Rehab From a Calcaneal (heel bone) Fracture

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DLPK
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Rehab From a Calcaneal (heel bone) Fracture

Post by DLPK »

I am in Rehab for the following event: Sept. 11, 2012-Broke Calcaneus (heel bone), had surgery as it was an extensive foot crunch, hospital, 3 months off of it completely, started formal rehab at the beginning of December, I'm at the point where I can walk but I still need to strengthen the injured side. right ankle is not solid, I have to brace right knee at times, hips have lost their strenghth and flexibility, right butt needs work as it isn't as muscular as left, etc. I need to strengthen and work on flexibility for entire right side. It is hard to exercise in a standing position as it makes right ankle painful and weak. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks! Diane
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Re: Rehab From a Calcaneal (heel bone) Fracture

Post by Boss Man »

I'm assuming the Calcaneous is all healed now and there was no residual effects on related areas like the Navicular, Talus or other bones in the foot.

One exercise that might work for you is lying hamstring curls.

1. You rest on both hands and use one of your knees to rest, keeping your back straight .

2. You bring the other leg up so it is straight with your back and then you flex the lower leg using the knee as far back as possible keeping the upper part of the leg static.

3. You lower the leg back down to the stright position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions. About 8-10 should do.

4. Then you switch legs and repeat the movement on the other leg for 8-10 reps, competing the set.

5. You then do another set after a small rest period.

The one thing to remember though, is that you will be working the Hamstring area as well as potentially working the glutes, so to balance this out, you'd be best doing 2 sets of 8-10 reps on bodyweighted squats.

However, should do the squats and find it's hurting the right leg around the Calcaneous and other areas, like achillies heel, knee joint and maybe the hip flexors and hip cuff muscles as well, thne stop doing those.

You would as an alternative be able to do seated leg extensions for 2 sets of 8-10 reps.

There is another exercises you could do specifically for glutes, but it might cause sone heel pain in particular in rlation ot the right heel.

1. You would stand with just one leg, on something like a sturdy book for example and balance your hands on a wall, to keep your back upright.

2. You stand on one leg, os the other leg is slightly elevated off the floor, to stop you catching it during the movement.

3. You then elevate that leg as far up towards the glutes as possible, keeping your back straight. The leg should remain straight, don't bend it, during elevation.

4. You then olower the leg, keeping it stright and back to the starting positon, repeating this raise and lower movement, until you've done it about 8-10 times.

5. You then switch legs and repeat the desired number of reps for the other leg. This then completes the set and after a short break work both legs again one at a time.

However, you may find this causes pain or discomfort on the right ankle / leg, in which case don't do it if it hurts, especially even if it's just standing on the right leg to enable working of the left leg, which is why you'd be advised to try this exercise with the gammy leg first, ot make sure you can work both legs pain free.

This exercise would be additional to the other two, not as a replacement for one of them, if you did it.

This idea of mine might work for you, but if you encounter problems doing any of these exercises, then stop doing them all and reconsider an alternative, as only doing a hamstring or quad one, not both, could cause a minor amount of muscle development in that area, potentially creating a slight discrepancy in the strength levels between the area and the antagonistic muscles, the counteracting ones, whereby minor movement issues might result.

I can't give you assurities, as to what benefit what I said will do, assuming you are okay to do the first 2 or all 3 of the exercises, if you chose to do the third option one for glutes, but as said stop them all, if one becomes a problem and then reassess.

Otherwise you may need to consult a physio or another doctor, but these two last options should be kept in mind.
DLPK
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Re: Rehab From a Calcaneal (heel bone) Fracture

Post by DLPK »

Hi,
Thank you very much for the ideas! I'll put them in workout today.
I really appreciate your help. If you run across any other ideas, I would appreciate hearing (reading) them. I was told that this would be a 2-3 year rehab and at best I could get 85% of what I had before. I'm a dancer and a ballroom dancer and I plan to get back to 100% and have life back.
Diane :D :D :D
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Re: Rehab From a Calcaneal (heel bone) Fracture

Post by Boss Man »

I really wish you sll the luck in the world coming back from this.

I don't know if anything I say will be effective or not as everybody is different, but please do let us know how you are getting on and if you need anything else at all, we will be here for you.

Take care and best wishes :).
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