Achilles tendinopathy rehab, Sydney
Keep running during Achilles rehabilitation — without provoking flare-ups. Gradually reintroduce load in a controlled, supported environment that bridges rehab and return to running.
Load-sensitive · Tendon capacity · Controlled reload
Why the anti-gravity treadmill
Achilles tendinopathy is a load-sensitive condition. Too much load too soon provokes a flare-up. Too little load for too long fails to build the tissue's capacity and delays recovery. The challenge is threading the needle — enough load to stimulate adaptation, not so much that symptoms worsen.
The anti-gravity treadmill solves this. By reducing body weight, the plantarflexion force through the Achilles during running is significantly reduced — allowing running to be reintroduced at a load the tendon can tolerate, before progressing toward full body-weight running as capacity builds.
The goal isn't to avoid loading the Achilles — it's to control how much load is applied and increase it progressively. The anti-gravity treadmill makes this precision possible in a way that nothing else does.
The protocol
Four phases from supported jog introduction through to full ground running. Each phase progresses duration before reducing support percentage.
Supported jog introduction
- 40–60% body-weight support
- Jog intervals with walking breaks
- Focus on smooth, relaxed running rhythm
- Monitor push-off pain and next-day stiffness
Progressive reload
- 20–40% body-weight support
- Progress toward continuous jogging
- Increase duration before increasing speed
- Avoid early incline running
Elastic load reintroduction
- 10–30% body-weight support
- Controlled cadence increases
- Prepare for return to normal running loads
- Monitor morning stiffness as key indicator
Transition to ground running
- Gradual return to outdoor running
- Supported sessions may continue to manage weekly load
- Progressive increase in ground running volume
- Continue heel raise strength program alongside
Progression & red flags
These rules guide progression through the protocol and flag when to regress.
When to progress
- Increase duration before speed
- Push-off pain stable or improving
- Morning stiffness stable or improving
- Running rhythm remains smooth
When to regress
- Increased morning stiffness
- Local tendon swelling develops
- Pain during push-off or acceleration
- Next-day soreness worsens
Before running begins
- Walking tolerance improved
- Heel raise strength progressing
- Morning stiffness stable or improving
Achilles Tendinopathy & anti-gravity running
Should I rest completely from running with Achilles tendinopathy?
How does this work alongside my heel raise program?
Do I need a referral?
Ready to start running again?
Book a free call. We'll tell you whether you're ready to start anti-gravity running and what the protocol looks like for your achilles tendinopathy stage.
No referral needed · Five Dock, Inner West Sydney · Health fund rebates available
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