If your achilles and ankles could be made injury-proof by the sheer volume of calf raises you're doing...

Then you'd have ankles of steel.

But instead, I always find months of January - March to be repeat Achilles offenders.

Mostly because we're ramping up and sprinkling back in speed, hills,...general intensity.

But it comes with a cost.

I've taken MULTIPLE different physical therapy ankle/achilles courses within the last year because I'm always amazed how much of the detailed nuance the internet loses when it comes to one of the most common running injuries.

Am I surprised? Not at all.

But it challenges me (almost daily) to make sure YOU all have the right answers.

So to start off this new year with a bang, I wanted to dive into the weeds. Yes, we're getting nerdy from the start of 2026.

Did you know there is more than ONE kind of Achilles tedinopathy?

(translation: your achilles hurts, but there are multiple different reasons why!)

This isn't to make you panic; this is to say "there's a reason why your regular calf raises aren't working and this is it!

Depending on WHERE it hurts along your achilles tendon, can dramatically change how you rehab it. That's why I get so upset for you all when the internet says "just do a billion calf raises".

*le sigh*

They got half of it right. Yes, you need to do calf raises. But there's so much more to it.

I wanted to take this week's blog post to break down the 2 most common different kinds of Achilles Tendinopathy (yes, there are actually more...but let's keep it simple for now).

You're going to want to check this out if you've ever had Achilles pain:

• after or during speed work
• found it came on after repeated hill sprints
• and it feels the most tender at the point where the tendon meets the heel, but more so on the outside (lateral) portion of the tendon

But if that's not you, how about this one? Maybe your Achilles:

• Feels thick, ropey, and maybe even looks a little swollen, roughly 2cm or more above your heel bone
• You can physically pinch your tendon, causing some tenderness
• often feels better the more calf raises you do

Same tendon. Two different conditions. Requiring nuanced versions of calf raises.

Can you just do 100 regular, body weight calf raises? I mean, sure. and they might help. For now. But I can guarantee your pain will come back eventually.

That's why I wanted to give you real answers with real PT-rehab exercises so you're not guessing. You're making progress.

So let's head over and check it out:

Got questions? You can always hit reply to these emails! I'm happy to help :)

Dare to Train Differently,

Marie Whitt, PT, DPT //@dr.whitt.fit

P.S. Let's finally bust the myth of why 1000 calf raises a day DON'T give you injury-proofed ankles of steel. Go check out this week's blog!

Looking for MORE ways to work together?

• ​RUNNING RESCUE CALL: Save your run and your race. Work directly with me 1-on-1 at the first sign of an ache, niggle, or repeat running injury. We'll deep dive into the why behind your injury and create a personalized exercise program that gets you out of pain, keeps you running, and helps prepare you for race day!
• Grab my NEWEST FREE Strength resources for runners: The Calf & Achilles Cure Toolkit, made for marathoners sidelined by stiff, painful achilles and tight, injury-prone calves who want to protect their training cycle and show up to the starting line strong, pain-free, and ready to race.
• ​STRONGER FEET WORKSHOP: Losing the battle to plantar fasciitis, posterior tib pain, or reoccurring Achilles tendonitis? Not with this workshop ;)

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