Foot Related Injuries & Treatments
Ankle Stretching, Rehabilitation & Taping
Stretching
Stretching the Calf (not the actual Achilles Tendon)
Done barefoot (without bouncing) with toes pointed straight ahead, weight on front foot not on the back leg.
Hold for 15 seconds
**WARNING: Do NOT do this stretch if you have Achilles Tendon problems.**
Stretching of the calf AND Achilles Tendon can be done by balancing on one foot, then standing on your toes, ideally one legged.
Try to start with 3 sets of ten repetitions--progress to 5 sets of 25 reps.
Balance Exercises
Balance Strengthening Exercise:
Try to balance for 15 seconds on one foot on a pillow or piece of foam, ideally barefoot.
Advanced Balance Strengthening Exercise:
While balancing wave a ball or weight. You can also bounce a ball against a wall while balancing.
Eccentric Strengthening
Up with two, down with one: start on flat surface, 3 x 10 reps
Eventually add stairs and weight as in Second Image.
Inversion and Eversion Exercises
INVERSION Strengthening Exercise
Move the towel by moving your foot only (try not to use your hip, knee or lower leg) dragging the weighted end towards your foot.
Repeat 19 times
EVERSION Strengthening Exercise
Move the towel by moving your foot only (don't use the motion from your knee or hip) dragging the weighted end towards your foot.
Repeat 19 times.
Ankle Taping Stages - Standard Method
Start with Elastic Tape from the medial aspect of the leg while keeping the foot at a right angle to the leg. Pull the tape and attach to the outside of the ankle.
Next take either white athletic (Zonas) tape or pink Kinesio tape and do a "figure 8" around the foot starting with the outside of the ankle, go under the arch medially, pulling the foot laterally. This helps take tension off of the outer (lateral) ligaments.
Next take either white athletic (Zonas) tape or pink Kinesio tape and do a "figure 8" around the foot starting with the outside of the ankle, go under the arch medially, pulling the foot laterally. This helps take tension off of the outer (lateral) ligaments.
To add more support use white Zonas tape to create a medial to lateral "stirrup".
For even more support add a "heel lock" to pull the heel in eversion, again pulling the foot laterally.
For even more support add a "heel lock" to pull the heel in eversion, again pulling the foot laterally.
You can anchor the tape straps by putting circumferential straps around the ankle
Ankle Taping Stages - Kinesio Method
Kinesio tape is a "low-bulk" (& less supportive) tape job. This may be
better for less acute injuries, soccer players, dancers & runners.
Start medially on the heel
Finish laterally with the same strap.
Start medially perpendicular to the 1st strap
End laterally on the foot keeping the foot at neutral. You can repeat with more layers.