Foot and Ankle Surgery Aftercare: How Physical Therapy Helps Restore Full Mobility

The foot and ankle contain 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, ligaments, and tendons. In other words, there’s quite a bit of opportunity for foot and ankle injuries and surgery to repair those injuries.

Whether your surgery is traditional open surgery or a minimally invasive procedure, the goal is to restore the function of the injured part, relieve your pain, and bring back the mobility you may have lost with the injury.

One of the primary tools for restoring lost mobility is physical therapy. At Austin Foot & Ankle Institute, with locations in Austin and Bee Cave, Texas, we make physical therapy a large part of our patients’ recovery from foot and ankle surgery.

Why physical therapy is important

Here’s the problem with foot or ankle surgery. Your entire life, you’ve walked and run a certain way without realizing it, and surgery can significantly disrupt those normal biomechanics.

After your surgery, you likely must deal with swelling, pain, weaker muscles, an altered gait pattern, and limited mobility compared to your pre-injury status.

Physical therapy focuses on rebuilding strength, regaining function, and restoring mobility. If you don’t do physical therapy, you may experience stiffness in your ankle and foot as you deal with muscle imbalance and an abnormal gait. Your recovery takes much longer.

Benefits of physical therapy

At Austin Foot & Ankle Institute, Dr. Pedro Cosculluela usually recommends physical therapy start as soon as possible after surgery, typically within a few weeks. 

During your first appointment, your physical therapist conducts a physical exam to determine your condition. They design a custom treatment plan tailored to your specific situation. 

Because foot and ankle surgeries can naturally lead to joint stiffness, one of the primary goals of your physical therapy is full mobility. 

Your therapist helps you perform targeted stretches and mobilization techniques to regain your flexibility and prevent the formation of scar tissue that could keep you from moving properly.

In addition, your therapy program also manages your pain (your provider may use ultrasound and therapeutic exercises) and strengthens the muscles in the affected area (exercise programs work well here).

Therapists also work to ensure your walking patterns and gait mechanics return to your pre-injury normal, so you have proper weight distribution and don’t risk another injury, a possibility if you’re compensating for the injury.

When the ultimate goal is restoring your pre-operative levels of function and mobility, physical therapy is the best way to get there.

If you’re dealing with foot or ankle issues, Dr. Cosculluela and our experienced team at Austin Foot & Ankle Institute are ready to help. Call one of our convenient locations or simply stop by — we take walk-in appointments.