From Handstand Mishap to Fitness Breakthrough: Scarlett Espinoza’s Comeback

Scarlett Espinoza, 38, had been doing wall handstands for years as part of her yoga routine. In July 2024, a split-second change of setup changed everything.

With her usual wall blocked, she flipped up against her laundry room door. Her hip hit the handle, the door swung open, and she tumbled—wedging her ankle between the washer and dryer.

At first, she thought it was just a twist. But the pain escalated fast. Scans revealed a severe injury: fractures of the tibia, fibula, and talus, plus a dislocation and torn ligament.

After an ER cast and crutches, a surgeon prepped her for immediate surgery, unsure if she’d need an internal repair or an external fixator.

She woke to a cast—not rods—meaning her ankle was rebuilt internally. The hard part—recovery—was just beginning.

The slow build back

For two months, she couldn’t put weight on the ankle. Even letting her foot hang below her knee was brutal. She leaned on a wheelchair, then a walker, crutches, a cane—step by step. Physical therapy was painful, but she showed up.

Back in the gym, she treated training like rehab. She focused on strengthening her reconstructed side, balancing her overworked “good” leg, and rebuilding confidence. Little gains added up.

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The 60-day reset

Eight months post-injury, Scarlett entered Life Time’s 60XT, an eight-week transformation challenge built around:

• Daily workouts
  
  
• 30 grams of protein per meal
  
  
• Hydration: half your body weight (in ounces) of water daily
  
  
• Limited alcohol
  
  
• 8,000 steps per day
  
  
• Recovery and self-care
  
  
• At least seven hours of sleep each night
  
  

“It changed my entire view,” she says. Consistency became the game-changer.

Strength over everything

Scarlett had always mixed yoga, spin, and strength classes, but the challenge showed her she hadn’t been pushing hard enough.

She dialed in intensity—lifting heavy, keeping cardio short, and prioritizing recovery.

Her typical training rhythm:

• 20 minutes of mobility work before lifting
  
  
• About 90 minutes of weight training daily
  
  
• 20 minutes of cardio after strength work
  
  
• Recovery tools like compression boots and water massage
  
  
• Steady walking to hit step goals
  
  

She cried the first time she managed a leg extension—weeks of attempts finally paid off.

Squat depth is still limited by ankle mobility, but that’s her next target. Post-challenge, she now lifts five days a week, with yoga or walking as active recovery.

A “boring” diet that worked

Pre-injury, Scarlett leaned on carbs and often ate freely because she exercised. During the challenge, she tightened up:

• High-protein staples: chicken, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, eggs, edamame
  
  
• Protein powder with water to hit 30g per meal
  
  
• Veggies for carbs, high fiber, limited fats
  
  
• Lemon/lime juice instead of oil for salads
  
  
• Simple swaps at family cookouts (think portobello mushrooms and veggies)
  
  
• Avoided dairy to curb bloat
  
  
• Cut alcohol during the challenge; ditched soda
  
  

She calls it “boring,” but effective—and she’s now finding a sustainable balance that keeps results without feeling deprived.

The results—and the win

In two months, Scarlett:

• Lost 14 pounds
  
  
• Gained 6 pounds of muscle
  
  
• Dropped body fat from 30% to 16%
  
  
• Regained a leg extension
  
  
• Became a top finalist and won $10,000 in Life Time’s 60XT challenge
  
  

Seeing her before-and-after photos stunned her. “If I didn’t win, I was still in better shape than when I started,” she says. Winning—against 25,000 competitors—was the surprise on top.

Her message for anyone recovering from injury: even if you’re not at 100%, progress is possible. “You can accomplish amazing things, even with setbacks,” she says.

And those handstands? She’s back at them—more controlled, still near a wall, and determined to keep moving forward.

Source: today

The opinions shared in the GymNation blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.