Physical therapy is the ultimate cure for broken ankles. After a physical therapy session conducted by a therapist anybody with a fractured ankle would be cured and the person would be able to resume daily routine activities with the healing of the fracture. A physical therapist would typically use varied treatments to control pain or swollen ankles thereby improving ankle movement.
Exercise in itself can be a treatment for restoring mobility to a fractured ankle. Only a physical therapist is qualified to recommend appropriate workouts at each and every stage of the healing process thereby ensuring that the patient has reached optimum mobility in no time and in a safe and secure manner. Typically an exercise regimen for rehabilitation of a fractured ankle is prescribed and recommended by a physical trainer and is carried out in connivance of a physician. Gamut of Motion Exercises Within the range of motion exercises, a physical trainer would usually prescribe ankle exercises once the patient’s brace or cast is taken off after a fracture of the ankle. A physical therapist may begin with various passive and/or active movements of the ligament around the ankle.
A few no-frills workouts improving ankle range of motions may encompass moving the ankle with toes pointed upward and downward as much as possible. In addition, the foot ankle could be moved in and out and these are motions known as inversion and reversion respectively. Rather than brisk movements, pausing for a couple of seconds and resuming with the repetitive movements would be effective. Yet another workout of the ankle after a fracture that is a lot of fun is simply pretending as though the toes were a pencil with which drawing letters could be attempted with ankle movements. What this workout of the ankle entails is drawing each and every letter both in lower and upper case with slow and deliberate movements of the ankle. This particular workout can be executed as many times as possible every day. It may be a little painful initially but if the pain is acute, intense and is prolonged then the workout should be stopped and a physical trainer or physician ought to be consulted. Once range of motion workouts have reached perfection with the help of a highly trained physical therapy specialist, the time is right to begin improving flexibility of ankle with the upcoming exercise. A fractured ankle may not be as flexible as it was before and therefore there are various workouts that would help restore flexibility of the muscles. Stretching of the towel calf could bring about improvement with regard to muscle flexibility behind the lower part of the leg. A towel could be wrapped around the toes to stretch by gently and slowly pulling the calf. As though one were on a treadmill if one were to run then that would cause the calf to stretch thereby the calf would be more flexible. In other words, if one were to stand still and run then the calf would stretch and flexibility would be restored. The front of the ankle has muscles that need to be stretched as well and kneeling is another type of stretch that a physical trainer would prescribe. Kneeling down point the toes and ankles and by gently putting pressure on the foot, the front of the leg can be stretched. Workouts for strengthening of ankle After being incapacitated leading to immobilization and on a brace or a cast, the ankle muscles may normally weaken quite a bit caused by a fractured ankle. A physical trainer is likely to prescribe workouts that would improve strength of the ankle.