I need some suggestions....

Options
Well I definately sprained my ankle :sad: so now I need some suggestions for exercise I can do while sitting. I know clicking the remote burns a few:tongue: but I was doing a 3 mile walk a day and need to find something else to do not using my foot. Any ideas would be appreciated, I'm am reallly bummed out by this setback. I feel like all the hard work I did will go down the drain. :grumble: On the upside, Banks I don't even want to go near the scale now. Just sitting and:drinker: coffee. ~Karen

Replies

  • kjllose
    kjllose Posts: 948 Member
    Options
    Well I definately sprained my ankle :sad: so now I need some suggestions for exercise I can do while sitting. I know clicking the remote burns a few:tongue: but I was doing a 3 mile walk a day and need to find something else to do not using my foot. Any ideas would be appreciated, I'm am reallly bummed out by this setback. I feel like all the hard work I did will go down the drain. :grumble: On the upside, Banks I don't even want to go near the scale now. Just sitting and:drinker: coffee. ~Karen
  • mollymay
    Options
    What a bummer! I went to the exercise database and walking with crutches is listed. just plug in your weight. At my weight of 158 walking with crutches would burn 90 calories in 15 minutes.

    I dont know if your able to walk on them or if you have a place that is safe and you wont break your neck trying to use them. But I thought I would tell you in case you have that option.

    Hope your back squarely on your feet soon. I have sprained both of mine really bad... its no fun and very painful.
  • aslavich
    aslavich Posts: 250 Member
    Options
    Maybe you can do some light weight work with your arms. Any little bit helps!

    Angela :flowerforyou:
  • diannholland1965
    diannholland1965 Posts: 782 Member
    Options
    Weight training. Now mind you all in all it does not burn as many calories to START WITH!
    IE if you do 15 to 20 minutes of weight training when you are doing it, you might burn only 45 to 60 calories. HOWEVER. Muscle burns more calories then fat, and it KEEPS burning calories up to 4 hours AFTER you are done working out with weights. Which can be around 160+ calories from a 15 to 20 min workout. And you can be sitting around not doing anything and burning calories! HOW COOL IS THAT??!!
    You can get a simple set of weights most anywhere. Personally I picked mine up at the local Wally World. But if you can not get regular weights right now because of your present Boo Boo, I am sure that there are things around the house that will work until you CAN buy weights.
    Like a yellow pages phone book can weigh as much as 5 Lbs. A gallon of Milk or water can weight as much as 10 Lbs. 5 and 10 Lbs are a good start.
    Go on line and find out what different weight training moves look like and do them.
    Do not worry about bulking up and looking like a guy. That takes YEARS of working out.
    then when you are back on your feet...Pardon the pun...You SHOULD keep doing the weight training to an every other day level. IE: Walk on one day, weight train the next Walk the day after that, and weight train the next.
    I hope this helps.
    --Diann...:flowerforyou:
  • eileen0809
    Options
    Swimming!! Find a nearby YMCA or healthclub with an indoor pool and you can "walk" in waist-high water and put very very minimal pressure on your ankle. You can also do sit-ups, modified push-ups (bend at the knee instead of straight legs), and definitely the weight training. Good luck and feel better soon!
  • Razboo
    Razboo Posts: 439 Member
    Options
    Most upper body movements could be done from a chair. Light weights, side bends. Touching your toes... There's enough ideas in this thread, you should hardly lose any calorie burn! :smile:

    (Reading this made me think of my first "weight set". It was a suitcase which I filled with various amounts of canned goods. :laugh: )
  • sam456456
    Options
    You could always do some light strength training. You could do some arm exercises with ligh hand weights that way even after your done working out you'll still be burning calories. Also swimming is good as well although I don't know if it would cause pain to your foot or not:huh: hopefully it doesn't though. :flowerforyou: best wishes, I hope you foot heals soon!!
  • ladyphoenix5252
    Options
    Being in sports I injured my ankle a few times. So when when I was out with ankle sprain I found ways to work out. I often would do a lot of leg lifts from the front and the sides. From the front I would would basically just lie on my back and and work on raising both legs up to a 90 degree angle then come back down without letting your legs touch the ground. These work great for abs and core strength. To help with a little leverage for the leg lifts try putting your hands flat on the ground right underneath where your tailbone would be. Be sure to keep your legs straight without bending your knees. ( Also be sure to put a large pillow under the weak ankle for extra cushion) For the side leg lifts I would just lie on one side keeping my legs straight and lifting them again to a 90 degree angle and bringing them back down without touching my other leg.

    To work on some upper body stuff i would do push ups the (girly way) with my weight on my knees. I would also just find random things around the house to use as my weights for doing some simple upper body workouts.

    There are plenty of things you can do, i'm sure you might be able to improvise as you go along.
    Good luck!
  • tdroseler
    Options
    Well I definately sprained my ankle :sad: so now I need some suggestions for exercise I can do while sitting. I know clicking the remote burns a few:tongue: but I was doing a 3 mile walk a day and need to find something else to do not using my foot. Any ideas would be appreciated, I'm am reallly bummed out by this setback. I feel like all the hard work I did will go down the drain. :grumble: On the upside, Banks I don't even want to go near the scale now. Just sitting and:drinker: coffee. ~Karen


    that is a real bummer...and i can understand you desire to keep doing something...good for you.

    i was going to suggest that weight training, even with soup cans, or 2lb dumbells would be a good thing. building up muscle in the next few weeks...the more muscle you have the higher you metabloism, and the more cals you burn without trying, is how it was explained to me.
    i see however, many of us share the same ideas :drinker: yay!!!

    I like the idea that was mentioned of still going for your walks with your crytches when you can. the fresh air and sunshine will do you good mentally, and keep your spirits up. Also good for keeping you immune system healthy.

    Either way, im sure you will find something helpful...we are here for you
  • nopogal
    nopogal Posts: 162
    Options
    That stinks! I did the same thing about a year and a half ago and I was miserable. Then after I sat around all summer, I was even more miserable because I did. I would definitely suggest doing physical therapy, not for exercise, but just to make sure to get that strength back. I did it and I'm so relieved I did. I hear that some people still haven't gotten over injuries many years back...I didn't want to be one of those people. I would say my sprained ankle is now the stronger one! But I digress....

    Floor work is great. Maybe get into some yoga and/or pilates and know your limitations with the ankle. Talk to an instructor and tell him or her your limitations...maybe there are modifications. Cardio will be hard for a while, but once you get your ankle back, at least your muscles will still be in shape. Good luck!
  • kjllose
    kjllose Posts: 948 Member
    Options
    thank you all for the great suggestions. I will try a few of them out in the morning. I know this won't take forever to heal but I am so worried about gaining back what I have lost that I got a little down feeling. But your right there are lots of things I can still do. And if my hands are busy then I won't be filling my mouth with all sorts of junk food although there isn't much of that in the house to begin with.:bigsmile: Thanks so much for being there and giving me a little support. I never thought of walking with crutches as an exercise,lol.~Karen