Important Note:
These exercises were designed as a place to start to address your symptoms. These exercises should not be performed or continued if they cause or increase your pain in any way. Using these exercises for self-management of your symptoms does not replace the value of being assessed by a Health Professional.
1. Ankle Circumduction
Lie on your back.
Move your toes up, in, down, and out in order to form a circle with your foot.
Form as big a circle as you can.
If your ankle is swollen, elevate your leg on pillows while you do this exercise.
Repeat 10-15times in a row, 2-3 times a day.
2. Dorsiflexion/Plantarflexion
Pull your toes and foot up towards you and then point your foot down as far away from you as you can as long as it doesn’t increase the pain in your ankle.
This exercise will help you to increase the mobility of your ankle and decrease the swelling in your ankle.
Repeat 10-15times in a row, 2-3 times a day.
3. Stretching Calf
Sit down with one leg outstretched and the other bent.
Place a strap or towel around the ball of your outstretched foot and hold the ends of the strap in your hands.
Pull up against the strap or towel until you feel a stretch at the back of your leg, tense your thigh muscle at the same time so you don’t hyperextend through your knee.
Maintain the position and relax. The stretch should be felt in calf, it should not cause pain in your ankle.
Hold 15sec, repeat 4reps on each side x1-2/day
4. Soleus Stretch
Sit with your back straight and have one leg flexed.
Place a towel around the forefoot and pull towel with both arms to feel a stretch in the calf.
Maintain the position and relax. The stretch should be felt in the lower calf, it should not cause pain in your ankle.
Hold 15sec, repeat 4reps on each side x1-2/day
