Can you stay fit when you're banned from heavy exercise for 2 weeks?

jbirdgreen
jbirdgreen Posts: 569 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I was in the groove of working out pretty heavy -- Zumba, my personal version of C25K, strength training, etc. However, I've just had minor surgery. The Doc says that I can't do any strenuous exercise or heavy lifting for two weeks. Walking is the prescribed exercise, and I plan on doing that as much as I can.
However, I've made really big strides in building running stamina and overall strength. I don't want to lose that while I'm down and out -- will two weeks away from the gym do a lot of damage? What are some bounce-back tips?

Replies

  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    You'll probably notice some decline in your performance over two weeks. I definitely notice it if I haven't run for two weeks. I wouldn't stress about it, though, because your recovery is more important. You don't want to rush back to your exercise routine too soon and risk injury after your surgery, and it won't take long for you to recover your usual level of fitness if you're fully healed. You can ask your doctor about other low-impact exercise, like swimming, if you get bored with walking, but I'd just focus on letting your body heal. I hope you have a quick recovery!
  • HeliumIsNoble
    HeliumIsNoble Posts: 1,213 Member
    It's two weeks. Jessica Ennis-Hill has spent a year off after injury before and returned to form.
    In January, Ennis set new indoor personal bests of 8.18 seconds in the 60 metres hurdles and 6.33 metres in the long jump at the Norwich Union International Match at Kelvin Hall in Glasgow.[44]

    At the Norwich Union Trials and UK Championships in Sheffield in early February, which she entered despite deciding not to compete in the World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain, Ennis finished third in the 60 metres hurdles in a time of 8.20 seconds and won the high jump with 1.92 metres.[45]

    In May Ennis withdrew from the heptathlon competition at the Hypo-Meeting in Götzis, Austria after the first day's events citing pain in her right foot. A scan later revealed the injury as stress fractures of the navicular and a metatarsal of the right foot. As a consequence she missed that year's Olympic Games in Beijing and the rest of the 2008 season.[46]
    2009
    After a twelve-month lay-off due to injury, Ennis returned to competition at the World Combined Events Challenge in Desenzano del Garda in May, winning the event with a personal best score of 6,587 points, including an 800 metres personal best,[47] also breaking Liliana Năstase's 16-year-old meeting record in the process.[48] Ennis's foot injury meant she had to change her take-off leg in the long jump from right to left. At the UK Championships in Birmingham in July Ennis won the high jump and 100 metres hurdles.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Ennis-Hill
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Do lots of walking and pace yourself the first few days back. You'll be fine.
  • jbirdgreen
    jbirdgreen Posts: 569 Member
    Thanks you guys. The hard part will be keeping my calories in check while I'm away!
    I especially appreciate the Ennis story @HeliumIsNoble. That's inspiring.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    2 weeks is a good deload and rest period- you're more likely to be psychologically uncomfortable than physically lose actual progress.
  • Lizarking
    Lizarking Posts: 507 Member
    It's just 2 weeks. Don't restrict calories overly either - you need to heal.
  • BrunetteRunner87
    BrunetteRunner87 Posts: 591 Member
    I think they say 2 weeks is OK and then any more than that, you'll start to lose fitness. I was recently out for 2 weeks from a sprained ankle. I came back and felt a little winded for a week or so but then I began to feel normal again.
  • laura935
    laura935 Posts: 12 Member
    Ask your doctor first... but how about some Yoga?
  • Shawshankcan
    Shawshankcan Posts: 900 Member
    You could be an absolute sloth for two weeks and not do damage. The first few workouts are going to suck, you're probably going to gas out faster than you'd like and might be a tad weaker. It comes back fast, especially for such a short time. DOMS will be worse though.
  • Shawshankcan
    Shawshankcan Posts: 900 Member
    Also, depends what your minor surgery is. I had my appenedix out. A week later I was back running. Three weeks later I was benching heavier than I had in a year (since I mangled my shoulder.) Only issue I had was when I needed to brace with my abdominal. I could feel tightness from them healing since they were cut through.
  • jbirdgreen
    jbirdgreen Posts: 569 Member
    It's oral surgery, which sounds pretty tame, right? That's why I was shocked when they said I couldn't work out afterwards.

    I had part of my sinus worked on, and the heavy breathing could mess with it. Also the extra heart-pumping could cause bleeding.
  • Shawshankcan
    Shawshankcan Posts: 900 Member
    Just take it easy then, don't worry about it. Just don't "forget" to get back at it.
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    Take lemons and make lemonade....sounds like this period is a great time to try some yoga or strength or something you have not tried before.

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