The towel roll calf stretch stretches both calves at the same time. You stand facing a table or worktop with the balls of both feet on a rolled towel and your heels on the floor, then lean your whole body forward with straight knees until you feel a pull in the upper calves. Raising the toes on the towel also puts a little stretch along the soles.

How to do the towel roll calf stretch

Stand upright facing a sturdy table or kitchen worktop, about an arm's length away. Roll a towel into a firm tube and lay it on the floor in front of your feet.
Step forward so the balls of both feet rest on the towel, toes raised and both heels down on the floor. Straighten your knees.
Put your hands on the table and lean your whole body forward from the ankles, taking your hips with you rather than bending at the waist.
Stop when you feel a stretch in both calves, just below the backs of the knees, and hold it while breathing normally.
Push through your hands to bring yourself back upright, and rest before the next one.

What you should feel

An even pull in the upper part of both calves, sometimes spreading toward the heels, and a mild stretch under the arches from the raised toes. There should be no sharp pain at the back of the heel.

Common mistakes

Bending at the hips so your bottom sticks out, which takes most of the stretch out of the calves.
Letting the heels come up off the floor.
Bending the knees as you lean.
Using a towel roll so thick that you cannot keep your heels down.

How often

Holds of about 20 to 30 seconds, repeated 2 to 4 times, once or twice a day, are a typical range. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

Sharp pain in the Achilles tendon, heel or arch, or tingling or numbness spreading into the feet.
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

Both feet sit on a soft, rounded towel, so the table does two jobs: it takes some of your weight for the stretch, and it is there to hold if you wobble. Keep your hands on it the whole time, and choose a table or worktop that will not shift when you lean on it. Lay the towel on a floor where it will not slide. If you have fallen in the past year or feel unsteady standing, try the calf stretch with a strap, which you do sitting on the floor, or ask your physio which version suits you.

To stretch one leg at a time, try the toes up wall calf stretch or the standing calf stretch. If your pain sits where the Achilles tendon attaches to the heel bone, check with your physio before you stretch, since a strong stretch can press on that spot and irritate it. After an Achilles tendon tear, whether or not it was repaired, calf stretching is usually held back for the first few months, so wait for your surgeon's and physio's go-ahead. After an ankle fracture or ankle surgery, follow your surgeon's or physio's weight-bearing plan, and start this exercise only when they have cleared you.

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.

Towel roll calf stretch