The patients were instructed to stand with straight legs on a small step, lift up on the toes, hereafter put the weight on the injured leg and slowly lower the heel as far as possible until they felt a maximal stretch of the calf muscles and/or the Achilles tendon. The exercises were repeated 15 times. Then the patients were told to repeat the exercises with semi-flexed knee. If possible the series should be repeated twice increasing to three times at each session. If pain decreased they should increase the load on the Achilles tendons by wearing a rug sack and increasing the weight of the rug sack by adding weights (5kg each). The patients were told that some pain was to be expected from the tendon during exercise, but that increasing daily pain or morning stiffness indicated that the exercises had been progressed too fast.

The patients were instructed in standing stretching exercises of the gastrocnemius (straight leg) and soleus (bended knee). The stretch was slowly increased and maintained for 30s. This stretch was to be repeated five times during each session. The patients were instructed that the stretching should be pain free, although a small degree of unpleasantness was allowed.

The tenderness of the symptomatic tendons was determined manually by applying a moderate amount of pressure (about 1 kg) with the first and second finger on each side of the tendon. The tendon was palpated 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 cm proximal to the calcaneal insertion, and at each level the tenderness score was noted according to the subjects' answers of the pain perceived (0 = none, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate and 3 = severe).

The tenderness of the symptomatic tendons was determined manually by applying a moderate amount of pressure (about 1 kg) with the first and second finger on each side of the tendon. The tendon was palpated 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 cm proximal to the calcaneal insertion, and at each level the tenderness score was noted according to the subjects' answers of the pain perceived (0 = none, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate and 3 = severe).

The tenderness of the symptomatic tendons was determined manually by applying a moderate amount of pressure (about 1 kg) with the first and second finger on each side of the tendon. The tendon was palpated 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 cm proximal to the calcaneal insertion, and at each level the tenderness score was noted according to the subjects' answers of the pain perceived (0 = none, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate and 3 = severe).