This week was the first time I've hit my step goal since my injury! It only took six months. I have been slowly but surely working up to the goal, getting closer and closer each week, until finally it happened! I was pretty stoked, once I hit it. I had a day filled with walking, around the office, during my weight lifting session, a grocery trip, and cooking and cleaning at home. And surprisingly, I wasn't that sore the next day. I was a little, but nothing too noticeable. It did make me a little sad though, because 6 months ago, hitting 10,000 steps was nothing to me. That was mostly every day. If I were to hit 25k or 30k steps though, I would get super excited and felt like I'd accomplished something. Still, I'm just so thrilled to be physically able to walk that much in a day again without it ending in the fetal position.
I also had my first PT session on Wednesday with Stephanie since the hardware removal surgery. I wanted to address a couple of things with her, and check on my progress. In my last blog post, I described not really being able to come up on my toes, or push off the ball of my foot when walking. Basically, she said that I should get that back in time, but there's no guaranteed formula. I asked about stretches, or strengthening exercises that I could do to make it easier, and she was pretty against doing any of that, and wanted me to wait until my foot was ready naturally. There are still plenty of tendons in the midfoot that are healing, and she advised to just let that happen and not push through pain at all. I should do what I can do and what is comfortable, and no more. That was disappointing, because my mind is skipping ahead to hiking season and I'll need that functionality in my foot if I have any hope of doing some of the ascents I am planning.
Secondly, I asked about weight lifting for my lower body. Just basic stuff, like squats, deadlifts, lunges. She wasn't sure, so she called Dr. Van Boerum while I was at the office, and asked him about it. She said he was none too thrilled at me doing it, ever, but if I'm going to do it (which I AM...duh!) that I will need to wait until the 9 month mark post op (early April) to start doing any lifting. And, when I start, I need to start at a weight that I am capable of doing 3 sets of 20. So, what a bummer, I still have 3 more months to wait until I can start my lifting regimen again for my lower bod. I'm totally going to be the girl that skips her leg days for a while!
I also asked her about my limp. I hate my limp and I try really hard not to do it, but it does take some concentration and focus when I am walking. I was walking down the hall at work the other day, concentrating, and not thinking that I was limping. But, I ran into someone I hadn't seen in a long time, and he looked down at my leg and asked me what had happened and it looked like I was hurting. I guess I was limping and didn't even realize it! Stephanie said that the limp and my gait should start to correct it self the more time that passes. It is different for everyone. I could start seeing a difference in a few months, it may take a year, it may be 5 years and I still have it. Any thought of having a "normal" foot again is kind of out the window at this point, were kind of her words. I can deal with a limp around my family & close friends, but I feel like I am wearing a gigantic neon blinking disabled sign when I'm in public.
Something I've noticed since I've been completely out of the boot, is that have a tendency to hold my big toe up in a flexed position as a default. If I'm thinking about it, I'll correct it, and force my big toe down, but it's kind of how it naturally wants to be, especially when I'm barefoot. I was worried this would somehow cause a problem, so I asked Stephanie about this too. She said that it was a normal, compensation response because my extensor and tibial muscles are still weak in that foot. As they get stronger, my foot will do that less and less.
During my session, we worked on balance in the shoe and without. It still sucks, but getting better. I got a new set of exercises to do, most are focused on loading weight laterally (stepping side to side) and twisting my foot in a standing position. None of which are causing pain. As far as progress goes, she thinks I am ahead of where I should be, or where others are with a similar level of injury, so that was good at least! She thinks that I am doing so well that I can start seeing her every 2-3 weeks instead of every week.
I've been settling back into some of my old routines, going to the gym pretty regularly and working on nutrition to get my weight back under control. I have been doing the elliptical on some days even, despite how much I hate the machine.
I see Stephanie again in a couple of weeks, then it's off to Mardi Gras for a much needed travel vacation!
