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Sports Medicine and Arthroscopic Surgery of the Foot and Ankle pp 255–285Cite as

Postoperative Physical Therapy for Foot and Ankle Surgery

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Abstract

Evidence-based studies for foot and ankle rehabilitation mainly focus on preventative and nonsurgical rehabilitation of Achilles and ankle injuries. Postoperative protocols have not been studied for many of the surgical procedures in this text. Only ankle stabilization surgery has been studied comparing 6 weeks of below-knee casting versus earlier range of motion (ROM) with shorter periods of casting. Karlsson et al. studied a randomized group of patients undergoing surgery for chronic (greater than 6 months) ankle instability and found an earlier return to sports and work when patient began controlled ankle ROM at 3 weeks post-surgery and formalized strengthening at 5 weeks, as compared to those who started physical therapy after 6 weeks of below-knee casting.1 We consider this study a good basis for all types of foot and ankle procedures and therefore use it as justification for our various protocols, i.e., initiation of active ROM at 3 weeks post-surgery and some form of strengthening by 5–6 weeks post-operative, (and often earlier).

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Matt Richardson, DPT and Marc Guillet, MSPT for their assistance with this chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sports Medicine, PAFMG-Palo Alto Division, Clark Bldg., 3rd Flr, 795 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA, 94301, USA

    Amol Saxena D.P.M.

  2. Dept of Physical Therapy, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Palo Alto, CA, USA

    Allison N. Granot P.T., M.P.T., O.C.S., C.S.C.S.

Authors
  1. Amol Saxena D.P.M.
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  2. Allison N. Granot P.T., M.P.T., O.C.S., C.S.C.S.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amol Saxena D.P.M. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Sports & Surgical Podiatry, Dept. Sports Medicine, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, El Camino Real 795, Palo Alto, 94301, California, USA

    Amol Saxena

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© 2013 Springer-Verlag London

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Saxena, A., Granot, A.N. (2013). Postoperative Physical Therapy for Foot and Ankle Surgery. In: Saxena, A. (eds) Sports Medicine and Arthroscopic Surgery of the Foot and Ankle. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4106-8_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4106-8_18

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-4105-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-4106-8

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