No part of your body carries as much as your foot, and none forgives a half-finished rehab so little. At BodyLab in Zurich Altstetten, we support you after your foot surgery, from the first step in the special shoe to a confident footing in everyday life and sport.
Post-Op Rehab
Which procedures this rehab is designed for
The most common scenario is rehab after a fractured ankle—specifically after treatment with plates or screws. We are also right by your side following an Achilles tendon tear repair, a bunion correction, or an ankle ligament reconstruction. While every procedure has its own specific recovery plan, our approach always follows the same core principle: active as early as possible, protected as much as necessary.
Your path to recovery after foot surgery: three phases to get you back on your feet
By the way: if your surgery is planned but hasn't taken place yet, starting your training now is a game-changer. The strength and muscle control you build before the procedure are assets you won't have to rebuild from scratch afterward. Ask your surgeon or family doctor for a prescription for this preparation—known as prehabilitation—or reach out to us directly. Let's make the most of the time leading up to your surgery together.
Phase 1: Protect & Mobilize
In the initial phase, your foot should only bear as much weight as your surgeon permits. We will practice partial weight-bearing with crutches or in a special shoe to ensure you move safely and avoid developing a protective limp. At the same time, we will get your foot moving with manual and active therapy within a pain-free and permitted range, focusing on the operated area and all the joints that need to play their part. You will still be active right from the start: the calf pump—the rhythmic up and down movement of the foot—works to reduce swelling. Where that is not enough, manual lymphatic drainage will help.
Phase 2: Strength and Performance
Now, we rebuild: your foot's resilience, step by step up to full weight-bearing; the mobility needed for a smooth heel-to-toe roll; strength in your calf and foot muscles; plus balance and proprioception—your foot's intuitive sense of position and surface. Medical Training Therapy (MTT), a specialized equipment-based rehabilitation program, is perfect for this. Under expert guidance, you will train right where you receive treatment: directly in the clinic. Your home program keeps the momentum going between appointments.
Phase 3: Reclaiming Your Life and Peak Performance
In the end, your feet will take you anywhere again: longer walks, stairs, standing on your toes, and uneven terrain. If you exercise regularly, we will target your training specifically to get you back to running and your routine. We measure your progress by comparing calf strength on both sides, your balance on one leg, and your heel-to-toe stride. These metrics, combined with our clinical expertise, determine your next steps.
What About Osteopathy?
Spending weeks in a special boot or on crutches completely alters the way you move, forcing your knees, hips, and back to compensate. This is where osteopathy can elevate your recovery: it analyzes and treats this entire physical chain from the ground up, ensuring your body sheds these compensatory patterns long after the boot is gone.
Guided by Your Surgeon, Paced by Your Healing
Your surgeon determines exactly how much weight your foot can bear and when; simply bring your post-operative protocol along with your prescription and surgical report to your first appointment. Should any questions arise during your recovery, we will coordinate directly with your doctor. Explore our full spectrum of post-surgical rehabilitation and discover our on-site training facilities on our overview page.
Your first appointment: how we start
To ensure your rehabilitation seamlessly follows your discharge from the clinic, it is best to get in touch with us before you leave; this allows us to schedule your first appointment directly. Otherwise, you will almost always find a short-notice appointment with us, and if you don't see a suitable one online, just call us: 044 545 03 03.
Bring what you have: the medical referral, the surgical report if available, and the post-treatment plan. We will review your documents, assess your initial condition with measurable metrics, and translate your surgeon's protocol into a plan that perfectly fits your lifestyle. This way, from hour one, you'll know exactly where you stand and what steps lie ahead.
And because those first few weeks require a consistent rhythm, it is best to schedule your follow-up appointments directly as a series with us—usually two per week for the first four to six weeks. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance, but finding a new slot quickly is not always as easy.
When to consult a doctor
Post-surgical complications are rare. However, you should seek immediate medical evaluation if you notice any of these signs:
Fever accompanied by the operated area becoming hotter, redder, and more painful: a potential sign of infection.
Swelling, tension, or tenderness in one calf or leg: a possible thrombosis, especially during periods of limited movement.
A sudden, significant loss of strength or sensation compared to previous days: this needs to be medically evaluated before your next therapy session.
Pain that increases day by day despite resting: your surgeon needs to take a look at it.
These signs are rare. If none of them apply to you, nothing stands in the way of your treatment with us.
Coverage Guaranteed
Physiotherapy is covered by your basic health insurance with a doctor's referral. In the event of an accident, your accident insurance or the accident coverage of your health insurance company will step in. For Medical Training Therapy (MTT), prior cost approval from your health insurance company is required, which we will clarify with you before we get started. You can book Osteopathy directly without a referral; most supplementary insurance policies for alternative and complementary medicine will contribute to the costs.
Whether it's physiotherapy or osteopathy: you are always welcome as a self-payer, with absolutely no compromise on the quality of your treatment or time. You can find the cost of your treatment under Rates and Cost Coverage.
Your dedicated team of specialists