Kimberelee, a 47 year old teacher, was blissfully enjoying her active lifestyle and was able to move her body freely with no limitations. She enjoyed hiking long trails with her friends, and swimming laps in the pool with her family on a hot summer day.
Then, tragically, in the winter of 2018, she slipped on a patch of ice in her driveway, and suffered a severe broken ankle.
Post surgery with two metal plates now in her foot, she lived in constant pain, and she feared that the days of hiking and swimming would be a thing of the past, just a distant memory.
“One of the realities of life after a broken ankle”, says Kimberlee, “is that getting up and down off the floor, or in and out of a bathtub, or walking distances or even swimming- all things that I really treasure, are so cumbersome”.
Kimberlee recounted many times when she was stuck and helpless, not able to get up out of the tub or off of the floor without the help of another person or a cane. Knowing that her body once was able to do these simple, everyday tasks without assistance was frustrating, and she exclaims “... I took those things for granted”. After this time of settling for her constant pain, she decided that it needed to come to an end, and she took action.
After researching Pilates and the benefits that it could potentially offer, she was excited to discover that classes were offered online since covid restricted in person ones.
She wanted to move her body and needed the kind of structure a class provides. Additionally, she enjoyed how there wasn't an added stress of being visible on Zoom; with her video off, her concerns were eased and Kimberly felt more comfortable participating in online classes.
Also, online classes revitalized her typical work-from-home routine, and that “it became a nice break in the morning work from home flow, not to mention the energy and strength it gives me”.
Before online classes, everyday tasks such as getting out of bed in the morning to grab her steaming hot cup of coffee or letting the dog out, came with a price;
shooting, sharp pain up through her foot.
Now, after many online classes under her belt, the simple things that used to be troublesome for Kimberlee, such as getting herself in and out of a bathtub, engaging her core in the pool, or sitting crossed-legged on the floor, are now attainable and done with ease.
In addition to recovering from her severe injury, Kimberlee has found strength within herself that she never knew she was capable of.....
She recounts a time when she was driving on the highway and her car broke down, and by herself, was able to safely push her car to the side of the road.
“ I will always be with the knowledge that my body was able to do that and the confidence that comes with that type of strength is incredible”.
With her ankle injury no longer holding her back, Kimberly now moves as freely as she wishes with no limitations, and can re-focus on the things that she enjoys most in life.