Post Ankle Surgery there will be presence of swelling and stiffness. You can try Ankle Pumping & Alphabets : Pump your feet up and down by pulling your feet up toward you, then pushing your feet down away from you. In addition, rotate your feet clockwise and counterclockwise. Ankle pumps should also be done 10 times every hour while you are awake. Move your foot inward and then outward.Alternately, you can try to write the alphabet with your foot. This will incorporate all of the motions in the foot and ankle.
Strengthening the muscles that support your lower leg, foot, and ankle will help keep your ankle joint stable. You can do some strengthening exercise such as: Theraband Exercise: Attach the band to a strudy object such as a table leg and loop the other end over your foot. Pulling against the resistance of the band, move your foot inward. Next, move the band so the loop is on the opposite side of your foot. Move your foot outward. Try to do at least 20 repetitions twice daily. Toe Raises: Stand close to a stationary object for balance. Rise on both toes to start, but you should be able to eventually do single toe raises as your strength improves.
Stretching the muscles that you strengthen is important for restoring range of motion and preventing injury. You can do the following:
Heel Cord Stretch: Stand facing a wall with your unaffected leg forward with a slight bend at the knee. Your affected leg is straight and behind you, with the heel flat and the toes pointed in slightly.Keep both heels flat on the floor and press your hips forward toward the wall. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and then relax for 30 seconds. Repeat. Try to do at least 10 repetitions daily. Golf Ball Stretch: Sit on a stable chair with both feet planted on the floor. Sit up tall and keep your foot toward your chair. Roll a golf ball under the arch of your affected foot for 2 minutes. Try to do it once daily.
Towel Stretch: Sit on the floor with both legs out in front of you. Sit up tall and keep your legs straight.Loop a towel around the ball of your affected foot and grasp the ends of the towel in your hands. Keep your affected leg straight and pull the towel toward you. Hold for 30 seconds and then relax for 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
It is vital to do some balance exercises for your ankle. You can try them by standing on one leg as long as possible, keeping count as you go. Try to increase this time daily. Heel to toe walking-Place one foot after the other walking an imaginary tight rope. Start with low impact exercise such as stationary biking or swimming. As you begin walking for exercise, start slow and gradually add distance as comfort allows. Do not start jogging or running until you are comfortable walking at least 1 mile without increased pain.
Lastly, please consult with your doctor or physiotherapist for the things you can and not do depending on your recovery. These exercises are just based on general guidelines. Here is a FaceBook Live video that we did on this topic. https://www.facebook.com/healingthroughmovement1/videos/2058211474391176/
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