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Staying active with foot and ankle injuries
By Julie Maurer
Slowly working on low impact movements builds joint strength
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hile there may be the temptation to enjoy more time on the couch after a foot or ankle injury, sometimes a little movement can go a long way when it comes to healing. According to Melissa Galli, DPM, MHA, a Board Certified, Fellowship Trained Reconstructive Foot and Ankle Surgeon at The CORE Institute, not utilizing the joints and muscles in the areas around the primary injury can lead to further difficulties. “After an injury, people will often use a special boot for two or three months, but
if they haven’t maintained their legs, by the time they heal, they have secondary spine, hip, knee or leg pain,” Dr. Galli said. She recommends that patients keep moving the areas of the leg that are still functional. “You may not be able to move up to a third of your leg, but the parts that aren’t affected, keep those parts moving,” Dr. Galli said. “Do a few simple things to make sure you can maintain your independence, adequately heal and move on with your life without additional issues to your gait.” The first step after a foot or ankle injury is to immobilize it and the nearest joint without causing further damage.
TheCOREInstitute.com
