Learning to Walk

When we are babies, there are so many milestones that parents huddle around with cameras for, waiting anxiously for them to occur. Whether it’s our first words or when we open our eyes for the very first time, parents and strangers alike find great joy in the achievements of babies. However, none can be quite as important as a baby’s first steps. Finally, after months of crawling around on the dirty floor, they learn to support themselves and walk, setting them into motion for accomplishments and successes in the future.

However, throughout the last several months it has become apparent that Amanda B. never properly learned how to walk on her own. In the course of six months, Amanda sprained her ankle not once, not twice but FIVE times! I honestly cannot even fathom how that is possible.

The Timeline

Staring during volleyball season, Amanda landed on her ankle the wrong way while playing at a tournament. Just like that, she was knocked out of volleyball for two months. Throughout physical therapy, she looked forward to being able to finish out the season after being taught by professionals how to walk properly.

It wasn’t meant to be, though.

On her last day of therapy, during the session, she sprained her ankle. This re-sprain that happened while under watch of trained professionals knocked her out of the remainder of volleyball season. Don’t worry though, there was still her favorite sport: basketball.

Amanda was cleared to play right before basketball season got started. She played for the first couple of months, but just as quickly as it all began, it was over. She stepped on another girl’s foot and bam, another sprain. Amanda was placed off of the court for another month but was able to step back onto the court before the end of the season!

Nope!

Within a week of reentering the sport, she sprained it again! Wow, who would’ve guessed it. Instead of returning back to the professionals who let her down already, she decided to wait it out and let the beaten and battered ankle heal on its own. With no sports left for the year (thanks, corona!), I think it’s safe to say that as long as she can stay on her own two feet (and not Kayla’s), the sprains are over.

The Aftermath

To aid Amanda with her walking in the future, she now owns a boot, crutches, stabilizers, two pairs of compression socks, two ankle braces, and ankle wrapping. Regardless, something tells me she’ll somehow manage to slip up again.

In the End

Seeing that I’m exploiting your pain and suffering for my grade, I won’t completely drag you right now, Amanda. Sure, am I confused about how you weren’t properly taught how to walk or that your therapists literally watched you sprain your ankle? Yes! But neither of those are your fault. I’ll take it up with your mother the next time I see her.

Better luck next season, Amanda.