Eccentric Heel Drop

How to do it

1. Stand on a step with the balls of both feet on the edge, heels off.
2. Hold a rail for balance.
3. Rise onto both feet, then lower slowly on one foot only.
4. Use the other foot to return to the top.
5. Progress over time: straight-knee and bent-knee variations (per a professional's guidance).

Dosage: 3 × 15 slow reps per leg

Stop if…

• Pain that increases session to session
• Sharp pain during the lowering phase
• Pain keeps you awake at night or worsens over days.

Claims & evidence

• A 2026 meta-analysis of 21 randomised trials concluded that eccentric exercise can serve as a first-line treatment option for Achilles tendinopathy within load-based exercise programs.

  Evidence-based

  Sources: [pmid-42021217]

Sources

1. The efficacy of eccentric exercise in the treatment of Achilles tendinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis — BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders · Study · 2026-01-01 · accessed 2026-10-28

Related conditions

• Achilles Tendinopathy

Alternatives

• Calf Raise