Physical therapy for an ankle injury is aimed at ameliorating symptoms of pain, instability or stiffness, helping restore normal strength and range of motion and facilitating return to full activities. In cases where a surgery has been performed, physical therapy is also indicated to achieve these same outcomes. My team of therapists and I will start by getting to know your concerns and goals and performing a thorough physical exam to determine what areas we should target with our physical therapy interventions. Your therapist will employ manual therapy interventions to target joint and tissue mobility while also prescribing movements and exercises for strength, motor control and mobility to be performed in the home and the clinic.

HOW LONG WILL I NEED PHYSICAL THERAPY?

WHAT DOES AN INJURY TO THE ANKLE FEEL LIKE?

• Pain at the front, inside or outside of the ankle
• Weakness in the muscles around the ankle
• Difficulty moving the ankle in one or more directions
• Pain with weight bearing
• Symptoms that alter your gait pattern or cause you to limp
• Swelling around the ankle joint
• Feelings of instability in the joint

How Long Will Physical Therapy for Ankle Injury Last?

If you decide to work with an ankle physical therapist to help correct your ankle issues, your entire treatment plan could consist of around 8-20 different ankle PT sessions that will each last 60-90 minutes. Once you complete your customized arm physical therapy treatment plan, you will be able to continue to do the prescribed stretches and exercises utilized during your ankle PT sessions yet in the comfort of your own home.

ANATOMY OF AN ANKLE INJURY

The ankle is a hinge joint where the primary motion is to lift and point the foot. If we look at an image of the ankle joint you will see the larger inner bone of the lower leg leg called the tibia and the thinner outer bone called the fibula articulate with a bone called the talus in the posterior part of the foot. Beneath the talus lies the calcaneus or heel bone. Many ligaments, muscles. and tendons travel between the bones of the lower leg and foot, crossing the ankle joint. The primary motion of the ankle joint is dorsiflexion and plantarflexion or lifting and pointing the foot. The motion that occurs at the joint between the talus and calcaneus bones allows the foot to turn in and out and any of these motions can be affected with an ankle injury.

Because of the complex anatomy in the ankle area, there are many potential sources of ankle pain or discomfort. The bones can experience a fracture, the joints may be affected by conditions like osteoarthritis, ankle sprains can affect the ligaments and strains and tendinopathies can affect the muscles and tendons of the ankle. Some injuries can be pinpointed through careful clinical testing such as palpating for painful tissues or testing the muscles but in some cases imaging such as an x-ray, CT scan, ultrasound or MRI may be recommended to better visualize the tissues.

WHAT PHYSICAL THERAPY TREATMENTS ARE BEST FOR AN ANKLE INJURY?

The answer to this question is truly individualized and depends on many factors such as the type of injury you have sustained, the severity and chronicity of the injury, and other personal factors like your prior level of activity and other medical comorbidities. Your physical therapist will design an individualized treatment plan for you, however, these are some of the more common ankle injury treatments offered by physical therapists and which you might experience when working with your PT:

• Modalities and manual therapy techniques to reduce pain and inflammation and promote tissue healing in the earlier stages of healing
• Weight bearing modification recommendations such as the use of bracing, taping or an assistive device like a cane or walker to offload tissues in the earlier stages of healing
• Education about your injury, the stages of healing and what you can do to participate in your recovery and prevent future injury
• Muscle strength, endurance and power training to improve stability and strength for return to normal activity
• Tissue and joint mobilization, mobility and stretching techniques to restore normal range of motion and flexibility
• Gait training to restore normal walking mechanics with walking and running
• Motor control and coordination training to ensure proper muscle activation around the ankle
• Sport and work specific training exercises to prepare the ankle to return to your prior activities and limit the risk of future injury.