Getting Back on Your Feet: Walking Again After 6 Weeks of Non-Weight Bearing (2024)

FAQs

Getting Back on Your Feet: Walking Again After 6 Weeks of Non-Weight Bearing? ›

Walking after 6 weeks of non-weight bearing can help a person regain muscle mass and strength and increase their joint range of motion. Transitioning from non-weight bearing to walking with full weight bearing is gradual and incremental.

Around the twelfth week, some individuals may begin walking with minimal assistance. However, this timeline can vary significantly based on your specific injury and recovery progress. Stay patient and focused on your rehabilitation plan.

Gradual Weight-Bearing: Start with partial weight-bearing exercises recommended by your doctor to gradually strengthen the muscles and regain confidence in your ability to walk. Physical Therapy: Engage in targeted physical therapy exercises to improve muscle strength, flexibility, and balance.

Non-Weight Bearing (NWB): Do not place any weight through the surgical/injured leg. This includes resting your feet or toes on the ground. While walking and sitting, make sure to keep your foot elevated off of the ground at all times.

Place a strap (belt or towel) around the ball of your involved foot. Hold the other end of the strap with your hands. Gently pull your toes toward you until you feel a stretch in the back of your calf. Hold for 10 seconds.

After foot surgery, it's not uncommon to have edema that can last from just 2 or 3 weeks, up until 2 or 3 months or even longer. It is always advantageous to try to reduce swelling when possible. There are multiple strategies for reducing swelling.

You are encouraged to start walking with crutches or a walker following your surgery. Your doctor will help to structure and supervise an exercise routine that is ideal for you. Begin with a few warm-up exercises, followed by stretching, then move onto the strengthening exercises, followed again by stretching.

Not the food, but a recovery protocol which can be easily remembered by the mnemonic R-I-C-E: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Rest. As noted, keeping weight off of your foot as much as possible is imperative. Rely on crutches or other mobility aids if necessary and directed by your doctor.

You can use a low stool to lift you up in stages. Alternatively you can try getting on your hands and knees and pulling yourself up on a chair. It is useful to try this at home before your surgery; it can be harder than you think. Alternatively, you can bring a bed downstairs temporarily.

Recovery most often takes 4 to 6 months. The length of your recovery will depend on how severe your fracture is, whether you have skin wounds, and how severe they are. Recovery also depends on whether your nerves and blood vessels were injured, and what treatment you had.

How do I regain my full foot functionality? ›

To counter this negative progression in your foot health journey, you must incorporate daily exercises and activities that help restore your natural foot function such as balance training, walking barefoot, rolling your feet, working on your toes, and lastly, switching to natural footwear!

Plan Ahead: Organize your living space to make it more accessible and safe. Clear pathways, remove tripping hazards, and make necessary adjustments. Stay Active: Engage in activities that you can do safely while non-weight bearing, such as upper body exercises or seated stretches.

No walking on the foot is permitted until the wound is reviewed 2 weeks after surgery. At that time you will be allowed to walk in a walking boot. It will take about 3 months before the ankle starts to feel comfortable. Ankle swelling will generally persist for about 9-12 months.

No matter the extent of your injury, your foot will feel weaker and more sensitive than usual after spending a few weeks in a cast. This means returning to normal levels of activity gradually, taking slow, easy steps at first, and supporting yourself whenever possible.

It typically takes six to eight weeks for bones to heal, but this timeline can be longer depending on the severity of your fracture. Some types of foot fractures can take up to six months to recover adequately to support weight-bearing and the physical demands of more active and athletic individuals.

When you are out of the boot you should wear a supportive protective shoe (athletic or hiking boots). If you have increasing pain over a 2 day period, slow your progression and wait a few days to advance to next stage. Boot wean should only happen after you are full weight bearing, not at the same time.