Foot & Ankle Conditions Recovery
After an injury or surgery, an exercise conditioning program will help you return to daily activities and enjoy a more active, healthy lifestyle. Following a well-structured conditioning program will also help you return to sports and other recreational activities.
To ensure that the program is safe and effective for you, it should be performed under your doctor's supervision. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about which exercises will best help you meet your rehabilitation goals.
Various physical exercises which are helpful in the rehabilitation procedure are :
- Ankle Pump Up : This exercise helps increase ankle dorsiflexion and strengthens the muscles in the front of your lower leg (shin).
- Ankle Pump Down : This exercise helps increase ankle plantarflexion and strengthens the muscles in the back of your lower leg (calf).
- Bent Knee Wall Stretch : This exercise helps stretch one of the calf muscles called the soleus. Line yourself up squarely in front of a solid wall. Outstretch your arms to lean against the wall.
- Toe Pick Ups : This exercise helps strengthen your toes and improve their flexibility. Place a pile of objects on the floor and use your toes to pick them up and move them to make another pile.
- Plantar Fascia Massage : This exercise directly massages the plantar fascia. Sit down and cross your leg over your knee. With one hand, pull your toes back toward your nose. With the other hand, massage the area on the bottom of your foot just in front of your heel.
- Ice Bottle Massage : This exercise helps to massage and ice your foot at the same time. Fill a bottle with water and freeze it. Roll your foot on the bottle for 10 minutes three times per day.
- Towel Stretch : This exercise helps to increase ankle dorsiflexion and stretch the calf muscles.