Exercise and Rehabilitation Principles in Painful Foot and Ankle Problems

Abstract

Painful foot and ankle situations are miscellaneous. Protect anatomical integrity and providing flexibility, together with re-achieving strength, are very important in the treatment of painful musculo-skeletal diseases. Exercise is essential to return to full activity and sports. The healing period after injury can be classified as acute phase, subacute phase, recovery phase, and return to functional and sports activity phase. Rest, ice application, elevation, and compression with analgesic-anti-inflammatory treatment are done in the acute phase. After the acute phase, range of motion exercises and isometric strengthening should be started in the subacute phase. In further phases, the impact of exercises should be increased, and the patient should switch to weight-bearing and a more effective strengthening program. Eventually, in the functional phase, the patient should be prepared for daily living activities, and if he does sports, he should return to sports activities.