Been out for 2 months and it sucks

DapperKay
DapperKay Posts: 140 Member
edited November 12 in Fitness and Exercise
I've now had a pulled chest muscle since early January that just doesn't ever heal properly. And then I injured myself further when 3 weeks ago I went for a 10K run and fractured my left shin (possibly because I was trying hard to land softly and not aggravate my chest injury). The chest injury just doesn't seem to heal, every time I think its gone, I go for a small workout, something minimal and it inflames again. My leg injury means I cant run. I think the only thing I can do is maybe cycling, but I hate that. Is there anything else I can do? Im doing 10k walks every day, but it just doesn't feel like a workout, I need to sweat. :'(:'(

Replies

  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
    edited February 2015
    I'm injured too right now (calf strain) and I am a total mess. Shredding myself literally bloody on the exercise bike because that's all I can do, even though it sucks. (I'm a road cyclist in the summer and fall, but it is...not summer or fall here right now. Stationary bike is very different.)

    With a leg fracture--stress or hairline--you should *definitely* talk to your doctor about what exercise you can do. At some point in the healing process, for example, you'll probably be able to start swimming or pool running. Technically you won't sweat/realize you're sweating, but it's still a solid workout. (And are you sure you are okay to walk? That is not making the fracture worse?) The doctor might also have some suggestions on healing up that chest muscle for real, or give a referral to physical therapy maybe for some deep massage to get blood circulating to the injured area (necessary for healing).

    I wish I had advice for how to handle the emotional side of it. I've basically fallen apart and the only way I can figure to put myself back together is to be able to run again. It's tough to find an "alternate activity" when I can't walk without pain, the exercise bike is taking up so much of my time, and I am EMPHATICALLY NOT GOOD AT any other hobbies (which makes doing them miserable).
  • DapperKay
    DapperKay Posts: 140 Member
    edited February 2015
    cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »
    I'm injured too right now (calf strain) and I am a total mess. Shredding myself literally bloody on the exercise bike because that's all I can do, even though it sucks. (I'm a road cyclist in the summer and fall, but it is...not summer or fall here right now. Stationary bike is very different.)

    With a leg fracture--stress or hairline--you should *definitely* talk to your doctor about what exercise you can do. At some point in the healing process, for example, you'll probably be able to start swimming or pool running. Technically you won't sweat/realize you're sweating, but it's still a solid workout. (And are you sure you are okay to walk? That is not making the fracture worse?) The doctor might also have some suggestions on healing up that chest muscle for real, or give a referral to physical therapy maybe for some deep massage to get blood circulating to the injured area (necessary for healing).

    I wish I had advice for how to handle the emotional side of it. I've basically fallen apart and the only way I can figure to put myself back together is to be able to run again. It's tough to find an "alternate activity" when I can't walk without pain, the exercise bike is taking up so much of my time, and I am EMPHATICALLY NOT GOOD AT any other hobbies (which makes doing them miserable).

    I hear you, same feelings here. Everyday is a battle on an emotional level. Friends and family think Im irrational, but when you lose all your workout momentum, the very thing that put a smile on my face every day it becomes very hard not to feel sad.

    Walking is okay in small chunks of 2k tops and slowly, so I do 5 of that. On the chest doc suggests stretching and slowly building strength back, but I think the muscle is still too fragile, even carrying grocery bags hurt.

    Now I know how much athletes suffer during injury down time. Its seriously difficult seeing people all around in gym and street doing their thing and Im like months away from it, and when youre back you have to build all that momentum from scratch again...

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