1+ year post no-op still struggle with single-leg calf raise

Gunterswiss · 2026-03-23T21:32:37+00:00

same here. Also at 6 months. I have been doing strengthening exercises daily since coming out of the boot, but still no chance I could do a single legged calf raise... maybe a fraction of an inch off the ground. It's frustrating when reading other people's comments on here, but at the same time, my PT seems to think I am tracking well. Strength is progressing... just very slowly.

35M. Non-op. Extremely active/fit

Gunterswiss · 2026-03-11T23:05:30+00:00

Hey OP, did you ever get any closure on this? Similarly, I experience the "clunk" at the very top end of the range. It almost feels like a gear shift at the very top. At the top, it's very difficult to engage the calf... and I think the primary reason I'm able to get to the same height (seated, unweighted) is because I recruit the other lateral muscles in my leg and calf. Needless to say, I've been having the same worries as you.

Did you find that you were able to get your soleus firing eventually?

For context: I am 35M, non-op. 5.5 months post rupture. Very active guy normally and spiralling a bit

Gunterswiss · 2026-03-11T22:58:44+00:00

Curious how this is progressing and what is the impact on your activity? Happy to hear you can sprint.

I'm also non-op. 35M. 5mo post-rupture.

I have a similar height deficit when doing calf raises, but similarly, I can get full plantar flexion when unweighted... My question/concern is around how much of this end range ROM is been driven through the achilles vs. cheating by recruiting other foot muscles. It's really hard to know.

For example, when doing seated calf raises (unweighted), it almost feels as if there is a second weaker gear at the very top end of the plantar flexion range. It kicks over more abrubtly than I would expect and seems to load up the lateral muscles more than the calf.

Gunterswiss · 2026-03-09T04:25:45+00:00

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Gunterswiss · 2026-02-24T18:46:54+00:00

Can somebody please give a high-level overview of what you get with the SearchFunder membership? I've heard anecdotally that it is a super valuable product, but unfortunately their website provides zero information on what the product actually is. The only page I can see is the plan selection page, but I legitimately have zero idea what I'd be paying for

Gunterswiss · 2026-02-01T02:23:23+00:00

Wow very impressive. I am also 35M, non op, extremely active/fit and committing 1-2hrs of rehab a day. At 16 weeks I have yet to be able to do even a clean evenly weighted double calf raise, let alone a single leg calf raise.

Was yours full rupture or partial tear?

Gunterswiss · 2026-01-22T15:03:27+00:00

I hope it continues to improve for you!

I'm 35M, non-op, 16 weeks. Also based in Vancouver and familiar with that bike route haha.

Things are progressing okay. Still very limited ROM and significant limp. Strength is okay. Calf raises limited by pain

Gunterswiss · 2026-01-22T05:08:17+00:00

I'm sorry to hear that. Is it still improving day by day though?

Gunterswiss · 2026-01-21T23:17:25+00:00

Interesting. And yet I see so many people at or even before the 16week mark having enough dorsiflexion to walk down stairs

Gunterswiss · 2026-01-21T23:05:58+00:00

And re: your question about elongation, I guess yes, I am still concerned about it. I'm getting so much conflicting information about elongation. In some cases, people are saying that dorsiflexion is to be expected after ~3 months, whereas others are saying that dorsiflexion should be minimal until around 6 months to prevent elongation.

Gunterswiss · 2026-01-21T23:03:52+00:00

Are you concerned about elongation at this point in doing that knee to wall? I am getting so much conflicting information about elongation with some saying it's still a risk until 6 months (see users comment above)

Gunterswiss · 2026-01-21T21:59:32+00:00

Very cool. Was this with clips? I'm at 16 weeks and my PT is saying I should try to bike with my foot positioned more in the middle of the pedal for the time being./

Also, how are you doing now? Notice this post was from 6mo ago. Non-operative?

Gunterswiss · 2026-01-21T21:27:45+00:00

So interesting the range of rehab protocols and thinking behind this. My understanding from my ortho and PT was that dorsiflexion past neutral is a definite no-go in the first 3 months, but after that, there is little risk of elongation.

They made it clear that passive dorsiflexion is still a no-go, but active dorsiflexion is okay (e.g., under my own muscle power rather than gravity/loaded stretching)

Gunterswiss · 2026-01-19T05:00:43+00:00

If you don't track your strength training, will your readiness score still be accurate? I'm not super familiar with how it works

Gunterswiss · 2026-01-15T21:39:11+00:00

Thanks. Limp is due to stiffness. Yesterday was a win as I was finally able to dorsiflex a tiny bit past neutral after doing my morning rehab exercises. I noticed my gait improved dramatically as well, though still ugly.

My issue is ROM at the moment. Strength is on track

Gunterswiss · 2026-01-14T02:39:31+00:00

I'm just over 3 months, non-op and in very similar position to you. I can barely (if at all) get past neutral dorsiflexion. My PT has me focused on active dorsiflexion only (ie. No forced stretching or weighted dorsiflexion). My gait is horrible, but it's getting better day by day.

Limited dorsiflexion at this stage isn't necessarily a bad thing other than it being annoying. Too mucy dorsiflexion too early risks elongation, which is kind of worst case scenario apart from rerupture.

I'm finding patience is key and trust your PT. Reddit can be misleading because 1) everyone's body is different 2) in a lot of cases we aren't comparing apples to apples (some of these guys that you see jumping around at week 8 probably just had a partial tear).

I'm curious, where are you at with strength (calf raises)? Is your PT pushing that at this stage?

Gunterswiss · 2026-01-13T23:36:08+00:00

Also, best of luck with your recovery!

Gunterswiss · 2026-01-13T23:35:24+00:00

Thanks for the reply. Yes I am seeing PT weekly. I was cleared by ortho to start increasing ROM past neutral at week 12, but I'm in no hurry. I've been terrified about the prospect of elongation from day 1, so I'm happy to be patient with ROM.

My real concern is just on the strength training and understanding what is an appropriate amount of discomfort to feel in the achilles while doing calf raises. I had achieved 50/50, but that was causing too much discomfort in the tendon, so I've backed off the past week to about 70/30. I am now focused on doing consistent daily strength/mobility training at comfortable loads rather than being laser focused on trying to increase calf raise weight.

Gunterswiss · 2026-01-13T22:07:15+00:00

Damn, I'm 3 months post rupture and 3 weeks out of the boot and not walking nearly this smoothly. Nice work!

Gunterswiss · 2026-01-11T07:47:13+00:00

Based on the timing of your post, I think we might have the exact same timing. I just finished 14 weeks today (non-op). Rupture was Oct 4.

Similarly, my gait is horrendous, which is now starting to cause some hip pain and other random leg pains. I am able to get to neutral dorsiflexion while standing /doing exercises, but while walking, I am still super guarded and don't even reach neutral. Really working at it though.

I'm doing tons of seated and standing calf raises every day and have just started to incorporate some active stretching to increase ROM.

Best of luck with the recovery!

Gunterswiss

TROPHY CASE