13 August-Didn't meet expectations

So when the orthopedist told me I was good to go on two shoes, I was very excited. I knew I wasn't going to run the next day but I was still too optimistic or naive regarding what I will be able to do.

So the next day I went to the pool to practice some calf raise exercises, see picture on the right; hardly exciting! So I did a bit of this then I swam a little too. It was complete shock to realize how much water fitness and feel I lost in over 2 months. When swimming I felt uncomfortable not properly coordinated and very slow. I manage to do a couple of 50 meters breaststroke and freestyle. Since then I have been back another 3 times. Sadly I couldn't go during the week, I think it would have helped a lot, but for now I practiced only at week-end, hopefully from next week it will be different. Little by little I am progressing, Every session so far, I have been swimming for longer, and with longer repetition 50 meter, then 100. I am doing a bit of back crawl as well. What I can say is that the swim recovery is going to take long, at least it has started.   

I am also doing some exercises with the elastic band. As you can see on the left. I keep an elastic band with me, and whenever I have a bit of time I do few repetition typically 3 times 10. 

I am also back on the bike trainer, typically for 1 hour, low-medium cardio. I don't feel too much pain or discomfort. So I don't have much more to say on this.

So those are the not so bad news (or the good news). The bad news (or not so good news) is that walking is difficult, painful even... and this wasn't expected. The last week on the boot, I felt very comfortable, strong almost ready to run. So I thought walking without the boot, would be... well a walk in the park... and it wasn't to be. First I quickly found that my foot was turning outwards, so I had to make a conscious decision on each step to keep my foot straight. It doesn't seem that uncommon as some other patient reported the same. Next I had quite a bit of pain in the foot, around the ball of the foot. Initially I thought it was linked to muscle loss, but as the pain was increasing I noticed that the foot was swollen. So in the last few days I am making sure I keep it elevated while I am resting and put a bit of ice and  elevate it after exercising. Now the swollen has recessed a bit, and so has the pain. 

This is going to be a long, long journey!