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Rehabilitation
exercises for foot fractures
Strengthening exercises
Alternative exercises
When can I return to my sport or activity?
Read
more about foot fractures
Rehabilitation
exercises
Rehabilitation depends on the severity of the injury. Most rehabilitation
for foot fractures includes rest and avoiding activities that stress,
strain, or pressure the injury site. During rehabilitation, athletes can
maintain cardiovascular fitness through aerobic activities such as cycling
or swimming.
Of course, if your
fracture requires surgery to put the bone back in place, your rehabilitation
will be prescribed by your doctor and may vary depending on the severity
of the injury.
Strengthening the
muscles around the foot fracture hastens recovery and prevents recurrence
of the injury. Athletes with a history of foot fractures should make these
exercises part of their pretraining warm-up. Although the exercises are
described for the injured-side foot or leg, you should also do them on
the uninjured side. This is especially encouraged for athletes with recurring
incidents of foot fracture, as the exercises are preventive as well as
rehabilitative.
- Hurdler's stretch
Sit on the floor with the injured-side leg fully extended and the opposite
leg bent at the knee so that the sole of the uninjured-side leg is against
the inner thigh of the injured-side leg. Keep the extended leg straight
while reaching for and grasping the toes of the injured-side foot. If
the toes cannot be reached, put a towel around the underside of the
injured-side foot and grasp its ends with the extended hand. Hold this
position for 5 to 10 seconds. Relax for 5 seconds. Perform this cycle
10 to 15 times, 3 times daily.
- Foot and lower
leg extension
Kneel on the floor with toes pointed backward and sitting on heels.
Gradually lower your full body weight. Reach backward with the injured
side hand and grasp the injured-side toes, pulling them gently upward
and hold this position for 5 seconds. Release the grip on the toes and
raise some of the body weight from the heels. Rest in this position
for 5 seconds. Perform this cycle 5 times, 3 times daily.
- Arch stretch
Sit erect on a table or bed with the injured-side leg crossed over the
opposite leg. Grasp the toes of the injured-side foot with the hand
of the same side and the heel of the injured-side foot with the opposite
hand. Gently pull the toes toward the shin. Hold this position for 5
seconds, then relax hands and rest for 5 seconds. Perform this cycle
5 times, 3 times daily.
- Top of foot stretch
Sit erect on a table or bed with injured-side leg crossed over the opposite
leg. Grasp the top of the injured-side foot with the hand of the same
side and the toes of the injured-side foot with the opposite hand, with
fingers over the top of the injured foot. Gently pull the toes of the
injured-side foot toward the ball of the foot in a curling motion and
hold this position for 5 seconds. Relax hands and rest for 5 seconds.
Repeat this cycle 5 times, 3 times daily.
Strengthening exercises
Try the following exercises for strengthening the muscles of the lower
leg and those that control movements of the foot:
- Toe raises
Stand with hands resting on a chair back. Slowly elevate to the toes
of both feet and hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds. Return to
start position and rest for 5 seconds. Perform 20 times, 3 times daily.
- Single toe raises
After one week, or later if occasional pain is present, perform single
toe raises. Stand to the side of a chair with one hand resting on the
chair back. Bend the knee on the uninjured side and raise the foot from
the floor. Slowly elevate to the toes of the opposite foot. Hold this
position for 10 to 15 seconds. Return to start position and rest for
5 seconds. Perform this cycle 20 times, 3 times daily.
- Ankle flexion
Sit on a table with lower legs dangling over the side. Stabilize your
body by holding the table edge with both hands. Turn the foot of the
injured side upward and inward and hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds.
Return to the start position and rest for 5 seconds. Turn the injured
side foot upward and outward and hold for 10 seconds. Return to the
starting position and rest for 5 seconds. Repeat this sequence 10 times,
3 times daily. Begin with no resistance and gradually add weight to
the ankle over time. Add weight in 2.5 pound increments until you reach
10 pounds.
- Side toe raises
Lie on your side on a table or bed with the injured-side leg uppermost
and the uninjured leg bent at the knee with the uninjured side foot
under the injured side calf. The injured-side foot should be extended
over the end of the table or bed by a few inches. Relax the injured-side
foot, then raise the injured-side toe upward and outward and hold this
position for 5 seconds. Relax the injured-side foot. Rest for 5 seconds.
Repeat this sequence 10 times, 3 times daily. Begin with no resistance
and add weight to the forefoot with training time by 2.5 pounds until
10 pounds can be managed.
Alternative exercises
During the period when normal training should be avoided, alternative
exercises may be used. These activities should not require any actions
that create or intensify pain at the site of injury. They include:
When can I return
to my sport or activity?
If the fracture is treated immediately following initial symptoms, athletes
can usually return to competition within 4 to 6 weeks.
A foot fracture that
is ignored by an athlete until the pain ultimately prevents him or her
from competing, may take 8 to 10 weeks to fully heal. In any case, return
to full participation in his or her sport must be delayed until all symptoms
disappear, not only at rest, but when performing the skills and activities
inherent to the sport or activity.
The goal of rehabilitation
is to return you to your sport or activity as soon as is safely possible.
If you return too soon, you may worsen your injury, which could lead to
permanent damage. Everyone recovers from injury at a different rate. Return
to your activity is determined by how soon your fracture recovers, not
by how many days or weeks it has been since your injury occurred.
You may safely return
to your sport or activity when, starting from the top of the list and
progressing to the end, each of the following is true:
- You have full range
of motion in the injured foot compared to the uninjured foot.
- You have full strength
of the injured foot compared to the uninjured foot.
- You can jog straight
ahead without pain or limping.
- You can sprint
straight ahead without pain or limping.
- You can do 45-degree
cuts, first at half-speed, then at full-speed.
- You can do 20-yard
figures-of-eight, first at half-speed, then at full-speed.
- You can do 90-degree
cuts, first at half-speed, then at full-speed.
- You can do 10-yard
figures-of-eight, first at half-speed, then at full-speed.
- You can jump on
both feet without pain and you can jump on the injured foot without
pain.
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