Ask your health care provider which exercises are safe for you. Do exercises exactly as told by your health care provider and adjust them as directed. It is normal to feel mild stretching, pulling, tightness, or discomfort as you do these exercises. Stop right away if you feel sudden pain or your pain gets worse. Do not begin these exercises until told by your health care provider.

Stretching and range-of-motion exercises

These exercises warm up your muscles and joints and improve the movement and flexibility of your ankle. These exercises also help to relieve pain.

Standing wall calf stretch with straight knee

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  1. Stand with your hands against a wall.

  2. Extend your left / right leg behind you, and bend your front knee slightly. Keep both of your heels on the floor.

  3. Point the toes of your back foot slightly inward.

  4. Keeping your heels on the floor and your back knee straight, shift your weight toward the wall. Do not allow your back to arch. You should feel a gentle stretch in your upper calf.

  5. Hold this position for __________ seconds.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Standing wall calf stretch with bent knee

  1. Stand with your hands against a wall.

  2. Extend your left / right leg behind you, and bend your front knee slightly. Keep both of your heels on the floor.

  3. Point the toes of your back foot slightly inward.

  4. Keeping your heels on the floor, bend your back knee slightly. You should feel a gentle stretch deep in your lower calf near your heel.

  5. Hold this position for __________ seconds.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Strengthening exercises

These exercises build strength and control of your ankle. Endurance is the ability to use your muscles for a long time, even after they get tired.

Plantar flexion with band

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In this exercise, you push your toes downward, away from you, with an exercise band providing resistance.

  1. Sit on the floor with your left / right leg extended. You may put a pillow under your calf to give your foot more room to move.

  2. Loop a rubber exercise band or tube around the ball of your left / right foot. The ball of your foot is on the walking surface, right under your toes. The band or tube should be slightly tense when your foot is relaxed. If the band or tube slips, you can put on your shoe or put a washcloth between the band and your foot to help it stay in place.

  3. Slowly point your toes downward, pushing them away from you (plantar flexion).

  4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.

  5. Slowly release the tension in the band or tube, controlling smoothly until your foot is back to the starting position.

  6. Repeat steps 1–5 with your left / right leg.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Eccentric heel drop

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In this exercise, you stand and slowly raise your heel and then slowly lower it. This exercise lengthens the calf muscles (eccentric) while the heel bears weight.

If this exercise is too easy, try doing it while wearing a backpack with weights in it.

  1. Stand on a step with the balls of your feet. The ball of your foot is on the walking surface, right under your toes.

    • Do not put your heels on the step.

    • For balance, rest your hands on the wall or on a railing.

  2. Rise up onto the balls of your feet.

  3. Keeping your heels up, shift all of your weight to your left / right leg and pick up your other leg.

  4. Slowly lower your left / right leg so your heel drops below the level of the step.

  5. Put down your other foot before returning to the start position. If told by your health care provider, build up to:

    • 3 sets of 15 repetitions while keeping your knees straight.

    • 3 sets of 15 repetitions while keeping your knees slightly bent as far as told by your health care provider.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Balance exercises

These exercises improve or maintain your balance. Balance is important in preventing falls.

Single leg stand

If this exercise is too easy, you can try it with your eyes closed or while standing on a pillow.

  1. Without shoes, stand near a railing or in a door frame. Hold on to the railing or door frame as needed.

  2. Stand on your left / right foot. Keep your big toe down on the floor and try to keep your arch lifted.

  3. Hold this position for __________ seconds.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

This information is not intended to replace advice given to you by your health care provider. Make sure you discuss any questions you have with your health care provider.