Broken ankle and weight

rosnz

Over the past few years I've maintained my weight at 64kg through diet and excerise. 60 yrs old female I'm a keen walker. Yesterday I missed a wee curb in the dark on an early morning walk and broke my ankle. I have to be non then partial weight bearing on crutches for about 8-10 weeks My worry is that without regular exercise my weight will quickly creep up What is your advice ? Should I cut right back to maintenance calories?

heybales

Cut back to maintenance calories?

That would mean you are eating above maintenance calories now.
But you've maintained your weight.

Life lesson regarding weight.
You do more, you eat more.
You do less, you eat less.

In a diet a tad less in either case.

Will you be doing less?
Of course.

Exercise merely burned more than without it - and allowed your maintenance to be higher.
Much like summer maintenance is higher than winter for most.
Or younger than older for most.

Do you have access to a gym?
I had a trimalleolar fracture from bike accident, in boot for 3 months, slowly increasing weight and allowed angle.

I hobbled around on crutches at gym from weight machine to machine doing everything but the leg press stuff, but could still do leg extensions and curls and glutes, just not calves.

When allowed 10 lbs and some short angle range of motion - that was the sled used as calf machine - and each weight increase came with increase there. Kept boot on of course to restrict the range per Dr.

Spin bike was done 1 legged at first - and seated obviously. When enough angle was allowed, which meant some weight too - I could use the bad foot since the ankle range of motion is narrow on bike - still couldn't stand and press with all my weight.
Day after I got out of the boot - 40 mile group event bike ride - no problem.
Rest of body pretty strong too.

And that was because I didn't want to lose fitness - and I didn't want to eat at the level that would have been required for being super sedentary and not gaining weight - which I didn't.

rosnz

Thanks .. I'm still in a bit of shock that such a small slip could cause a break. I don't normally go to a gym but it probably would be a good thing to start to keep the rest of my in shape - I think I've burned a million calories hopping about on those crutches today

sgt1372

rosnz wrote: »

Thanks .. I'm still in a bit of shock that such a small slip could cause a break. I don't normally go to a gym but it probably would be a good thing to start to keep the rest of my in shape - I think I've burned a million calories hopping about on those crutches today

Have you ever had your bone density tested?

You could have some degree of osteoporosis which may have contributed to the break. This is something you may want to discuss w/your doctor.

Not sure if there is anything nutritionally that you can do about it except eat supplements and/or food w/calcium in it but weight lifting is said to help increase bone strength. Something to consider after your ankle heals.

BTW, DXA was developed specifically to assess bone density; fat measurement was only a biproduct.

sijomial

Things I did right when I was on crutches for 3 months.....

• Went for a walk on my crutches every day (grew some great traps and triceps).
• Stayed as active as I could be.

Things I did wrong....

• Ate far too much because I was bored and depressed.
• Let myself gain 30lbs.
• Went shopping while on crutches and then realised I couldn't carry home what I had just bought. Duh!

Yes I think you should reduce your calories to match your current maintenance level, monitor your weight closely, be as active as you can be.
(PS - have you been told by your medics you can or should be doing static non weight bearing exercises on your injured leg?)

rosnz

That's great advice - thankyou No they haven't mentioned any exercise but it was only yesterday - the full cast doesn't go on until next week - at the moment I'm in a 3/4 one to allow for swelling.

heybales

Oh see - I got 7 screws and plate, not a cast, and then a boot with locks for angle range of motion lock down. So basically a cast while the bones healed together.

But the tibia was fine from above ankle, which allowed pushing against machine pads with it just fine. But if there had been a cast there, that would have been pushed into the leg and ankle - probably hurting and not good.
But a boot open on the front was just fine for me.

So different setup.

And it was I think 2 weeks until first post-followup visit before I started working out again besides the hobbling workouts.

lorrpb

Yes, cut back your calories. I've read many posts on here of people who lost, maintained, had an illness or injury, and regained large amounts because they ate more and moved less. Part of my maintenance plan is that if something unfortunate happens to me, I will adjust my calories accordingly and prob start logging again.

amberlarson71908

Once the cast is on, could you do Pilates? My Pilates instructor still did a lot of the workout when she broke her ankle. Just a thought.

busyPK

I broke my ankle exactly 3 years ago yesterday. I ended up with extensive surgery and a lengthy recovery. My tips would be get up and move around on the crutches as much as you feel you can. Keep tracking your food! I believe i got depressed and stopped and ended up eating more than I needed to and gained weight. Hugs!