When I first started cross-country skiing the trails were just the hiking trails in state parks. There were extremely narrow with sharp turns. You had to learn quickly or you would run into trees. I became quite proficient at skiing. After my event this was one of the things I wanted to accomplish. 9 months in with my wife and daughter assisting I 'skied' one block, my daughter would take my left arm with the pole attached and place it for each stride. That was the extent of skiing the first winter. The second winter I went along to a ski lodge in northern Minnesota. I skied maybe 3km on dead flat trails. The third winter I skied 10km and tried going up a 6 foot rise, I failed and fell, herringboning up hills is currently not possible. I ski with one pole in my right hand. Getting up with skis on is an interesting exercise in rolling in the snow until you get everything in the right position to push yourself upright. I skied a short while past the hill and turned around. Going down the hill I fell again because the groomed tracks disappeared halfway down the hill and I use those tracks to be able to keep my skis going in the right direction.
The fourth winter I just stayed on the flat trails and skied maybe 15 km. It looks like shuffling on skis but is still fun. This year I wasn't wearing my AFO which was probably a mistake because my ankle would roll to the outside of my left foot. It was darn lucky I didn't sprain my ankle. This coming winter I think I will go back to the AFO, still no arm swing so the left hand pole won't be used.
Don't think of this as medical advice.
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