Injured - Need help!

ryandurbin
ryandurbin Posts: 12 Member
edited September 21 in Fitness and Exercise
I have been on a weight loss program/diet for about 5 weeks now and have lost around 20 lbs. I was on a pretty good roll and then I damaged my achilles tendon in my left leg. My doctor tells me to stay away from weight bearing strenuous movement including running, jogging, extensive walking, biking, elliptical, rowing and or any other weight bearing activities that may strain my tendons. My doctor has told me to swim in replacement of the other cardio which I have been currently doing but I don't really have access to a pool at the times i have free to work out. My gym has an olympic pool but theres a water resistance training going on in there at the time i have available. I'm actually wondering if anyone can suggest another form of cardio/workout that will allow me to burn the calories i need to keep shredding off the lbs without further damaging my achilles tendon.

Thanks,

Ryan

Replies

  • jheller
    jheller Posts: 194
    First congrat's on what you've lost already and secondly sorry about your injury- that really sucks. A lot of gyms still have a few lanes open for lap swim during classes - are you sure you can't do that? Besides swimming I really can't think of anything else you can do since it has to be non-weight bearing. The only other thing I can think of is trying the local rec center and getting a punch pass to go swim -I know that is extra $$- but if you really can't swim at your gym when you have time to go then its something to think about.
    Here's to a full, quick recovery!!
  • ryandurbin
    ryandurbin Posts: 12 Member
    Thank you. Yeah, I'm not really into the spending extra money idea, I will probably just have to wake up a little bit earlier and get my butt to the gym early so that I can swim some laps. The pool at my Gym only has 3 lanes and its a pretty busy aqua class so they tend to fill it up. Thank you for the advice.
  • zenzoes
    zenzoes Posts: 187
    Since you were injured, have your doctor prescribe water therapy. You can then use a hospitals PT pool, or have your insurance pitch in for some hydrotherapy at a rehab center. Good luck and speedy recovery!
  • stringcheeze
    stringcheeze Posts: 286
    I'm no expert, but I wonder if pilates might work for you, especially the exercises where you're lying or kneeling on the ground. I wouldn't think you'd put a lot of strain on your achilles that way. If you're not sure what its about, you could always search YouTube for examples to see if it would be right for you.
  • ryandurbin
    ryandurbin Posts: 12 Member
    Thank you for the advice, much appreciated, I will check in to both of those options! :)
  • servingthealiens
    servingthealiens Posts: 144 Member
    Can you stand? Get a heavy bag or punching bag and beat the crap out of it. Excellent workout, and will tone your upper body nicely too?
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
    You don't have to stand to do punching drills. I do them seated when I need to give my lower body a rest.

    Also, do they have the water jogging belts at your pool? If so, you can wear one of them so your feet don't have to touch the bottom of the pool and do the aqua class. Aqua aerobics burns 4 calories per kilogram of body weight per hour, so it is pretty good exercise. Not as strenuous as swimming at 7 calories per kilogram of body weight per hour, but better then missing your workout because the pool is in use.
  • ryandurbin
    ryandurbin Posts: 12 Member
    Hmmm, we don't have a punching bag at our gym but i think i can probably get access to one. That is a great idea. Also i will have to check into the water jogging belts and i will give the aqua class a try. Wasn't sure if that was sufficient enough cardio. It looks like a lot of people on light duty cardio much like leisure walking from the outside looking in but perhaps its more beneficial than i thought.
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
    Hmmm, we don't have a punching bag at our gym but i think i can probably get access to one. That is a great idea. Also i will have to check into the water jogging belts and i will give the aqua class a try. Wasn't sure if that was sufficient enough cardio. It looks like a lot of people on light duty cardio much like leisure walking from the outside looking in but perhaps its more beneficial than i thought.

    Aqua aerobics is like a lot of other workouts. It's all about how much effort you put into it. I once made a professional football player puke in an aqua aerobics class, so I know it can be much tougher then it looks. Water Jogging burns 8 calories per kilogram of body weight per hour, too, so if you want to try something else, water jog in the deep end with the jogging belt. ;)
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
    Aqua aerobics is like a lot of other workouts. It's all about how much effort you put into it. I once made a professional football player puke in an aqua aerobics class, so I know it can be much tougher then it looks. Water Jogging burns 8 calories per kilogram of body weight per hour, too, so if you want to try something else, water jog in the deep end with the jogging belt. ;)

    Aqua jogging is awesome!!! I have had achilles tendonitis and also this spring had a stress fracture in my 3rd right toe. I couldn't run, bike, elliptical, or any weight bearing activities! I thought I would die until I found aqua jogging! I bought the aqua jog belt and got in the deep end of the pool. I *ran* in the water, and kept up my cardio endurance. Once I was back to running, it didn't take long at all for me to be back to the pace I was running before I was injured!! I also did core training and upper body weights and some lower body (had to be careful on things like calf raises and other lunge type movements). Good luck!!
  • ryandurbin
    ryandurbin Posts: 12 Member
    Awesome advice guys I really appreciate it, water jogging sounds like my style I think I'm going to get me aq belt and go for it :) thank you for the prompt responses its people like you all that make this site great :)
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