How to Benefit From Water Therapy After Bunionectomy Surgery

Painful, ugly bunions are fixed with out-patient surgery fairly commonly these days. The patient needs to be committed to physical therapy afterwards for ultimate positive results and the patient themselves plays a key role in this process. You can get assigned a physical therapist from your doctor or medical insurance company or like myself, be left on your own to recover completely. Water therapy is a good way to recover from your bunionectomy surgery. Once you get the go ahead from your podiatrist to start the recovery process try water therapy exercises. They are easy to do and have tremendous results in the healing process. I sped up my recovery time by doing simple foot movements in water for several weeks. My doctor said it put me 6 weeks ahead of schedule compared to his other patients who weren't as diligent. It was fun but hard work that paid off. Read on to learn more.

Things You'll Need

• Pool, hot tub or bath tub

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Instructions

How To Benefit From Water Therapy After Bunionectomy Surgery

• 1

  You can do these simple exercises in the bathtub, a hot tub and the pool. It requires sitting on the edge of your water source and performing simple foot movements. One requires actually getting into the pool but you can do the others even in your home bathtub.

• 2

  The movements are commonly referred to as "point and flex"; a process of pointing your toes as far as possible and then flexing the foot in a straight position with toes pointed up to the sky. It's a good exercise for your calf muscles and many people may be familiar with this as a warm-up exercise from the gym. It's done in aerobics routines often but you will do yours sitting on the edge of the tub or pool. If you can only do a few-great! Keep it up daily and your goal is 20 point and flex moves.

• 3

  The second set of exercises are called lateral movements. Turn the foot as far in as possible, then rotate your ankle to the outside as far as possible. This side to side movement may be difficult at first; so take it slow. These should be controlled movements, not flopping the foot from side to side. You may only be able to do a few at first but the goal is to get to 20 lateral movements.

• 4

  If you have access to a pool or hot tub, rest on your elbows on the stairs keeping your head above the water. Kick your legs as if swimming. You may need to start by only moving the foot that had the surgery slowly up and down. You will know what's best for your unique healing process. The goal is to get up to 100 kicks.