After an injury or surgery, an exercise conditioning program will help you return to daily activities and enjoy a more active, healthy lifestyle. 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.
There are many exercises which will help you meet your rehabilitation goals.
Main Muscles : Gastrocnemius-soleus complex
Equipment Needed : None
Repetitions : 2 sets of 10
Days per week : 6 to 7
~ 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.
Main Muscles : Soleus
Equipment Needed : None
Repetitions : 2 sets of 10
Days per week : 6 to 7
~ Stand facing a wall with your unaffected leg forward with a slight bend at the
knee. Your affected leg is behind you, with the knee bent and the toes pointed
in slightly.
~ Keep both heels flat on the floor and press your hips forward toward the wall.
~ Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and then relax for 30 seconds. Repeat.
Main Muscles : Plantar fascia ligament
Equipment Needed : Golf ball
Repetitions : 1
Days per week : Daily
~ Sit on a stable chair with both feet planted on the floor.
~ Roll a golf ball under the arch of your affected foot for 2 minutes.
Main Muscles : Gastrocnemius-soleus complex
Equipment Needed : Hand towel
Repetitions : 2 sets of 10
Days per week : 6 to 7
~ Sit on the floor with both legs out in front of you.
~ 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.
Main Muscles : Gastrocnemius-soleus complex
Equipment Needed : Chair for support
Repetitions : 2 sets of 10
Days per week : 6 to 7
~ Stand with your weight evenly distributed over both feet. Hold onto the back of a chair or a wall for balance.
~ Lift your unaffected foot off of the floor so that all of your weight is placed on your affected foot.
~ Raise the heel of your affected foot as high as you can, then lower.
~ Repeat 10 times.
Main Muscles : Dorsiflexors, plantar flexors, invertors, evertors
Equipment Needed : None
Repetitions : 2 sets of 10
Days per week : 6 to 7
~ Sit down so that your feet do not touch the floor.
~ Use your foot to write each letter of the alphabet in the air. Lead with your big toe.
Main Muscles : Plantar flexors
Equipment Needed : 20 marbles
Repetitions : 20
Days per week : Daily
~ Sit with both feet flat and place 20 marbles on the floor in front of you.
~ Use your toes to pick up one marble at a time and place into a bowl.
~ Repeat until you have picked up all the marbles.
Main Muscles : Plantar flexors
Equipment Needed : Hand towel
Repetitions : 5
Days per week : Daily
~ Sit with both feet flat and place a small towel on the floor in front of you.
~ Grab the center of the towel with your toes and curl the towel
toward you.
~ Relax and repeat.
Main Muscles : Anterior tibialis, gastrocnemius-soleus complex
Equipment Needed : Use an elastic stretch band of comfortable resistance
Repetitions : 3 sets of 10
Days per week : 3
~ Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you.
~ For dorsiflexion, anchor the elastic band on a chair or table leg,
then wrap it around your foot.
~ Pull your toes toward you and slowly return to the start position.
Repeat 10 times.
~ For plantar flexion, wrap the elastic band around your foot and
hold the ends in your hand.
~ Gently point your toes and slowly return to the start position.
Repeat 10 times.
The small puncture wounds take several days to heal. The operative dressing can usually be removed the morning after surgery and adhesive strips can be applied to cover the small healing incisions.
Although the puncture wounds are small and pain in the joint that underwent arthroscopy is minimal, it takes several weeks for the joint to maximally recover. A specific activity and rehabilitation program may be suggested to speed your recover and protect future joint function.
