Knee and Ankle, Phase 1 · Exercise 4 of 5 KA-1 #4

Ankle Pumps and ABCs

Clinical content from the Auto Injury Chiropractic home rehab program. Final clinical reviewer: Dr. Seth Hill, DC. How we review content

Wake up ankle motion

These exercises are for education. After a car accident or injury, get checked by a provider before you start. They do not replace an exam.

Dose3 times a day, 20 pumps and 2 alphabets per side

You needA chair or a mat

Demonstration video: Ankle Exercises: Pumping & Alphabets (stoneclinicPT). Follow the steps on this page if the video differs.

Photos

Ankle Pumps and Alphabet: Toes pull back — Toes pull back

Ankle Pumps and Alphabet: Toes point away — Toes point away

Why it helps

Ankle pumps wake up the muscles in your foot and calf and help blood flow back up the leg. Drawing the alphabet with your foot moves the ankle in many directions, working on all of its motion.

How to do it

Sit in a chair or lie on your back with the leg elevated on a pillow.
Pumps: point your toes away from you (plantar flexion), then pull your toes back toward you (dorsiflexion). Do 20 slow pumps.
ABCs: with your foot in the air, slowly draw the letters of the alphabet A through Z with your big toe. Move the WHOLE foot, NOT just the toe.
Move slow and big. Drawing the whole alphabet should take about 90 seconds.
Do 2 full alphabets per side, 3 times a day.

Too hard? Try this

Do only half the alphabet (A through M). Or do them seated only.

Too easy? Try this

Do the alphabet in capital letters AND lowercase. Or write each letter twice.

Common mistakes

You move only the toes instead of the whole foot.
You go too fast and lose range.
You cramp because you forget to breathe.

You should feel

Smooth motion in all directions.
Wakefulness in the foot and lower leg.

You should not feel

Sharp ankle pain.
Sharp calf pain with cramping.

Stop right away if

Sharp ankle pain.
Calf pain with redness, warmth, or swelling.
Sudden inability to point or flex the foot.

If you are one of our current patients, call the clinic and inform your provider right away, or seek emergency care right away. For a life-threatening emergency, call 911.

Research behind this program