The soleus stretch works on the deeper calf muscle low in the back of your leg (soleus). It looks like the standing calf stretch, but the back knee bends, which moves the stretch down toward the Achilles tendon. You lean on a wall with both hands for support.

How to do the soleus stretch

Stand facing a wall and place both hands on it at about shoulder height.
Step back with the leg you want to stretch. Point the toes of both feet straight ahead.
Bend your front knee and let your body move forward toward the wall.
Now gently bend the back knee as well, keeping the back heel on the floor. If the heel starts to lift, you have bent far enough.
Hold and breathe slowly. Then bring your feet together and change sides.

What you should feel

A pull low in the calf of the back leg, just above the heel. It should feel like a stretch, not a sharp pain in the Achilles tendon.

Common mistakes

Keeping the back knee straight. That moves the stretch up into the upper calf.
Turning the back foot out.
Bouncing, or pushing so hard that the back heel comes right up off the floor.

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 will adjust this 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.
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

Many programs pair this with the straight-knee calf stretch, since the two stretch different parts of the calf. If you feel almost nothing, take a slightly shorter step back so you can bend the knee further while the heel stays down.

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. If your Achilles tendon is already painful, keep the stretch gentle and ask your physio whether it suits you. This matters most when the pain sits low, where the tendon joins the heel bone: stretching the ankle up presses on that spot and can make it worse. For strength in the same area, calf raises are a common next step.

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.

Soleus stretch