These boots are made for walking
Nearly 25 years ago, I had a killer pair of J. Crew boots during my freshman year of college: chocolate brown leather, thin laces, stacked heels -- very apropos of fall/winter in the late 90's. I absolutely loved them and stomped all over campus in them, despite the fact that the left boot didn't fit quite right. By the time spring came, it was obvious the boot had wreaked havoc on ankle. The doctors couldn't explain the swelling and recommended a nude compression sock. You can imagine just how well that went over with an 18-year-old.
Over the years (ahem, decades), my ankle has swollen on and off. Then, in September it inexplicably swelled up and refused to subside. Panicked, I wrapped and iced it ahead of my speaking engagements so I could stand and wear heels without any issue. I waited six weeks for an appointment with a podiatrist specializing in reconstructive surgery.
Finally, the appointment came around. November 1. I had visions of the doctor giving me a boot or recommending surgery, which would have been fine because I was ready to fix it and move on. But....one x-ray and ultrasound later, there was no answer. Well, not at least one I wanted to hear: wear a compression sock and go to physical therapy for a few weeks. AGH! I quickly did the math. One-hour appointments three times a week, plus travel, was 4.5 hours of time on top of everything else on my plate. Suffice it to say, I was unhappy.
Forever the rule follower, I immediately made the PT appointments and resigned myself to going. I was surprised at how weak my ankle was during my first session. But the next morning, something miraculous happened: I woke up without any pain and only minimal swelling. Huh. So I kept at it. After only a few appointments, the swelling had significantly subsided, the aching had all but disappeared, and I graduated to harder exercises that leave my ankle shaking and me about to break a sweat.
At my follow-up appointment, the doctor recommended at least three more weeks of PT and then he'll consider an MRI. But my reaction was different because this experience has been chock full of valuable life lessons and reminders:
Results take time. In a world where I can order basically anything online and have it appear at my doorstep the next day, it's easy to forget that there is no "easy button" or shortcut when it comes to certain wants and goals. I have to do consistent, hard work at each PT session to get my ankle where I want it and it needs to be. Forget the quick fix.
An open mind is vital. I was convinced that I didn't need PT. The only way my ankle "healed" over the years was to rest it, not challenge it. Welp, I couldn't have been more wrong. Getting it moving and working is exactly what I needed. This might have been the most powerful lesson of all for me because I pride myself on keeping an open mind and didn't even realize my fixed mindset about this until later.
Time is what you make it. I was sure that carving out the time to go to PT would wreak havoc on my life. No, it hasn't been easy and I've had to shift things around. I've skipped my traditional workouts. I haven't been as active on my JMT Speaks social media. I have had to work in the evenings rather than read as much as I'd like. (JMT Reads will return soon!) But, in the grand scheme of things, several months of PT and any attendant "sacrifice" is a blip on the radar.
Health is wealth. I have said this countless times before and am constantly reminded of it each time I enter PT. There are people there working hard as heck to recover from surgeries, accidents, and other injuries. I am insanely lucky to be where I am, bum ankle included.
Now is the time to start. For months, I've put off starting a new exercise class because I didn't want to aggravate my ankle. I was waiting for the "right time" or for my ankle to get stronger. But you know what? I'm getting stronger and modifications are there for a reason. There is always an excuse NOT to do something -- so why not just start?!
You might not be surprised to learn that nowadays, my footwear of choice is a Hoka stability sneaker instead of a pair of fabulous boots. I'm sure my 18-year-old self would be horrified. But honestly, I've finally found my stride -- in more ways than one.
Did you enjoy this blog? For more of my content, sign up to receive my blog, personal and professional development tips, and book reviews! Follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn, and kindly use the social sharing buttons to share this blog!
