Thread: Alternative calf exercises

My first post.
I have arthritis in 1 big toe so calf raises which involve bending the toe are painful. The seated calf extension machine where you place feet on a plate and rock the plate by pivoting the ankle are great. But ... only at some gyms and not at home. I came up with a simple board on a pipe (see attached picture for trial model) to stand on and rock up and down on while holding a dumbbell (20+kg) in 1 hand and touching a wall or chair with the other hand for balance. It burns like real calf raises and gives me DOMS for a couple of days. The reason for this post is to ask:
1. How do I assess effectiveness of my rocking exercise?
2. Is there some other exercise or device for calves that avoid flexing my big toe?
3. How I target the soleus? (I know to bend the leg but balancing 80kg on 1 knee with this rocker is painful and precarious).
TIA