Posterior tibial tendonitisis also known as PTT dysfunction.
If you have the condition, you may benefit from physical therapy.
Physical therapy exercises can improve therange of motionin your ankle.
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They also help with flexibility,strength, and balance.
This article will talk about the different physical therapy exercises that are used to treat PTT dysfunction.
The pain can make it harder for you to walk or run.
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The goals of therapy for PTT dysfunction are:
Your physical therapist can usedifferent techniquesto help you.
For example, they may use:
Exercises should be the focus of your physical therapy program.
Your physical therapist will help you figure out the best exercise program for your condition.
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before you jump in doing exercises for PTT dysfunction, talk to your doctor.
They can check that that it’s safe for you to start doing them.
The exercises help your foot and ankle move fully in all directions without pain.
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Ankle ROM exercises can be active or passive.
Passive ROM exercises mean that your therapist will be moving your foot and ankle for you.
You do nothing during passive ROM exercises.
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Active ankle ROM exercise includes four directions of motion:
Ankle ROM exercises for PTT dysfunction should not hurt.
If you feel pain when doing the exercises, stop and tell your physical therapist.
you’re able to do them several times a day.
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Flexibility exercises for PTT dysfunction help the muscles around your foot and ankle move better.
Recap
ROM exercises and stretching can help the muscles in your ankles and feet move better.
The goal is to be able to move freely and without pain.
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If your feet or ankles hurt when you do these exercises, stop and tell your physical therapist.
Ankle and Foot Strengthening
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Ankle strengthening exercises add stability to your foot and ankle.
This takes the stress and strain from your injured posterior tibialis tendon.
One of the easiest ways to strengthen your ankles is with a latex rubber band called aresistance band.
You wrap the band around your foot to create resistance as you move.
Here are a few exercises you might do with resistance bands:
Doing these exercises should not hurt.
However, they will make your ankle and foot feel a little tired.
If the exercises are easy, you could make them more challenging by using a thicker band.
Doubling up a resistance band can also increase the tension.
you’re free to also do exercises to make the muscles in your feet stronger.
This supports the naturalarch in your foot, which takes the pressure off your injured tendon.
Foot exercises have you use your toes like you would use your fingers.
Here are a few examples of knee-strengthening exercises:
Do these exercises for eight to 15 repetitions.
Move slowly through the full movement.
If any exercise hurts, stop and check in with your physical therapist.
Strengthening exercises help keep your body in the right position when you walk and run.
These exercises can work your feet, ankles, hips, and knees.
Balance exercises can start out simple, like a single-leg stance progression.
More advanced exercises could be standing on a foam pad with one foot and catching a ball.
You could also stand on the pad and squat down slowly.
Your physical therapist might use tools to make the exercises work better for you.
Don’t worry if they are hard to do at first.
Try not to get discouraged if you don’t see results right away.
It can take a few weeks to see improvement.
Your physical therapist may include plyometric exercise as part of your posterior tibial tendonitis rehab.
Your physical therapist will likely wait until later in your rehab to start plyometric training.
Examples of plyometric exercises include:
Be careful when you’re doing plyometric training.
Your body needs to always be in the proper position while you are exercising to prevent injury.
Your physical therapist can watch you do the exercises and check that you’re doing them the right way.
Good balance supports your lower body as you move.
These movements will be specific to your needs.
As you return to your normal activities, you might notice that your symptoms come back a little bit.
Doing too much too soon could undo the gains you’ve made.
You’ll need to ease back into your regular activities.
Your physical therapist will guide you and see to it you’re progressing at a safe rate.
When to See Your Healthcare Provider
PTT dysfunction usually gets better in six to eight weeks.
If you’re not recovered by then, you might need another treatment.
Some patients get cortisone injections for their tendonitis.
Others need surgery to fix the injury.
Summary
PTT dysfunction can be treated with physical therapy exercises.
The focus of a physical therapy program for PTT is on the feet and ankles.
Range of motion exercises and stretching help keep the muscles in your feet and ankles strong.
These exercises support the other muscle groups that keep your lower body in the right position.
It’s also important to improve your balance.
Most cases of PTT dysfunction can be treated with physical therapy.
Exercises that help your ankle and foot move and function better are a key part of rehab for PTT.
You may needcortisone injectionsor surgery to fix PTT.
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