Low impact leg building exercises?

wbc8jnkxfb

Last year I suffered a peripheral neurological injury and now I have permanent nerve pain from my torso down my right side in through my leg to my foot. I’ve spent the last 6 months building a pain tolerance and focusing on the less damaged areas of my body. Now that i feel im at a place to progress im interested in some quality low impact leg building exercises because I still can’t push through the soles of my feet and bear any weight with a flexed hip. I can offset the load but it’s kind of counterproductive. Thanks!

kshama2001

Well, I think this is best asked of a physical therapist or personal trainer, but will do my best

Due to an ankle injury and chronic knee condition, I am also focusing on low to no impact exercise. At the gym I walk for five minute increments for up to a mile total and some days not at all. I break it up with five minutes on the recumbent bike or elliptical. I was rowing, just two minutes at a time, but that hurt my hip so I stopped. I despised the elliptical until I realized that I could tolerate it if I slowed it down.

This time of year I swim outside. I may or may not swim inside when the weather changes, but have a low tolerance for chlorine, so we'll see.

Here are some of my knee exercises:

Retroguy2000

Some suggestions, starting from lower impact and going higher:

Walking.
Stairmaster.

These next ones might be tough for now. You could start with no dumbbell and then progress to one or two later (it's just one for the goblet).

Goblet squat.
Lunges; forward (does quads more) and/or reverse (does glutes more).
Bulgarian split squat.

If you have access to a gym you could try the following, which won't require pushing from your feet:

Leg extension (quads).
Leg curl (hams).

You might need to improve your posterior chain generally, if you've been having issues around the hips. Look at things like bird dog yoga pose, and reverse hypers. You can find a machine for that in the gym, or use a firm table or bed at home.

ninerbuff

It might be best to talk to someone in physical therapy first to ensure you're not doing exercises that could be detrimental to your condition. Unfortunately, sometimes our bodies don't cooperate with what we'd like to do or how healthy we'd like to be. That's why involving a specialist in that field can be more informative for you.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

springlering62

What about aquafit? There’s so many different kinds. You could start with a rehab type to see how you like it, and then try a regular versus a “deep water” class. Our pool is only five feet deep, but people use hand dumbell/floats to keep their feet off the ground. You’d have no pressure on your feet that way.

I use Aqualogix Aqua Bells to amp up the upper body part of the workout, and their fins to create drag on the lower body. The upper body is challenging with the bells, you’d have to see if you were comfortable with the fins.

Yin yoga is very gentle stretches that are held for long periods and is generally done down on the mat. No standing at all in yin.

Pilates is also done down on the mat, other than the very final stand and “salute” at the end of class. It’s a great core builder. The side series is integral to Pilates, though, so not sure if that’s accessible to you with your injuries, even if no feet involved.

AnnPT77

It may not work for you (as it didn't for @kshama2001) but most people don't realize that rowing - machine, or those rowing shells on water - is primarily leg powered (about 60%). It's low impact, but potentially high intensity. It's not intuitive (to do correctly), so investing in learning up front - going slowly, working on technique - is a good plan. In particular, there can be worrisome back stress if someone bends the spine during the rowing stroke. (Correct technique is a hinge from the hip joint, straight spine throughout).

It may or may not work for you: I agree with others that a physical therapist consult is an excellent idea, as a good one will assess your individual strengths, weaknesses, limitations, inflexibilities, and give you exercises to work your way to a better place. That's ideal.

I have crapitudious knees, torn meniscus, arthritis; and some hip arthritis as well. Rowing works for me. It won't work for everyone. (P.S. Boats are more fun than machines! ).