Hey there, guys!

A whole seven months has passed since I first got my black, knee-high medical boot. Almost an entire school year! (Need a recap? See this post.) Yesterday, I went to the doctor’s for another X-ray and I finally got the okay to transition into a normal shoe! Of course, I can’t begin wearing all of my shoes, but at least I can wear sneakers!

These past seven months have allowed me to find those quirks about dealing with boots/casts. I’ve had ample time to try all of these recommendations, so I hope they help anyone of you who is currently in a similar situation I was in.

Here’s some of the best advice I’ve learned:

Biofreeze: For Foot Cramps

Because my right foot has been in a boot for so long, my muscles there are extremely weak and started to cramp around the fifth month. My doctor told me to try Biofreeze on the parts of my foot that hurt (not the injury itself—just the surrounding muscles).

I used to use IcyHot for most muscle related pain, but the doctor said that Biofreeze is better because it has more natural chemicals. It works just about the same.

Ask About Exogen

I feel like the title above makes me sound like a drug advertisement on T.V., but really, Exogen is the product that saved me from surgery. This ultrasound bone healing system helps my sesamoid bone come back together. Every night, I do this treatment for twenty minutes. Over the course of 77 days so far, the bone has significantly come back together.

Wait to Buy Shoes Until Full Recovery

Perhaps you won’t be or haven’t been in the boot for as long as I have been, but if you happen to exceed that three month time frame, you’ll probably need to buy new shoes. For me, I never used my right foot shoes. My left ones are extremely worn and beat, but my rights ones are practically new.

Because of the imbalance between my left and right foot, I will need a complete new set of shoes so that I can have equal distribution among my feet (I hope this makes sense). I tell you all this because I got a couple of new pairs of shoes in April. I have worn the left shoe tremendously but the right one still sits brand new in my closet, and I’m told I won’t ever be able to wear it.

Ease Back into Sports

Right after I recovered from my initial injury—a sprained ankle—in December, I was eager to start running again. That’s how I kept breaking my sesamoid bone. I felt a little bit of pain while I ran, but I ignored it and ended up breaking that bone into three parts.

Since my foot hasn’t really done much walking yet, I probably won’t go back for at least a few more months (I have not ran a full mile since October 😛 ). Swimming, however, is something that my doctor recommended for me. I never got around to it (not that big of a fan), but maybe that’s an option for you!

Coincidentally, I came across a trainer on YouTube called Caroline Jordan. I discovered that she also has a website and creates free videos for people with foot/leg injuries to do at home. She started these modified workouts after she had her own foot injury (she’s really positive, too!).

P.S. Watch out for rainy days!

My boot is super slippery in the rain, so make sure you have a sturdy shoe or you’re being really careful. I just casually almost tripped up a flight of stairs a few hundred times at school. The rail will become your best friend 😉

Here’s my quote for the day! “The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”

-Chinese Proverb

Have a great week and talk soon!