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LONG AND SHORT TERM REHABILITATION GOALS

Long-term Rehabilitation Goals for Our Case Study:

 

  • Reduce pain from a 6/10 with weight bearing to less than a 1/10

  • Restore normal pain-free walking gait and running gait

  • Completely erradicate swelling and ecchymosis post-activity

  • Increase strength in all four ankle motions (inversion, eversion, plantar flexion, dorsiflexion) from a 3+/5 to a 5/5

  • Increase AROM, PROM, and RROM to equal that of the right ankle

  • Increase strength of supporting muscles (tibialis anterior/posterior, peroneals, gastrocnemius) to reduce future injury

  • Return athlete to full weight bearing activities without the assistance of tape or a brace

  • Return athlete to full participation with no limitations

Long-term Rehabilitation Goals:

 

  • Structural Integrity

  • Pain-free Range of Motion and Joint Mobility

  • Flexibility

  • Muscular Strength

  • Muscular Endurance

  • Muscular Speed

  • Muscular Power

  • Intergrated and Coordinated Movements

  • Agility

  • Cardiovascular Endurance

Long-term and Short-term rehabilitation goals are realistic achievements that are set for the athlete to progress. These goals should be able to be recorded in qualitative and quanitative measurments to show improvment and progress. Long-term and short-term goals should be based on the ten phases of rehabilitation and the limitations of each of the three stages of the healing process.

Short-term goals for the Inflammatory Response phase  (0-3/14 days post-injury):

 

  • Structural Integrity

  • Pain-free Range of motion and Joint mobility

  • Flexibility

  • Muscular Strength

  • Reduce pain level from 6/10 to 4/10 non-weight bearing.

  • Reduce inflammation and swelling by 2mm.

  • Increase ROM in all motions by 50%.

Short-term goals for the Fibroblastic Repair phase      (3/14 days-2/3 weeks post-injury):

Return to Play Criteria (Should be established by the 6th-8th week):

 

  • No return of swelling or inflammation with activity

  • 5/5 strength in all motions

  • 100% range of motion compared bilaterally

  • Return of normal pain-free walking gait and running gait ( 1 mile run with 0/10 on pain scale)

  • 80 % or better compare to uninjured leg with single leg hop test

 

 

  • Progress to normal running gait for 1 mile with 2/10 on pain scale.

  • Increase weight-bearing on injured leg to 80% load capacity.

  • No return of symptoms during or post injury.

  • Increase strength to 5/5 in all motions.

Early Stage (2-4 weeks):

  • Muscular Strength (with Core Strength)

  • Muscular Endurance

  • Muscular Speed

  • Cardiovascular Fitness (Continued)

 

Late Stage (4-6 weeks):

  • Muscular Power

  • Intergrated and Coordinated Movements

  • Agility

  • Cardiovascular Fitness (Continued)

Short-term goals for the Maturation Remodeling phase  (2/4-6/8 weeks post-injury):

  • Reduce pain level from 4/10 to 1/10 non-weight bearing

  • Increase strength in muscularture of ankle to 4/5 without pain.

  • Increase weight-bearing to 100% double leg and 50% single leg.

  • Pain-free Range of Motion

  • Flexibilty

  • Muscular Strength

  • Muscular Endurance

  • Cardiovascular Endurance

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