...6 1/2 months later...

Just another quick update...

I'm a couple weeks away from 7 months post-operation, and I feel as though I've hit a plateau, at least in the sense that I don't feel like my ankle flexibility is improving anymore. I still try to stretch it everyday, both with a resistance band and by stretching against a wall...even so, my ankle doesn't bend like my other ankle and I don't feel like I've made any big improvements in flexibility in the last month or so.

As far as muscle growth, I have made some progress. While living in the wilderness this summer I got the opportunity to run on gravel roads instead of pavement. This wasn't the best idea for the first month or so of the summer when I still didn't feel very stable running. Towards the end of the summer though, I grew accustomed to the gravel roads. I also got practice running up and down hills. Initially this was a big challenge. Going up and down inclines and declines didn't seem to agree with my ankle, so I would have to walk. This was actually better for me since my doctor recommended starting off with walk/runs anyway. After a month or so (around July), I built up more muscle and my flexibility got better so that I could run up and down hills somewhat comfortably. I started to run about 3-5 times a week, sometimes for 15 minutes and sometimes for up to an hour (run/walk if it hurt my ankle). When I left Sawbill just a week ago, I was up to running 3 miles non-stop, or run/walking up to 6 miles, both with mild pain afterwards. Stretching really helped after going for a run. If I didn't stretch, I would limp for a while, so stretching really cut down on that kind of short-term pain after a run. Most days I went for a run though (or did any kind of workout really), my ankle would feel really stiff late at night. Overall, running really helped me build up the muscle I lost from being immobile for so long after the injury, and I think it has aided immensely to the healing process and in regaining some flexibility as well.

On a side note, I've been back home for a few days already and I'll be moving back to college on Sunday. I've done quite a bit of shopping to get some furniture for my house at college, and my ankle hurt a bit more than normal after a long day of walking around the mall. Other than that, things have been good here for the most part! I hope everyone has been enjoying their summer!