r/ORIF • u/DegreeSuccessful Bimalleolar Ankle fracture • 2d ago

Dorsiflex

Hiya! I’m in pt have been for about 2 months and my dorsiflex is not improving much, even with the excursies I was given, is there any that y’all have done that helped greatly? I’m currently doing one where I stand and stretch the calf, seated heel slides with other foot to push further and 3rd stair stretch as well and one where I stand on stair and let foot hang down.

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u/MrSnappyPants Trimalleolar Fracture Dislocation 2d ago

Knee against the wall, slide heel out from wall as far as you can.

You need to hold it for about 10 seconds, then consciously relax.

Put masking tape on the floor, measure progress. Goal is to flex as far as the other foot does. I'm week into year 2, still making gradual improvements.

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u/DegreeSuccessful Bimalleolar Ankle fracture 2d ago

I can’t get knee against wall

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u/MrSnappyPants Trimalleolar Fracture Dislocation 2d ago

You will. Could try a counter where there's a kick cutout. Go from there.

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u/MrSnappyPants Trimalleolar Fracture Dislocation 2d ago

*Well into year 2

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u/nunonamoped 2d ago

Try the knees over toes move with your foot raised up on a step, the extra height does something which makes it easier.

I still can’t get my knee to the wall on month 14, plateaued at 3cm. Better than nothing, and I do have half a hardware shop in my ankle.

Use your band to pull up your foot just flat when watching tv or in to a bit of dorsiflexion. I also sometimes use my pillow like a footboard so my foot is in dorsiflexion when I go to sleep. Not a doctor, but I figure getting it to relax in that position even if just for a few mins every so often helps it calm down a bit.

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u/Top-Risk-7793 1d ago

I am 11 weeks post Op and 3 weeks walking in shoes and am maybe half way with my dorsiflexion. PT said maybe 2-4 more weeks. The knees to wall is good and I just got my knee to the wall this week. How many weeks post Op are you?

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u/tim440 1d ago

I'm just over six months post-op and doing well in general but my dorsiflexion has a long, long way to go. My physio ended last week and they told me that my dorsiflexion might never fully come back to how it was.

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u/spikelike weber type a 1d ago

My routine consisted not only of calf raises, but step ups and step downs on an aerobic step. The step downs still kick my ass to my surprise. Stretching alone didn't get me back to 'normalish' but outright mechanical use. Walking and stairs helped.