Physiotherapy after surgery · Singapore

Ankle Ligament Reconstruction Recovery Program

Written by Zita Sham, Fairuuz Saleh and Shiv Mohan Banka, Principal Physiotherapists at Phoenix Rehab.Clinically reviewed by Louise Yow, Principal Physiotherapist & Director, AHPC A1300363H.Last reviewed 12 October 2026.

The ligament was not the only thing that failed. The sense of where your foot is failed with it, and that part is trained back.

A lateral ligament reconstruction rebuilds the ligaments on the outside of the ankle after repeated sprains and ongoing giving way. The ligament is fixed in theatre. The balance system that let the ankle roll is fixed afterwards or not at all. This program is run by our physiotherapy team.

No referral needed. Every first visit is one 45-minute Assessment & Treatment, $230, nett, no GST. Bring your operation note or scan report.

Where are you right now?

Four situations we see

• Your ankle keeps giving way and surgery has been mentioned. A proper strength and balance program is the first line and a good proportion of people avoid surgery with it.
• Surgery is booked. Boot, weight bearing timeline and when range starts vary by surgeon and by what was done.
• You are in the boot now. The useful work is the hip, the knee and the other leg, and keeping the foot from stiffening in the positions it is allowed.
• Months on and you still do not trust it on uneven ground. That is proprioception rather than ligament, and it is trainable and testable.

What actually gives way

Repeated sprains damage the position sense in the joint, not only the ligament

Ligaments do two jobs. They physically restrain the joint, and they are full of receptors that tell your nervous system where the joint is and how fast it is moving. A sprain damages both. Surgery improves the first. The second recovers only with specific balance and reaction training, and without it the ankle keeps rolling on kerbs and uneven ground despite being mechanically sound.

This is the reason people who have had a reconstruction sometimes still feel unsafe. The ligament test in clinic is normal, the ankle is stable to the hand, and the patient is still putting a foot wrong. Single leg balance with eyes closed, hop tests and reaction to perturbation are the measurements that describe that, and they are all trainable.

It is also the reason the strongest evidence in ankle sprain care is for a supervised balance program, whether or not there is surgery. If you have sprained the same ankle several times and nobody has ever put you on one leg with your eyes shut, that is the gap.

Usually expected, and what is not

Is this normal after a reconstruction?

Ankles swell for a long time and that alone is not a sign of a problem.

Usually expected

• Swelling that comes up by the end of the day for months.
• A stiff ankle out of the boot, particularly into pointing the toes down.
• A calf that is visibly smaller than the other one.
• Numb patches around the scars.

Contact your surgeon or doctor

• Calf pain, swelling or tenderness: a doctor the same day, because it can be a clot.
• Breathlessness or chest pain: call 995.
• Wound discharge, spreading redness or fever.
• A sudden pop or give with a return of instability.
• Pain out of proportion with color, temperature and sweating changes and extreme sensitivity.

If you have sudden severe pain with a leg or foot that is cold, white or losing sensation, or you are unwell with fever and a hot swollen wound, that is an emergency department today, not a therapy appointment.

If it is not going to plan

You have been discharged and you still tape it to play

Taping an ankle that has been surgically reconstructed is usually a confidence problem rather than a mechanical one, and confidence follows evidence. People trust an ankle once they have watched it survive something.

Hop distance, single leg balance time and side to side calf strength are the evidence. They are quick to take, they are comparable to the other leg, and they turn feels dodgy into a number that either has moved or has not.

The Stalled Recovery Review is three appointments over three weeks with the same therapist, because what tissue does under graded work cannot be read in one visit. $690, nett, no GST.

The shape of it

What happens, week by week

After a lateral ankle ligament reconstruction the ankle is usually protected in a boot for about six weeks, and many people return to sport at around four to six months. Your surgeon’s timeline takes precedence.

• Weeks 0 to 2Stage 1 · Calm & ProtectBoot or cast, weight through the foot as your surgeon set, elevation, and the hip and knee kept working.
• Weeks 2 to 6Stage 2 · Move & MobilizeThe boot continues. Gentle up-and-down ankle movement where allowed, and turning the foot inward avoided to protect the repair.
• Weeks 6 to 12Stage 3 · Rebuild & StrengthenOut of the boot, walking made normal again, full range, calf and peroneal strength, and balance work.
• Weeks 12 to 16Stage 4 · Return & PerformHopping, cutting, landing and uneven ground, then sport.

The weeks are typical ranges, not a promise. You move up a stage when you meet its criteria, and your surgeon’s protocol takes precedence over anything on this page.

The program

The four stages, and what moves you up

• Stage 1, Calm & Protect. Boot and weight bearing to your surgeon timeline, swelling controlled, and the hip and knee kept working.
  Move up when: the wound has healed and your surgeon allows weight through the foot in the boot.
• Stage 2, Move & Mobilize. Ankle range recovered in all directions and normal walking without the boot. Criteria to move up are range and gait, measured.
  Move up when: you are out of the boot and walking without a limp, and ankle range is recorded close to the other side.
• Stage 3, Rebuild & Strengthen. Calf strength loaded to failure, peroneal strength, and the balance program begun in earnest.
  Move up when: single-leg calf raises are counted and close to the other side, and single-leg balance is steady.
• Stage 4, Return & Perform. Hopping, cutting, landing and uneven ground. Cleared on hop and balance test results compared with the other side.
  Graduate when: hop and balance tests are measured against the other side, and your surgeon has cleared sport.

Measured at your first appointment and again at graduation: an ankle function questionnaire, single-leg heel raises counted on both sides, and a single-leg hop against the other leg once it is allowed.

Logistics

When can I…

Your surgeon decides, based on healing and what your job demands. These are typical points, not permissions.

Who you will see

The physiotherapy team that runs this program

This program is run by the physiotherapy team. You are matched to the therapist whose declared clinical interest fits what happened to you and the clinic that suits you, and you stay with the same therapist through the program. Every appointment is one to one with your therapist for the full 45 minutes. All are registered with the Allied Health Professions Council.

Louise Yow

Principal Physiotherapist. Back and neck pain, postural conditions, ergonomics.

Serangoon

Shiv Mohan Banka

Principal Physiotherapist. Shoulder and knee problems, spinal dysfunction, sports injury.

Orchard, Tampines

Fairuuz Saleh

Principal Physiotherapist. ACL reconstruction and return to sport, hip and knee rehabilitation.

What our patients say

Google reviews from our clinics in Singapore.

  
 
 
 
  
 
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 Micah 
 
53 days ago
 
 
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Amazing experience with Phoenix Rehab, was assisted by Mavis. She’s very kind and professional and did thorough check on my wrist. I feel very comfortable during the process.

I went in for thermoplastic splint, and everything went smoothly. She was able to address my needs on my left wrist sprain.

They were prompt with appointment process and inquiry. Also the clinic is very close to Tanjong Pagar MRT. I highly recommend!
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Chiky Phan 
 
57 days ago
 
 
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Fist time doing ultrasound for my tennis elbow!! Let’s hope it gets better the next few weeks!! Thank Mavis Tham!!
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 XIN WANG 
 
74 days ago
 
 
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Great treatment from my therapist. My painful wrist felt a lot of relief after the session. I’m glad I can slowly get back to doing my usual activities without constant pain.
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Abby Lee 
 
90 days ago
 
 
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Very helpful and friendly !
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 雪梅Cui 
 
128 days ago
 
 
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The masseur is very professional and provides excellent service ，yati is very good!
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Tra Nguyen 
 
219 days ago
 
 
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I wasn’t able to close my fingers due to an injury. Nurul at Phoenix Rehab has helped me tremendously with my recovery process. I have been able to resume my daily activities and exercises after only a few sessions. Nurul has been very professional and positive throughout the entire process. Thank you so much for your help!
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Juzer K 
 
257 days ago
 
 
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Huge shoutout to Yuna Zhang from Phoenix Rehab for helping in my recovery from golfer’s elbow 🙌

I walked in with persistent elbow pain that was affecting workouts and everyday tasks, and Yuna immediately made me feel confident I was in the right hands. She took the time to properly assess my condition, explain the root cause, and tailor a treatment plan to my specific needs instead of using a one-size-fits-all approach.

What I really appreciated was how personalised every session felt. The exercises she gave me were practical, easy to follow, and actually worked. Within a short time, the pain reduced significantly and my strength and mobility improved much faster than I expected.

On top of that, the pricing is very reasonable and affordable, which made committing to recovery much easier.

Professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely caring — highly recommend Yuna at Phoenix Rehab if you’re dealing with hand-related sports injuries 💪
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Fazal Hanafi Chaudhry 
 
341 days ago
 
 
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I enjoy coming to Phoenix rehab as they offer a wide variety of services. I had a finger accident and was working with a very experienced hand therapist. Place is clean and comfortable.  Staff were friendly and appointment was on time
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Stella Yam 
 
482 days ago
 
 
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Very good
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Juliana 
 
484 days ago
 
 
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Have both physio n Tcm visits here, highly recommend!
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Tampines

Zita Sham

Principal Physiotherapist. Achilles tendinopathy, rotator cuff injury and repair, shoulder stiffness.

Orchard, Tampines, Jurong East

Ching Yee

Principal Physiotherapist. Knee and hip replacement recovery, neck and shoulder pain, dry needling.

Tanjong Pagar, Jurong East

The program belongs to Phoenix, not to one therapist. Your plan, your measurements and your surgeon’s protocol move with you if you change clinic.

What it costs

$230 per 45 minute appointment

One to one with your therapist for the whole 45 minutes. Nett, no GST. Same price for your first appointment and your last. Stage 3 carries most of the appointments, because calf strength and balance both respond to progressive loading rather than to time. The Ankle Ligament Reconstruction Recovery Program is 12 appointments, $2,760 in all. You pay for each appointment as you attend it. If you need more, your therapist shows you which stage criteria are still open, and each extra appointment is $230.

This program runs Stages 1 to 4 of the Phoenix Recovery Protocol, and sits under physiotherapy after surgery alongside the rest of our recovery programs.

Get Assessed and Treated

Prefer to phone? Each of our five clinics has its own number on the clinics page. No referral needed to book.

Timeframes on this page are typical ranges, not promises. Where your surgeon has given you a protocol, that protocol takes precedence over anything written here.