"Wish These Were Cowboy Boots!" — Why Is 'GMA' Host Lara Spencer in a Boot?

In the world of morning talk show hosts, there are a few standout names. Kelly Ripa, Robin Roberts, and George Stephanopoulos all spring to mind. And so does Good Morning America's Lara Spencer. The bubbly blonde GMA morning host brings a sharp tongue and her distinct personality to every morning show she hosts.

These days, she's bringing something else: a recovery boot. Fans saw Lara sporting the new questionable "fashion" item and wondered: Why is she wearing the boot? Here's what we know about what's going on with her foot, and what fans had to say once she shared the news.

Years ago, Lara was trying to pull off a tricky diving move when she landed wrong and shattered bones in her feet. At the time, doctors said there wasn't much they could do, so she has lived with the after-effects of the injury for years. However, a new doctor in her life tackled the injury and will potentially leave Lara with a much higher quality of life once healed.

In a slideshow she posted to Instagram, Lara shared a photo of herself standing next to that doctor. She captioned the photo, "If I look a little groggy it's thanks to this guy who just gave me a new pair of boots ... (wish they were cowboy boots but that will come in about 6 weeks hopefully). My right foot was easy — just had plate removed from surgery last year. The left is a bigger deal from a very old college diving injury."

She explained, "I was doing a reverse one and a half and hit the board, shattering toes and joints. Back then they said there was nothing you could do except tape it, let it heal, and live with the pain. Today there are much better options, thanks to surgeons like Dr Marty O'Malley at HSS. These boots were made for walkin'."

In a number of photos shared to social media, the surgical boots were prominently featured. Once she returned to work, she was still sporting at least the one large boot, and colleagues and fans flocked to her Instagram to get the story.

Figure skater Adam Rippon commented, "Omg!!! Love the new open-toed shoes." Fellow journalist Rebecca Jarvis wrote, "Sweetie!! Feel better soon," while doctor, author, and media personality Dr. Jennifer Ashton wrote, "Who does both feet at the same time???? My girl, that’s who! So tough! Sending you speedy love to a fast recovery! We’ve got dancin' to do!"

Other colleagues stopped in to show love, but fans quickly outnumbered them with a wash of well-wishes. One fan wrote, "Gosh, and the heels you wear and how active you are … Heal swiftly!"

Another also marveled at Lara's choice of footwear despite her previous pain, writing, "Wow! How on earth do you wear heels all of the time? Wishing you a speedy recovery!"

With that kind of army of good vibes and well wishes, Lara will be back to feeling good in no time. And, with any luck, she'll be feeling better than before.