Ashley Judd Proves Doctor Wrong After Being Told Her Foot Might Never 'Move Again'

Ashley Judd is on the mend after an unimaginable series of events led to two serious leg and foot injuries in recent years.

In February 2021, the Double Jeopardy star shattered her leg during an excursion to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). A little over one year later, Judd experienced a "freak accident" and suffered another fracture to her leg shortly after her mother Naomi Judd's death by suicide in April 2022.

Now, on Monday, May 13, the 56-year-old took to Instagram to reflect on her miraculous recovery after exceeding expectations doctors had warned her about regarding her prognosis.

"Y'all are so awesome for cheering me on, and I notice how often you ask about my leg and foot recovery," Ashley expressed in the caption of a video detailing her health journey. "That accident in DRC was hellacious to a factor of 10. I remain grateful to my siblings there who saved my life and encouraged my spirit as I was carried out of the depths of the second lung of the planet for 67 hours to get medical attention and that first pain medicine."

"It's been a long journey to full recovery: I have had a parasite (gone now, and featured, thank you, in the New England Journal of Medicine, so exotic was it), mono, big weight gain, and now loss, finally a diagnosis of a sleepiness sleep disorder (I now know why I always napped over lunch on movie sets!), and more!" she admitted. "Every day, I am profoundly grateful for SAG/AFTRA union insurance & my healthcare team. Saved my leg, saved my life."

In the video, Ashley further explained specific details of her injuries, noting how after the accident in the Congo, she "had a Schatzker V tibial plateau fracture, a paralyzed right foot, my leg had no pulse and I was hemorrhaging."

At the time, a doctor informed the High Crimes actress that her foot may never move again, though to that, she now said, "watch this," before the clip transitioned into footage of Ashley successfully performing functional training and balancing exercises on both of her feet.

"Now, I add PT & Functional Strength Trainer Maggie Mullins to that crack team!" she continued in the caption. "We are addressing that once-paralyzed nerve and nearly amputated leg in order to add more technical hiking to my abilities: Uneven terrain with loose rocks and carrying a big heavy backpack again. Being able to load my right knee sideways, power up off my right foot, do sideways agility, reverse lunges on stairs holding uneven weights…miracles, all. And, sit cross-legged! I was not supposed to be able to do that ever again!"

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The Kiss the Girls star proudly detailed: "The balancing is just incredible. She'll have me pause mid-air and turn my head to each side: 'Look at the bear!' And I can do it."

"When I had my nerve conduction study in 2021, the doctor said, 'I do not know that this foot will ever move again.' To that dude….watch this," Ashley reiterated. "I am realistic, so of course, I feel a little intimidated by Yellowstone National Park. And, I am enthralled by Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone, I am excited to meet you!"