Laura Whitmore has returned to training for 'Strictly Come Dancing'.
Laura Whitmore and Giovanni Pernice
The 31-year-old presenter is delighted doctors have given the green light to start rehearing with her professional partner Giovanni Pernice ahead of this week's live show after she injured her ankle and was forced to sit out of last week's running.
Taking to her Twitter account on Wednesday (26.10.16), she said: "Back to training....I'm quite a bit behind and being very careful. But will try my best guys! (sic)"
Laura was given permission by bosses to miss last weekend's show and given an automatic pass through to this week due to the extent of her injury but she's terrified she won't be able to perform and will be left with no choice but to withdraw.
Writing in her blog for Glamour Online, she said: "You're allowed to miss one show if the doctor says you are not physically fit to dance - but only one."
Although she's glad she's allowed to put weight back on the injured ankle from today and start learning the steps for her new routine, the blonde beauty is worried the gruelling training sessions could cause the joint to become inflamed again.
She said: "The fear is, if it's not fully recovered it could get inflamed again. We have a lot to catch up on but I'm not ready to throw the towel in just yet. It's too much fun (yes despite the wonky ankles, tears and stress it's the best show to be part of!)"
Doctors believe Laura's injury stemmed from too much jivving - the dance she was learning for last week's show - and were concerned she'd ripped the ligament.
She explained: "I was diagnosed with myotendinous strain of the right flexor hallucis longus muscle (sounds like a Harry Potter spell) caused by overuse through training and repeating one particular dance step. I was told by the physiotherapist to stop putting pressure on my foot straight away as so much fluid had built up and there was a risk if I kept going I would tear the ligament.
"An ultrasound on Friday [last week] confirmed the swelling had built up and the excessive fluid was causing me a lot pain but fortunately the ligament wasn't torn. We discussed the option of an injection of a strong pain killer and for them just to let me dance on Saturday but I was advised this wasn't the best course of action."
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