Calf Muscle-Strengthening Exercises

Calf-strengthening exercises can be an important component of your rehab after a lower-leg injury. They can also be done to help prevent problems with your mobility. Simple to perform, calf muscle exercises are easy to add to any exercise program.

Your physical therapist can show you specific exercises that work best for you and recommend a training schedule that is both effective and safe.

Two women doing calf raises at the gym
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The Importance of Strong Calf Muscles

The two calf muscles are called the gastrocnemius and soleus. They work during foot flexion; for example, pointing the toes by moving the ankle into a downward position. It's a strong muscle group that includes two muscle heads terminating to form the Achilles tendon at the heel.

The calf muscles activate during any ambulatory movement: walking, running, jumping. That makes them very susceptible to muscular strain injuries.

After such an injury, it is important to begin strengthening the affected calf muscle as soon as possible to:

  • Prevent atrophy (a loss of muscle mass)
  • Improve the function of your entire lower extremity

Injuries That May Be Helped by Calf Muscle Exercises

In general, any lower leg problem will probably benefit from calf rehab or strengthening. Some conditions that may be particularly helped by these exercises include:

Below are a few examples of calf-strengthening exercises. If you're having problems moving around or have pain in your knees, calves, or feet, check in with your healthcare provider and physical therapist.

Toe Raises for Calf Muscles

Toe raises describe a group of specific exercises used to strengthen the calf muscles.

Seated Toe Raises

Initially, toe raises can be done in the seated position. This takes most of the weight off the calf muscle during strengthening, but not so much that the muscle is not worked. This exercise is a great way to safely put a little bit of stress on your muscle after injury or surgery.

Perform the seated toe raise as follows:

  1. Sit in a chair with both feet on the ground.
  2. Pushing down through the toes, raise your heels off the ground.
  3. Hold the position for 10 seconds, then lower.
  4. Repeat 10 times.

You can add a bit of manual resistance by putting your hands on your thighs and gently pushing down.

Standing Toe Raises

This exercise is more advanced than the seated toe raise, as it places the entire weight of the body on the legs.

To perform it:

  1. Stand upright on both feet.
  2. Push down through your toes, lifting both heels off the ground.
  3. Hold this position for 5 seconds.
  4. Repeat 10 times.

Variation: You can make this exercise more challenging by performing it on the edge of a step. Just place the balls of your feet on a step and raise and lower down.

Performing standing toe raises as part of the Alfredson Protocol can help treat Achilles tendonitis and tendinosis. You can focus the exercise on both your gastrocnemius and soleus muscle by performing it with your knees straight, or do it with your knees bent to specifically target the soleus muscle.

Resistance Band Calf Exercise

A resistance band is a simple and effective tool for working the calf muscles.

To try this exercise:

  1. Wrap the band around the end of your foot and press down into the band, extending your toes and engaging the calf.
  2. Hold the position for three seconds, then slowly return to the starting position.
  3. Perform 10 to 15 repetitions. Switch legs and repeat.

A Word From Verywell

See your healthcare provider before you start these or any other exercises. Once you get the green light to try them, remember that calf muscle exercises should be done a few times per week for best results, unless otherwise instructed by your healthcare provider or physical therapist. And listen to your body: If you experience pain, stop and check in with your healthcare provider.

3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. University of Michigan. Michigan Medicine. Calf Muscle Injury.

  2. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo. Foot and Ankle Conditioning Program. Reviewed October 2012.

  3. Arthritis Foundation. Walk With Ease Exercises

Additional Reading
  • Hsu D, Chang KV. Gastrocnemius Strain. [Updated 2019 Dec 16]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2019 Jan-.

By Laura Inverarity, DO
 Laura Inverarity, PT, DO, is a current board-certified anesthesiologist and former physical therapist.