The techniques used during physiotherapy help the affected person to get back on their feet as quickly as possible after the injury and to regain the full functionality of the damaged ankle joint. This is particularly important in the case of ankle fractures, since not only the bone but also cartilage, tendons and ligaments are usually affected by the injury, making the joint very unstable. The task of physiotherapy is to restore the stability, mobility and strength of the joint, so that there is no consequential damage and patients can resume their normal daily activities.
Therapy/aftercare
In the follow-up treatment of an ankle fracture, the damaged joint must first be immobilized. This is usually done with a plaster cast or splint, which must be worn for at least 6 weeks. During this time, the leg must not be put under any load, so that the affected person is dependent on walking aids during this time.
Fractures of the Weber-A type can usually be treated conservatively, i.e. without surgery. Everything else should always be operated on to ensure optimal healing of the joint and to avoid later consequential damage and ankle instability. The main aim of therapy is to maintain and restore the lost stability, strength and mobility of the joint to a large extent.
At the beginning, lymphatic drainage is often prescribed to reduce the swelling in the joint. Due to the limitations in mobility and mobility, it is important that patients inject a blood-thinning agent under the skin daily as a prophylaxis against thrombosis. At the beginning of physiotherapeutic treatment, movement therapy usually consists of passive exercises in which the therapist carefully moves the ankle without the patient’s assistance.
This ensures that the mobility of the joint is maintained as far as possible and that there is no sticking of tissue in the ankle joint. When the patient is allowed to put weight on the foot again, the active part of the physiotherapy starts. This consists of specific exercises to restore strength, coordination and stability of the ankle joint. A popular method here is the work with a tilting board on which the patient can perform a variety of exercises. Depending on the type of fracture, it can take between 2-6 months before full weight-bearing is achieved again, so an individual therapy plan is always drawn up for each patient.
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