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Foot and Ankle Exercises

All photos taken courtesy of Herongate Leisure centre Hungerford

Exercise programs written by Victoria Kerr Davies

Photography Cayford Media

All exercises to be repeated x 10 and to be performed smoothly and evenly.

Walking
Forwards backwards and sideways across the pool without using your hands.

Make sure you have even strides.

Tiptoe walking

Walking across the pool on tiptoes and on heels.

High step walking

Walk across the pool with high steps lifting leg up towards your chest

Walking

Walk with long strides across the pool

hydro walking forwards big strides

 

 

Stand facing side of pool with hands resting on the side

Walking on the spot marking time lifting up knees towards chest

If your pool has a slope- Stand with your feet up the slope and heels down and pull yourself into the wall to feel a stretch in your calf.

or

Stand with your forefeet on the step and let the heels drop down over the edge of the step.

Then with one foot flat on the step lean forwards until you feel a stretch in the calf area.

Lying on your back in the corner of pool or float out from the steps

-Ankle up and down.

– Foot in and out.

-Foot circling.

-Relaxed crawl kick with your ankles under water.

-Bicycling.

Lying on front on your front

Straight leg kicking with relaxed ankles.

Breast stroke action.

Bicycling.

hip 90 degrees knee extensionjpg copy

Standing Leg swings

Swing affected leg back and forth with a relaxed ankle.

Extend and bend knee

Hip and knee at 90 degrees. Scoop water with foot.

hip and knee 90

Then in this same position do bicycling with the affected leg

 Squats

Squat down on 2 legs then progress to single leg squats. see below

Lunges

Lunges forwards and sideways.

 

Standing at the bottom of the steps

Step on and off the bottom step with affected leading leg.

 

 

Step downs

Stand on first step and step down and back up.

Lunge forwards on a step

Put affected foot on second step and rock knee forward and back over foot.

If possible go out of your depth. Woggle under arms. Legs straight down beneath you

One straight leg forward and back, change, repeat.

Straight legs push apart and pull together.

Sitting on woggles

Bicycling.

Gradually do exercises in shallower water and then progress to –

Hopping, jumping and running

 

Finish with walking or swimming.

Here is the link to the whole film of what to do