bend the standing knee slightly, heel flat on the floor. Keep that same small bend for the whole set.
Rise onto the ball of your foot as high as you can control, without letting the knee straighten.
Lower your heel slowly back to the floor, then rise again.

What you should feel

Work low down in the calf of your standing leg, often lower than you feel it in a straight knee heel raise. A burn near the end of the set is normal.

Common mistakes

Straightening the knee as you rise, which turns it back into a regular heel raise.
Sinking into a deeper knee bend instead of lifting the heel.
Rolling onto the outer edge of the foot at the top so the ankle wobbles outward.
Leaning your weight on the chair so the calf does very little.

How often

A common starting point is 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 15 on each leg, a few days a week. Your physio will adjust this, and may start you on both feet first.

Stop and check with your physio if

Sharp pain in the Achilles tendon, heel or calf, or pain that climbs with each rise.
A sudden pop or snap at the back of your ankle or heel, a feeling that someone kicked you there, or sudden pain there after which you cannot push off or rise onto your toes on that leg. Stop, take the weight off that leg carefully and go to an urgent care center or emergency department the same day, even if you can still walk, as this can be a torn Achilles tendon.
Your calf or thigh becomes swollen, warm, tender, red or darker than usual, or has a throbbing or cramping pain that feels different from normal muscle ache. Stop and get medical advice the same day, as this can be a blood clot. If you are also short of breath or have chest pain, call emergency services.

From the clinic

One leg too hard for now? Do the same bent-knee rise on both feet, holding the chair with both hands, or start with the seated calf raise. The straight knee version is the single leg heel raise, and many programs use the two side by side. Keep your hand on the chair throughout if your balance is poor or you have had falls.

If the Achilles tendon is your problem, a mild ache in it during the set is usually fine when it has gone within a day. When it is clearly worse the next morning, ease off and check with your physio. Single leg rises come at a set stage of rehab after an Achilles tendon repair or ankle surgery. Wait until your surgeon's protocol and your physio say you are ready for them.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-26.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Bent-knee calf raise