Modifying Lifts with an Injury

chunky_pinup

Wouldn’t you know…as soon as I start actually seeing some really good progress, I go and have a freak incident with my foot. Long story short, I have a tumor on a nerve between my toes, which caused small fractures in the surrounding bones. I will be having surgery in the next few weeks to remove the entire nerve (causing permanent foot numbness) and to repair the bones. In the meantime, I’m supposed to keep as little weight on my foot as possible, which is not very possible with my job and then chasing a toddler around at home…but it’s in a boot and I’m doing the best I can to keep weight off of it.

I asked my doctor about exercise, and she said that anything that puts pressure on my feet is a no-go right now…which for me is basically everything! Even when I bench, I find myself pushing through my toes…I’m really frustrated. I tried to go the gym this morning and seriously felt lost. Everything I tried seemed to put pressure on my foot, and even things that didn’t seem like they did were not in good form, since I have a hard boot that doesn’t allow my ankle to bend.

I was doing Stronglifts 5x5 in addition to 2 cardio days and some small crossfit-style WOD’s, and the only things that seem possible at the moment are upper body exercises where I’m sitting, or ab exercises. I really don’t want to lose the gains I’ve made in my lower body, but I am at a complete loss as to how to work it without causing further damage.

Advice??

SezxyStef

listen to your doctor...I say this as I stand and am in pain because I didn't listen to my doctor or my body.

ew_david

I know machines are poo poo'd around here, but when I hurt my back I used the leg extension and leg curl machines. Were they my favorite? No, but it was better than nothing.

chunky_pinup

SezxyStef wrote: »

listen to your doctor...I say this as I stand and am in pain because I didn't listen to my doctor or my body.

I'm definitely trying to follow doctors orders, which is why I'm staying away from my programs right now, but I know there has to be a way to work my lower body without being on my feet. I've even modified pushups to be on my knees so I'm not pushing off my feet. Everything that I'm doing is completely following what my doctor advised, but I'm just at a loss on lower body exercises.

Cat3141

SezxyStef wrote: »

listen to your doctor...I say this as I stand and am in pain because I didn't listen to my doctor or my body.

This. The more you try to do now, the more you risk a longer recovery and long-term issues. I too speak from experience.

chunky_pinup

_dracarys_ wrote: »

I know machines are poo poo'd around here, but when I hurt my back I used the leg extension and leg curl machines. Were they my favorite? No, but it was better than nothing.

LOL! I wandered around those machines today, but thoughts kept floating in my head about "range of motion" being hindered and how bad they were, so I didn't use them...but I do suppose it's better than nothing...I'll add those in tomorrow!

jessiefrancine

Yeah this totally sucks but you're probably going to have to give it a rest for a while. I injured my knee last spring and went months without doing the majority of my SL 5x5 workout (which was horrible), but I let myself fully heal and now I'm resuming the program (but basically starting over on the weight for my squat).

Do what you can within your restrictions, but don't push it because you don't want to extend your downtime by continuing to aggravate the injury post-surgery. Make sure you ask lots of questions after the procedure about what is and isn't allowed and timelines for reintroducing old activities.

Try some dumbbell or body weight moves that can be done sitting or lying down. Lots of these will be upper body-focused, but you could do some leg extensions and whatnot to continue developing your legs. When it comes to your bench, I think you are supposed to be pushing through your heels to get that leg drive, so working on your form a bit might make bench doable if you can keep your toes from getting involved. Stationary bike for cardio? Not sure if that would bother your forefoot or not.

Best of luck!

chunky_pinup

jessiefrancine wrote: »

Yeah this totally sucks but you're probably going to have to give it a rest for a while. I injured my knee last spring and went months without doing the majority of my SL 5x5 workout (which was horrible), but I let myself fully heal and now I'm resuming the program (but basically starting over on the weight for my squat).

Do what you can within your restrictions, but don't push it because you don't want to extend your downtime by continuing to aggravate the injury post-surgery. Make sure you ask lots of questions after the procedure about what is and isn't allowed and timelines for reintroducing old activities.

Try some dumbbell or body weight moves that can be done sitting or lying down. Lots of these will be upper body-focused, but you could do some leg extensions and whatnot to continue developing your legs. When it comes to your bench, I think you are supposed to be pushing through your heels to get that leg drive, so working on your form a bit might make bench doable if you can keep your toes from getting involved. Stationary bike for cardio? Not sure if that would bother your forefoot or not.

Best of luck!

Thanks for the input...I'm dreading losing the strength I've built up...but I also know I'll only make it worse if I push it. The pushing through the toes I think is because of the shape of the boot I'm in...because I can't bend my ankle my foot seems to angle downward to my toes now when I do my bench, and that's so frustrating to me, because I feel like even upper body is being hindered by this stupid boot! So it's one more thing that I've decided to not do. I feel like I'm going to have an awesome upper body by the time I can resume my normal training, but I'm afraid of looking like one of those "friends don't let friends skip leg day" memes, haha! I'll look into the stationary bike though...I don't know why I didn't think about that!

DancingMoosie

Can you swim? I would suggest swimming with webbed hand gloves to increase resistance. Knee push ups, anything seated with dumbbells, and pullups for upper body. Leg curls and extensions with machines shouldn't put pressure on your foot.