Heel raises are boring! But we still need to do them. They’re essential exercises for strengthening the Achilles tendon. But most people think that doing 3 sets of 10 heel raises will do the trick. It won’t. So, I’m going to show you a fun way to challenge your Achilles tendon…because who doesn’t love a good challenge? Challenge = fun! So, here’s what you do... Find a ball that’s the size of a tennis or lacrosse ball. In the video above, I used a similarly sized massage ball. Place it between your ankles and SQUEEZE. Don’t let go of the ball! Then, perform 3 sets of 15-25 reps of heel raises, with 2 minute rest between sets. When you go down, make sure you go slow. I recommend 2 seconds up, and 3 seconds down. What this technique does is align the Achilles tendon. The tendon is at its strongest when its fibers are perfectly parallel. Using a ball to bring your feet together and creating this line of pull will encourage the tendon to heal. It'll also challenge the neighboring muscles. For example, the tibialis posterior must provide stability, and the plantaris muscle is thought to play a role in Achilles pain. Give it a try today, and let me know what you think! 🙂 Your friend and coach, Grady

Happy Monday! I recently came across this wonderful phrase: "Books are for knowledge, not transformation." This resonated with me because it wasn't anyone with a "doctor" in front of their name, or all the degrees, that changed my own life. It was a PE teacher I had in middle school who inspired me to become who I am today. He wasn't the smartest teacher I've ever had. But he was the most transformative teacher I've ever had. It was his attention to his students, his laughter, and kindness that made all the difference. I just wanted to share this personal story today because, to me, what you've tried hasn't worked. And I want to make sure you take a moment to consider why. The good news is...you're here. This tells me you're serious about fixing your situation. And getting back to the life, PAIN-FREE, that you deserve. Here’s the thing, though… You could spend hours Googling, learning the exercises, and becoming an expert in the field. But it would do you no good. Knowledge is great… But it doesn’t help transform your life. Here’s why. Knowledge can't keep you accountable and on track like a good coach or teacher does. The most successful runners in the world have coaches. The coaches are knowledgeable, but they're better at keeping them accountable. While I’ll drop some knowledge here... …I also want you take back control of the life you deserve without pain. If you're willing, I'd like you to comment below and let me know what is the #1 thing that would change for the better if you were able to fix your Achilles pain today. I’d love to hear from you and see how I can support you in your journey! 🙂 Your friend and coach, Grady

I posted on my Instagram story (@painfreeachilles) about last night's Achilles rupture sustained by 49ers player Dre Greenlaw during the Super Bowl. What an unfortunate event and I really feel for the guy. Especially during the biggest game of the season! There has been much chatter about the increase in Achilles tendon ruptures in the NFL, and there are no clear answers. The players want to change the surface from turf to grass (though I'll point out that yesterday's game was played on grass), and others point to the fact that NFL players now have to play 1 extra game per season (although they took away a game in the preseason, so in reality - there is an equal number of games in a season.) So, what's the deal? Is this something you have to worry about? No... One study in 2017 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5429922/) suggested that only about 4.0% of patients with previously diagnosed Achilles tendonitis went on to suffer an Achilles tendon rupture. To me, that's not a huge increase, and frankly, there aren't enough studies to really show that there is a relationship. So you shouldn't have to worry about anything. My theory regarding the increase in Achilles tendon ruptures in the NFL has to do with the fact that NFL players these days are bigger, stronger, and faster...and combined with fewer days to workout with their team, they may be under-training the calf muscles while overtraining the rest of the body because football requires great upper body, core, and quad strength. In any case, I wish Dre a speedy recovery! What are your thoughts?!

Welcome to the weekend! 🎉 Are you guys doing anything fun? PS - Feel free to share this group with anyone you know. I'm only getting started, and I know there are a ton of people out there who need help. Thanks for being a FOUNDING MEMBER! 🤗

How important is it for you to be able to run without Achilles pain? Leave a comment and share your story today! 👇