The standing calf stretch works on the muscles at the back of your lower leg. Step one leg back with the heel on the floor and that knee straight, then shift your hips forward until you feel a pull in the calf. It is a regular in programs for tight calves, heel pain and Achilles problems.

How to do the calf stretch

Stand tall with your arms relaxed by your sides, as in the video. The voice guide does it facing a wall with both hands on the wall at shoulder height. Use that version if your balance is not steady, and keep your hands on the wall throughout.
Step back with the leg you want to stretch. Heel flat on the floor, toes pointing straight forward.
Bend your front knee a little and keep the back knee straight.
Shift your hips forward until you feel a stretch in the calf of the back leg. The back heel stays down the whole time.
Hold it and breathe slowly. Then bring your feet together and change sides.

What you should feel

A steady pull in the calf of the back leg, anywhere from just below the knee down toward the heel. You should not feel pain in the Achilles tendon or at the front of the ankle.

Common mistakes

The back heel lifting off the floor. Take a shorter step if you cannot keep it down.
Turning the back foot out. Point the toes straight ahead.
Letting the back knee bend. The stretch moves lower and becomes a different stretch.
Bouncing in and out of the stretch.

How often

A typical program uses holds of about 30 seconds, 2 to 3 times on each leg, once or twice a day. Your physio can change these numbers for you.

Stop and check with your physio if

Sharp pain in the Achilles tendon or at the back of the heel.
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.
Tingling, numbness or burning in the foot or down the leg.
Since the fracture or cast, the foot or ankle is getting more painful rather than less, the skin becomes very sensitive to light touch, or the foot changes color, temperature, swelling or sweating compared with the other one, or looks shiny. See your doctor or physio as soon as you can, within a few days at most, as this can be complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and early treatment may help.
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.

From the clinic

Bend the back knee a little while keeping the heel down, and the stretch shifts lower in the calf. That version targets the deeper calf muscle (soleus), and many programs include both. If you feel almost nothing with the knee straight, step further back rather than leaning harder.

Calf stretching is often limited for the first months after an Achilles tendon repair, so follow your surgeon's and physio's instructions before you try this. Once the calf moves more freely, calf raises are a common next step for strength.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-28.

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.

Calf stretch