Standing Weight Shifts
Builds comfort bearing weight evenly through both feet.
What it helps
Gently retrains you to load each leg evenly and confidently — the first step back to steady, balanced walking.
How to do it
- Stand at a counter with your hands resting lightly on it, feet hip-width apart.
- Slowly shift your weight over one foot, then over the other.
- Keep the movement smooth and controlled.
Tips
- Both feet stay flat on the floor throughout — this is a shift of weight, not a step.
- Your hands are there for balance, not to hold you up.
- Let comfort guide how much weight you shift onto the surgical side.
Commonly done as 2-3 sets of 10, daily.
Where this appears in recovery
Standing Weight Shifts is part of 29 recovery programs, most often at the early recovery (weeks 2–6), strength & function (weeks 6–12) and building weight-bearing (weeks 4–10) stages, among others. Each program shows how it fits alongside the other movements:
- Tarsal Tunnel Release exercise guide
- Distal Fibula Fracture ORIF exercise guide
- Achilles Tendon Lengthening exercise guide
- Lapidus Bunionectomy exercise guide
- Subtalar Fusion exercise guide
- Cheilectomy (Big Toe) exercise guide
- First MTP Fusion (Hallux Rigidus) exercise guide
- Fasciotomy (Compartment Syndrome) exercise guide
- Ankle ORIF (Trimalleolar) exercise guide
- Achilles Tendon Reconstruction exercise guide
- Bunionectomy (Double Osteotomy) exercise guide
- Triple Arthrodesis exercise guide
- …and 17 more
All exercise guides · Condition guides · Recovery education
These are general exercise guides, not a personal prescription. The repetitions and frequency shown are what's commonly used — your own surgeon or therapist may advise something different, and their guidance comes first.