After sustaining a broken ankle, a cast will be applied to your ankle to restrict movement and promote healing. After weeks of inactivity, you will need to stretch and strengthen your ankle in order to restore strength and avoid blood clots due to poor circulation. Leg exercises range from leg extensions to ankle pumps. Obtain your doctor's approval before starting any of these exercises.
Ankle Pumps
Ankle pumps can be performed soon after your cast is removed and will help you restore range of motion to your ankle. Lie down on your back with your legs extended and knees slightly bent. From this position, extend your injured foot out and away from your body, pumping at the ankle until you feel a stretch in your ankle. After pumping your ankle forward, bring it back to its original position, performing 10 additional pumps or until your ankle is fatigued.
Calf Raises
This ankle exercise will help you strengthen your lower leg muscles in addition to improving circulation in your ankle. Stand on the edge of a step with your ankles hanging off the back of the step. From here, push up onto your toes, extending your ankles and raising yourself off the floor. Hold at the highest point you can go for several seconds before lowering yourself back down. As you increase strength, perform this calf raise one leg at a time.
Squats
Squats will help you strengthen your lower and upper leg muscles as well as improve your range of motion. Stand in front of a wall with your feet flat on the floor and the small of your back directly against the wall. From here, bend down, lowering yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Hold for several seconds before standing back up. Repeat this squat 10 times or until you are fatigued.
Weighted Leg Lifts
This weighted leg exercise will help you strengthen your injured ankle as well as increase your range of motion. Strap an ankle weight directly onto your injured ankle. From here, sit down on the floor with your injured leg extended. Lift your leg up and off the ground, lifting as high as you can and hold for five seconds. Slowly lower your leg back down before repeating this exercise. Repeat until you are fatigued.
References
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; Ankle Fractures; September 2007
- Physio Room; Ankle Strengthening Following Broken Ankle; David Wales; February 2007
- Summit Medical Group; Broken Ankle Rehabilitation Exercises; Tammy White, MS, PT; 2009
- CSU Chico; Ankle Strengthening Program; Manuel A. Escalante, Jr., BS, ATC, EMT
