exercise with a broken ankle

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niduran1961
niduran1961 Posts: 26 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I was just getting back into running and planning on doing a toning class for cross training and THEN, in my daily walk with the dog (which I was gradually lengthening), the dog knocked me down and in the process fractured my ankle! Now I'm stuck at home, on crutches and in a cast (that can't get wet), really motivated to lose weight, unable to do my usual exercise. Suggestions?

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  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
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    Let it heal, mostly. You can try ab exercises or other matwork, but some of it's going to be painful.

    Crutching is a lot of exercise on its own. Watch your wrists for too much pressure and your armpits for skin irritation, if you try it, though.

    Eat to heal, stay at maintenance.
  • seachelle76
    seachelle76 Posts: 27 Member
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    I've been there. It really depends on where you fractured it and the type of fracture. I've fractured my right lateral malleolus a few times over the years (last time just standing in a yoga pose- Murphy should be my last name). Anyway, if you have a physician's clearance, and are allowed to do slight weight bearing, then a stationary bike may be the thing. However, there are plenty of youtube videos out there with workouts tailored for those with fractured ankles.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited May 2015
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    My dog got spooked at a neighbors big green trash can sitting at the end of the road the other day and freaked herself out and knocked me down and into the curb.. I was lucky only bruises...(she is only 1 years old... I forgave her... You not so lucky and I really HATE to hear this especially after something stupid like that happened to me..

    You can still lose weight.. it is gonna suck but you can do this by operating what comes out the kitchen! Hopefully you got some good pain meds...LOL..

    I have not a clue..and I would not even fathom the idea of wanting to exercise... Get well soon.. I am not sure if you have to go to Physical Therapy afterwards but I hope you cope well and have a speedy recovery and do not do anything to set you back further..
  • 365andstillalive
    365andstillalive Posts: 663 Member
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    niduran1961 wrote: »
    I was just getting back into running and planning on doing a toning class for cross training and THEN, in my daily walk with the dog (which I was gradually lengthening), the dog knocked me down and in the process fractured my ankle! Now I'm stuck at home, on crutches and in a cast (that can't get wet), really motivated to lose weight, unable to do my usual exercise. Suggestions?

    As much as it sucks to hear this: now is not the time to focus on weight loss.

    What a lot of people don't realize, is that eating at a deficit actually causes your body to take longer to heal significant injuries.

    I had to do 6 months of maintenance with my last knee surgery, so I feel your pain.
  • stillnot2late
    stillnot2late Posts: 385 Member
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    upper body workouts while sitting in the chair. my life saver
  • SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish
    SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish Posts: 831 Member
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    That's mean! Why were you lengthening your dog?
  • stillnot2late
    stillnot2late Posts: 385 Member
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    gia07 please forgive me for thinking that is so funny of your dog to freak out over a trash can.
  • niduran1961
    niduran1961 Posts: 26 Member
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    Thanks, everyone. I have actually managed to lose 5lbs over the last 8 weeks--6 weeks in the cast and the last 2 in an orthotic boot. I can do the stationery bike now with the boot, plus I've been doing some weight machine stuff at the Y. With the cast I did the "arm bike" and some other upper body stuff, plus abs and hips exercises. Not a lot, but every little bit helps. Hoping the weight loss will speed up once I can swim.
  • ScubaSteve1962
    ScubaSteve1962 Posts: 609 Member
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    niduran1961 wrote: »
    Thanks, everyone. I have actually managed to lose 5lbs over the last 8 weeks--6 weeks in the cast and the last 2 in an orthotic boot. I can do the stationery bike now with the boot, plus I've been doing some weight machine stuff at the Y. With the cast I did the "arm bike" and some other upper body stuff, plus abs and hips exercises. Not a lot, but every little bit helps. Hoping the weight loss will speed up once I can swim.

    I was about suggest swimming if it was possible. I did that and treaded, when I had a broken ankle. but I was only in a cast for about a month, and walking boot for another 4. Didn't tear any ligaments so they didn't have to go in, just fractured the bone, so I could get it wet as soon as the cast came off.
  • TekellaMBird
    TekellaMBird Posts: 5 Member
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    Using crutches is a killer calorie burn... lost 10 lbs in the 2 months it took to heal up. Give your body time to heal, and returning to weight bearing activities will be painful. Be a patient patient, listen to your doc. :smile:

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