The tendons of your foot connect the muscles that control movement to your foot bones. Tendons are non-contractile, therefore when they are stretched beyond their capacity, they will tear. This usually requires surgery to correct. Foot surgery can be debilitating, often taking months to recover. Post-surgery physical therapy, in many cases, can begin almost immediately following surgery and should continue until you are fully recovered. Always consult your physician and a qualified physical therapist before beginning any physical therapy program.
Acute Phase
In the days following surgery, the goal of physical therapy may be to control pain and swelling in your foot and ankle. Swelling prevents healing and must be reduced before your body can begin the process of repairing not only your foot tendons, but the muscle, skin and other soft tissue that was damaged during the surgery. Ice and elevation are two key components of physical therapy at this stage as they both help reduce swelling in your foot. Your doctor may also prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications to reduce both pain and swelling.
Range of Motion
Your doctor and physical therapist may want you to try to move your foot within hours of your surgery. The movement will be small at first, starting with wiggling your toes, and may progress to full ankle rotations. It may still be some time before you are able to put your body weight on your foot, depending on the extent of your surgery. Regaining muscle function and range of motion as quickly as possible may greatly reduce your recovery time following surgery.
Strength Training
Once you have recovered enough to be able to place at least partial body weight on your affected foot, your physical therapist may have you begin strength training. The purpose of strength training is to load the muscles, tendons and ligaments of your foot with resistance in order to strengthen tissue that may have atrophied following your injury and subsequent surgery. Atrophy is the process by which your body breaks down and weakens tissue due to inactivity and immobility. Your physical therapist may employ exercises that use your own body weight, resistance bands, machines, or free weights to progressively strengthen the tissues that support your foot and ankle complex.
Return to Normal Activity
Once you have gained significant flexibility, strength and mobility in your foot and ankle, you may be cleared by your physical therapist and your physician to return to normal activity. However, your physical therapist may require that you continue to perform some of the strength training exercises you had been given during therapy in order to ensure your foot muscles and tendons remain strong. This may greatly reduce the risk of re-injury following foot tendon surgery.
References
- "Therapeutic Exercise: Foundations and Techniques"; Carolyn Kisner and Lynn Colby; 2007
- "Physiology of Sport and Exercise"; Jack H. Wilmore and David L. Costill; 2004
