How to continue exercising with an injury

yoongeeh
yoongeeh Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I’m currently in a boot because I injured my ankle but I want to continue to exercise. What are some things I could do?

Replies

  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,067 Member
    Google seated chair exercises - lots of them out there. Depending on the injury, you could probably still do things like hamstring curls, etc, on machines where you don't have to put weight on your leg. Anything to keep the atrophy from getting any worse than it will.

    Talk to your doc, but I'd say do what you can, because atrophy is a *kitten*.
  • knightreader
    knightreader Posts: 813 Member
    cardio will be difficult, but upper body weight lifting will be fine. stretching and yoga can be your friend for a while too.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    Are you in physical therapy? If not get a referral to a physical therapist and let them both restrict and guide your exercise (as well as your recovery of course). Even if you didn't want to exercise that would be my baseline advice. In terms of cardio, unless you have access to a stationary arm cycle, you're probably out of luck. It sucks, I know, trust me I know. Lifting wise, anything upper body that doesn't involve standing (I suspect your balance is nowhere near where it used to be) would probably be find.

    Whether or not your able to do things like hamstring curls is going to be something you should take up with a physical therapist/physio. I have a friend who sprained her ankle rather badly and it was weeks before she was allowed to do any machine based lower body exercises. And yes, she was (and still is) seeing a physical therapist who specializes in sports medicine.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    yoongeeh wrote: »
    I’m currently in a boot because I injured my ankle but I want to continue to exercise.

    I don't understand why you'd want to do that.

    I've had right ankle and foot surgery (on separate ocassions) and had to use crutches and wear a boot for a prolonged period of time (each time) before I could take it off and start PT.

    I had absolutely no interest in doing any exercise b4 that. I did experience some atrophy in my right calf, which is still evident now, as a result but there is nothing I could have done to prevent it.

    My suggestion (which you probably don't care to hear) is to just wait until your ankle heals and you are cleared to remove it to start PT before attrmpting any other exercise.
  • tufftre
    tufftre Posts: 12 Member
    I had stage 4 spain from a roled ankle. Bad swelling lasting up to 4 weeks and bruised. Get a physiotherapist asap! 14 weeks was my recovery time. Good luck do it right. With a ankle brace i was able to row for cardio after week 9.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    yoongeeh wrote: »
    I’m currently in a boot because I injured my ankle but I want to continue to exercise.

    I don't understand why you'd want to do that.

    I've had right ankle and foot surgery (on separate ocassions) and had to use crutches and wear a boot for a prolonged period of time (each time) before I could take it off and start PT.

    I had absolutely no interest in doing any exercise b4 that. I did experience some atrophy in my right calf, which is still evident now, as a result but there is nothing I could have done to prevent it.
    I mean I will say that I understand the OP's desire. I had my fourth major knee surgery in November (two per knee - we're assuming this will be the last) and I hated being non-weight bearing for six weeks. Partially because logistically it sucks, but also because that meant not biking. Yes I was sleeping more than I was awake for the first week, but I was very antsy with regards to getting back on my bike (my main form of exercise) and thrilled when I was allowed to swim again at six weeks post-op (which, for me, was always always the first cardio anything I was allowed to do).

    That didn't mean that I went against my doctors' and PTs' restrictions, which is not so shocking given my responses to these sorts of posts, but I seriously wanted to exercise again. From what I can tell it's not so unusual after the first few weeks (so when you're not sleeping all the time). I mean it was to the point with my most recent surgery in November that I ended up doing single leg planks (with the surgical leg off the ground) threeish weeks post-op because I was that bored/craving core stability exercises outside of the two quad specific exercises that I was allowed to do.
  • yoongeeh
    yoongeeh Posts: 2 Member
    thank you all for your responses! I just want to continue to stay fit while my ankle heals.
  • OldAssDude
    OldAssDude Posts: 1,436 Member
    When I first started running I hurt my knee.

    I could not run until it healed up, so I "power limped" for a couple weeks until it healed.

    Try "power booting"...:)
  • Crosbinium
    Crosbinium Posts: 415 Member
    I just got out of a boot from a torn tendon and broken bones. Depending on your prior activity level I have the following suggestions:
    - if you are already active and in decent shape google the hurt foot workout series on YouTube it’s completely non weight bearing for the early videos
    - If you are less active try the seated workouts on the hasfit YouTube channel
    i checked with my ortho before starting and was cleared to do them before I started.

    Some atrophy will happen but then again so will the healing while you are in that boot!
  • lois1231
    lois1231 Posts: 330 Member
    edited April 2018
    I have been in a walking boot for about 6 weeks now. I still walk a lot. Even still I notice that leg is atrophing a little. I have a high grade tear and probably will have to have surgery. I am down 40 something pounds.

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