My life changed forever after an accident – but this exercise got me walking again

While I’ve been doing yoga on and off for the last 25 years, I’d never fully understood how important it was to my wellbeing. But in 2012, my life changed in the blink of an eye. Crossing Oxford Street in Central London, a speeding car snagged my foot, crushing the bones. The pain was immense, and I passed out. Taken to the nearest hospital, I was told it was fractured and given a temporary cast to wear. 

It was only once the cast was removed at my local hospital a few days later that the true extent of my injury became clear. The swelling hadn’t gone down and the doctor had a concerned look on his face as he sent me for an MRI scan. 

The results showed it was serious and I was immediately checked in for an operation. The danger was the complexity of the injury – a Lisfranc injury, which affects the way the foot holds itself. Because I’d had a crush and twist injury it had fractured the metatarsals, and it was vital to get it repaired within seven days of the accident, or I could suffer “drop foot” where the toes drag along the ground permanently.

It was the weekend of the London Olympics finale, and I spent it lying in hospital with my leg up, with ice packs round my swollen foot, watching the celebration of all the amazing athletes with the nurses – unable to move. The irony was not lost on me.

Trying not to contemplate what I was up against and what the impact might be, I kept myself calm during the 10 weeks of bed rest, the long rehabilitation and the gruelling sessions of physio as I slowly learned to use and walk on that foot again.

I was just living moment-to-moment and dealing with each phase, slowly and determinedly getting myself back to fitness. But once I was off crutches and starting to swim, I realised I was quite traumatised. The accident, surgery and rehabilitation had left me drained and depressed. As it became clear how much my life had changed, I seriously lost my mojo.

I had always been a very active person, riding motorbikes and hiking in mountains.

Once I could walk, I went running to build strength, but a half-marathon proved too much – I started getting problems with the foot again. The consultant said no more marathons and my confidence took another knock. 

That’s when I started doing yoga intensively, four or five classes a week, with my old teacher. It felt good to be back on the yoga mat – a familiar place, where I felt calm, doing moves that I knew and trusted. Over time I saw a change in what my foot could do. Yoga gave me back much of the strength, flexibility and movement that I’d lost. Gradually my confidence returned, and I felt like I’d come back to myself. 

Your perspective shifts when something so life-changing happens. Lying in bed for all those weeks after the accident, wondering whether I’d be able to hike mountains like before, whether I’d even walk OK, facing all those worries about how my post-injury life might be different, left me determined that the accident wasn’t going to define who I was in the future. 

I wasn’t going to be somebody who couldn’t live my life how I wanted. So, when I eventually trained to be a yoga teacher, I didn’t let my life-long fear of exams stand in my way – and now fully qualified, I love sharing the power of yoga in my classes and on my retreats.

My foot will never be ‘normal’ again. It needs regular exercise, otherwise I get pain, especially if I sit still too much. There’s a constant throb and the bones and nerves sit differently than before, so I’m always moving my toes and flexing my foot. But thanks to daily yoga my foot is so much stronger than it could have been. I know it’s now as good as it’s going to be, and I can’t ever see myself stopping doing yoga – if I did it would just stiffen up, as would I! 

Sadly, I’ve had to give up certain things. I don’t ride my motorbike anymore and I can’t run. I’ve just had to accept I can’t do everything I could do, but I can still live a lovely life. Yoga has really added to that, giving me opportunities I never thought I would have. It’s given me the stability and strength to tackle whatever I may face in the future. 

As told to Marina Gask

Four yoga moves to improve mobility and balance 

Warrior 3 “Virabhadrasana III’

Benefits: The small muscles of the feet and ankles are worked to maintain balance and stability in the standing leg.

1. From a standing position, place your feet hip-width apart, and hands in prayer position.

2. Inhale and then with an exhale, slowly lift one foot off the ground, stretching your leg behind you, toes pointed to the wall behind. At the same time, drawing your body forward, stretch your arms out in front of you, palms together.

3. Maintaining the position, keep your body parallel to the floor. Keep stretching the toes behind and fingers forward, while engaging the muscles of the standing leg.

5. Gaze softly forward. Hold for 30 seconds, or longer if you are able.

6. With an inhale, slowly bring your leg back down and feet together and with your arms over the head, go back to standing position. Repeat on the other leg.

Tree Pose ‘Vrksasana’

Benefits: Improves sense of balance. Strengthens feet, ankles, calves, thighs and spine. 

1. Start in mountain pose (‘Tadasana’), standing with feet together, equal weight across both feet, hands by your side.

2. Bend and lift one leg up, bringing the foot inside the thigh, toes pointing down. If this is too difficult, start by bringing your foot above the ankle or to the calf.

3. Bring both hands into a prayer position. Inhale and slowly stretch the arms over the head, palms together.

4. Bring your gaze softly to a point directly in front of you. Hold for 30 seconds – longer if you are able.

5. Exhale, bringing the arms back to prayer position, lower your foot to the floor. Repeat on the other leg.

Chair Pose ‘Utkatasana’

Benefits: Strengthens and stretches the feet, ankles, thighs and legs, tones your core and increases ankle mobility.

1. Start in mountain pose (‘Tadasana’) standing with feet together, equal weight across both feet, hands by your side.

2. Stretch your arms straight above your head, palms together.

3. Slowly bending your knees, sit back as if sitting on a chair – keeping your knees over ankles (check you can see your toes). Sit back as far as possible, thighs parallel to the floor.

4. Keep stretching your arms straight up, lengthening your spine, breathe and hold for 30 seconds – longer if you are able.

5. Inhale as you straighten the legs, bring arms back to the side, and return to standing position.

Downward Facing Dog “Adho Mukha Svanasana’

Benefits: Strengthens and stretches your ankles and tones the legs, while strengthening the whole body.

1. Starting on your hands and knees, wrists under your shoulders, knees under your hips, feet hip-width apart. 

2. Spread your fingers wide, middle finger pointing forward. Press the floor firmly through your fingers, knuckles and palms.

3. Exhale and tuck your toes under and lift your knees off the floor. 

4. Draw your pelvis up toward the ceiling, and your buttocks toward the wall behind you. 

5. As you stretch up and back, you will find your heels can get closer to the floor. Do not try and flatten your feet – rather keep drawing your hips up and back whilst drawing your chest toward your thighs. Through this action, over time you will find your heels can reach comfortably to the floor.

6. Hold for 30 seconds – longer if you are able.