I’m working on a short documentary called In Motion. My idea is that you’re always in motion. At least I am. My body feels best when I’m walking; walking as many as 30,000 steps a day feels good. I sleep, move, and feel better, and my digestion works better. Clearly, what I’m saying is that I keep fit by moving.
I say all this to say that I am now in round two of recovery for my foot. I had foot surgery almost a year ago to correct a bunion, a second toe — hammertoe issue, and a benign cyst on the bottom of my foot. Four screws were placed in my foot during that first surgery. It was a traumatic experience for me. It was eight weeks of almost 23 hours a day of keeping my foot up; it was horrible punishment for someone who moves daily. I couldn’t do anything; I felt very helpless and had to rely on my husband.
Yoga Unscrewed My Foot, or Yoga Screwed My Foot!
Fast forward to nearly nine months later, I was doing an arm balance yoga posture — crow pose. It is an asana I have done many times before, but pre-hardware in my foot. I floated back to plank, and my foot didn’t quite bend like it was supposed to. It was still stiff from the surgery, even nearly a year later. Apparently, a screw started to lift from my second toe, and I got a big knot on top of my foot near the metatarsal.
The injury occurred one week before my trip to Italy. I was so stressed that I wouldn’t be able to go, but interestingly, I did go (I write about my travels in Italy; you can read the blogs on Live Fit Magazine), and I walked between 15,000 to 30,000 steps nearly every day. However, sadly, I still needed to have the surgery when I returned home because of the pesky lifting screw! The injury seemed to have made the screw in my second toe start to pop out of the bone but not the skin. I actually had a screw loose! Ha!😜
Foot Recovery Begins
So, now I find myself laid up for another two weeks with crutches and very limited walking. I’m back on the icing on and off and hoping the swelling stays down to reduce the possibility of infection and expedite the healing process. It’s hard for me not to be in motion, but I understand that you must honor your body, the journey, and the recovery process to keep fit and live well.
So, should you be recovering from something or getting ready to have surgery, I feel for you. I hope you find the next few blog posts that I do helpful. I’ll post about the mind and the body and the exercises that help me. Maybe they’ll help you too.
I’m also happy to answer questions about my bunion surgery process. I researched the heck out of it and got four consultations before choosing my doctor. It’s a big surgery and an even bigger recovery, so if I can pay it forward by helping you, I’m happy to do that because, guess what, I’m kicking up my feet, and I got time to chill — well, sort of. Apparently, I answered work emails immediately after surgery while in the hospital recovery room and while still a bit doped up — not advised!
