A different kind of progress.

   About thirteen years ago, I seriously injured my left ankle.  It was at a band camp in middle school, when I was doing color guard. Near the end of a long day, I managed to find a small hole on the field.  When I fell in, my ankle rolled out, thus tearing all the ligaments. From what the doctor said, it would have been better if I had actually broken the bone, because that might have actually healed better.
    Throughout the years that followed, we tried numerous things to strengthen the ankle. We placed it in a cast multiple times, in the hopes of tightening the ligaments.  I tried physical therapy to make it stronger.  After high school, we attempted to have it surgically corrected through a Chrisman-Snook procedure, which treats ankle instability.  Essentially, I was suffering a chronic sprain, because the ligaments in my left ankle were totally worthless. The surgery harvested a tendon, which was then routed through small holes drilled into my heel, and then reattached to create more stability in my ankle.
    Although there was improvement at first, over time, my ankle lost stability again, and the chronic swelling returned, eventually becoming severe edema. I was diagnosed with secondary Lymph-edema, which was a result from injury to the lymphatic vessels.
      It was embarrassing.  In addition to the large scar from my surgery, I had this severely swollen ankle all the time.  Then came pregnancy, and I discovered new levels of swelling that I did not realize could be reached.  Sometimes it was so swollen, that my toes would begin to tingle, or go numb, and I would have to sit with my foot propped up for hours on end to relieve the discomfort.  After the twins were born, my ankle never really returned to a normal state.
   Although not the worst it has been, here are photos to show you what my ankle has looked like.

This isn't even the worst. 

My wedding.  Both ankles were actually swollen, but the left was worst.

   So now you see, what I have been dealing with for a VERY long time.

   On top of that, the ankle remained weak, even after the surgery. My flat feet didn't help, as they caused the ankle to continue to roll outward when I walked.  So when I decided I wanted to start running, I knew I had to strengthen my ankle first.  This meant spending a great deal of time on the elliptical trainer, and the leg press machine.  Not only that, but I figured that losing some weight first would help relieve some of the pressure on my ankle.

    After almost two months, I began to notice a change.  My ankle was stronger, and the weight loss had definitely eased the swelling.  However, there was something else. Within an hour or so of working out on the elliptical, my ankle would lose a great deal of the swelling. I remembered my Orthopedist saying that repetitive up and down motions in my ankle would literally work out some of the fluid.  Turns out, he was right.

    When I began running, the difference was even more astounding.  Just four laps at the church track were enough to make a huge difference.  Over the last 8 months, my ankle has seen steady improvement.  The swelling has made a rapid decline, although the edema has yet to fully go away.  It still swells when I do not run or workout after a few days, or if I let it hang down for a long period of time. Yet even at its worst, my ankle is no where near as bad as it once was.

    Shoes that I had once long thought I would never wear, now fit. My happiest moment was trying on an old favorite pair of boots, and realizing that they finally fit my foot again!  With any luck, my next round of clothing will include a few new pairs of shoes, because quite a few of my old pairs are too large. My ankle now is a little over half as small as it once was. The chronic pain, the severe edema, all are starting to finally ease off.

     Still, the best part is that it truly is growing stronger with every passing week.  For the first time today, I ran without my ankle brace.  I manged to run three miles before my ankle grew tired, and I needed to put the brace on.  Although it still starts to weaken after a long run, there was a time when even a one mile walk would have it shaking and sore.  To run three miles without the brace felt like winning first place in a big race.  And, I have finally started to regain some of the range of motion that I have not had for a very long time.  My ankle can now rotate almost as much as the other.  I still have a long way to go, but if I continue to lose the weight, and run as much as I do, I have no doubt that I will slowly start to see my ankle return to what it was before I injured it.

    I may one day look in to treatment for the lymph-edema though.  I've found some promising research that may eventually help me get rid of the swelling for good.  I'm well on my way to having a normal looking ankle again, which is something I have been wanting for over thirteen years.  Even now, I no longer feel the need to hide my foot or ankle.  I can wear a skirt, without feeling like people are staring at my leg.  I look forward to seeing the changes and improvements to come.

This is my ankle tonight, after my run.  Although a little puffy from the day, it still is much improved from what it looked like almost 8 months ago, and is now almost a normal size.  Please ignore my ugly right foot and my eczema. If it's not one problem with my feet, it's another!  

With love to all,
Kristina