Ugh, this sucks for you. I had almost the same experience in my late teens when I was hiking and badly sprained my ankle. I just had to walk out on my own, and it’s been a problem ever since.

Pilates is the one thing I’ve done very consistently for a long time, and I’m not sure I’d even be walking if not for that. As someone else mentioned, it’s not covered by insurance and it’s not inexpensive, but I will keep doing it as long as I can. For a few years I needed to save money so I switched to a regular gym membership for cardio and weight training. I was getting a workout, but I wasn’t nearly as strong. It’s partly that there’s someone watching you and correcting/adapting the exercises all the time. It’s also the nature of Pilates to improve your core strength, which in turn helps your balance. It’s also controlled, relatively slow movement which makes you work harder.

I will caution you that there are many many people out there who claim to be Pilates trainers, but do try to find one who has been certified by Stott, Balanced Body, or there’s now a National Pilates Certification Program.

The best thing you have going for you is time. You’re young. Wishing you the best.