soft tissue recovery:

 

There are 3 goals after injury and surgery:

1. Control swelling and pain

2. Restore or preserve joint movement

3. Strengthen with a graded strengthening program while preventing further injury

 

1. reducing swelling:

There are several ways of helping to manage swelling:

• High elevation

• Ice

• Compression bandages

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2. early movement:

Occasionally plaster is needed but as soon as possible patients need to start to mobilise the joints of the foot and ankle.

A removable boot with a stiff sole allows patients to use the foot without overloading it during weight bearing. The boot also is removable to allow for early joint movement.

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3. graded strengthening:

The goal of a strengthening program is to gradual introduce exercises that challenge the healing tissues and promote an increase in strength and stability without causing new injuries. It is important that your physiotherapist and surgeon are advising you on your recovery. Generally speaking when you are advised you will start in double heel raises. Once double heel raises are quite good you will make these more challenging by wearing a backpack with weight or by lowering on the injured leg only. Eventually you will be able to preform single heel raises. Once single heel raises are strong you will be able to gradually add in impact activity

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enhanced soft tissue recovery:

There are exciting new developments to help improve recovery:

1. Cold therapy with ice circulating through the splint

2. Early joint movement with the use of a removable boot

3. Preventing loss of muscle by stimulating the muscles to contract with neuromuscular stimulation

4. Preventing new injury during recovery with the use of the appropriate splint

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To assist in recovery the footforwardclinic is working together with DJO to supply braces, cold therapy and neuromuscle electro stimulation. You can discuss what is right for your recovery in clinic and if you would like to proceed you simply need to email the office. DJO will post you the splints ahead of surgery and the neuromuscle stimulator will come on the day after surgery. The ice machine can be rented for 6 weeks from footforwardclinic and returned at the 6 week appointment.

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