NICEVILLE, Fla. — A Niceville breast cancer survivor who thrives on staying active is back on her feet after suffering a serious foot injury during a CrossFit workout.
Anita Caban-Ruiz, a respiratory therapist and CrossFit athlete said her life was upended in November 2024 when she suffered a fractured foot and broken ankle during a workout.
While trying to perform the unfamiliar movement, Anita landed forcefully on her right foot. She said the sound of the bone snapping echoed in her mind.
“I knew there was something wrong immediately,” Anita said.
At first, the pain wasn’t bad, so she continued with her workout. Soon after, she said her foot swelled up and became unbearably painful. By the next morning, she couldn’t walk or put any weight on her foot.
Working at a hospital, Anita didn’t hesitate to head straight to the emergency room, where an X-ray confirmed she had fractured her foot, the fifth metatarsal to be exact. The ER team gave her a walking boot, advised her to stay off her feet, and recommended that she follow up with an orthopedist.
Much to her dismay, the initial recovery was expected to be six to eight weeks, Anita said.
For Anita, staying active wasn’t just physical but also mental, so hearing that she may be sidelined for months was devastating.
“Exercise is part of my mental health—it’s a vital outlet, a way to de-stress, and ultimately, it’s part of my survival,” she said.
As a breast cancer survivor on osteoporosis-inducing medication, Anita said she knew that her bone healing journey was complicated and recovery could be impacted. With this in mind, she said the thought of being unable to move for an extended period was mentally exhausting, and getting back to her routine became essential for her well-being.
After following the doctor’s orders for her initial recovery, Anita sensed something was still wrong when the pain wasn’t going away. That’s when she sought a second opinion with Dr. Sonya Ahmed at North Florida Bone and Joint Specialists. A few days later, Dr. Ahmed confirmed that Anita had not only a significant fracture but also a broken ankle.
Known for her impatience, Anita immediately asked, “What else can I do to speed this up?”
Dr. Ahmed recognized Anita’s strong desire to heal. He explained, “Given both the ankle fracture and the 5th metatarsal fracture, my initial recommendation was surgery. However, Anita made it clear that she didn’t have the time for prolonged healing.”
Dr. Ahmed then suggested EXOGEN®, a bone healing system that reportedly accelerates the healing of indicated acute bone fractures and jump-starts the healing of fractures that haven’t healed on their own.
After researching her options, Anita was convinced that EXOGEN was the proper treatment and started using the device in December 2024. She said she followed the instructions carefully, using the device for 20 minutes on each break, for a total of 40 minutes a day.
Almost immediately, she said she felt improvement. By late December 2024, when Anita saw Dr. Ahmed again, her fracture had shown improvement. More importantly, she said she felt significantly better.
“EXOGEN supported her in every way. Clinically, radiographically, and I think it helped her realize she was integral in her own healing as well,” Dr. Ahmed said.
Anita was then cleared to begin physical therapy, which helped her transition out of the boot. In a short time after that, Anita was walking in regular shoes.
At her most recent check-up, the X-rays were said to have shown continued healing of the fracture. After 92 days of using the device, Anita wasn’t just back to her routine—she said she was stronger than ever and even more committed to her physical and mental health.
Now, Anita has once again returned to her favorite activities—yoga, weightlifting, and CrossFit.
“I am finally back to doing what I love,” Anita said.
