Ankle and foot rehabilitation protocols

For patients who are recovering from ankle or foot surgery, please refer to the following protocols as advised by your physical therapist.

Achilles tendon repair rehab protocol

Ankle instability rehab protocol

Ankle dislocation rehab protocol

Articular cartilage transplantation to the ankle rehab protocol 

Articular cartilage transplantation to the first metatarsal (big toe) rehab protocol

Brostrom rehab protocol

Fifth metatarsal fracture rehab protocol

Need help recovering from surgery? Our StoneFit Physical Therapy San Francisco team can help with customized, one-on-one programs to return you to full activity fitter, faster, and stronger than you’ve been in years.

Exercise videos

Many of the protocols listed refer to specific exercises. Here are some videos explaining foot and ankle exercises that you may find useful.

Please only do these exercises if you have been advised to do so by your physical therapist. Always use caution and remember if it hurts, stop.

 

Ankle and Foot Exercises


Ankle Sprain

Foot & Ankle Exercise: Towel Toe Curls

These exercises are great exercises for runners to do while dealing with plantar fasciitis to strengthen intrinsic foot muscles.

Ankle & Foot Exercises: Toe Curls

Keep your foot arches supported! These exercises will build up the intrinsic foot muscles so that you can run without pain, with or without shoes!

Ankle Exercises: Pumping & Alphabets

These exercises will utilize every muscle in the lower leg. Relieve any swelling in the lower leg by using the muscles as a pump to squeeze the fluid up and out of the leg. Also, the movements will help limit any ankle stiffness that may occur in the acute post-surgical phase.

Ankle Exercises: Heel Raises

Key exercises to strengthen the Achilles. If the tendon ruptures, these exercises are used after our Percutaneous Repair technique.