Workouts with limitations or injuries

SJBalarezo
SJBalarezo Posts: 7 Member
edited November 27 in Fitness and Exercise
Let me tell you... I started running about 4 years ago. I fell in love with running... The rush was incredible! The problem is, I got into a bad car accident and ended up with dashboard knees. Eventually I will need a double knee replacement. On top of that I found out this year, that the crunching sound in my ankles and knees are caused by degenerative arthritis. Doctors have all told me my running days are over. I actually cried like for weeks. I am looking for ideas for low-impact workouts or workouts for injuries. Any ideas other than swimming? That's all my doctor can come up with... It's depressing. I mean don't get me wrong I love to swim, but it gets really lonely and boring after the first 10 laps.

Replies

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Sorry to hear about your injuries. :flowerforyou:

    My knees are a mess (3 major and 3 minor injuries...) and after I lost a cartilage and a cruciate ligament at age of 31 my prognosis was TKR by age 50. Like you I can't run, just a mile on a treadmill gets a bad reaction.

    I'm now 58, no surgery required and cycling 5,000 miles a year - so give cycling a try would be my advice. The rotational movement of cycling is impact free and it's impact that my knee can't tolerate.
    It's an enormously varied sport, there may be a particular niche that fires your imagination.
  • jadamuriel76
    jadamuriel76 Posts: 58 Member
    Might sound silly but try some chair aerobic exercise. Very low impact, can achieve a full body workout, lots of varied routines available.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    "Workouts with limitations or injuries" should be done under the supervision of trained medical personnel of your choice. Be that a treating Doctor or Physical Therapist. Perhaps you should relate to your Doctor your concerns, or seek out another Doctor.
  • CortCortK
    CortCortK Posts: 26 Member
    I had double hip surgery, and I’ve been asking my PT for advice on what to do at the gym
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    I'm sorry for your injuries. I understand it can feel discouraging. However, life is full of limitations and injuries and part of making fitness a lifelong habit is learning and accepting ways to adjust and modify. You are not alone in this regard. It can be hard to swallow, but it can be done and you'll be fine. I suggest you consider water walking/running/aerobics and/or swimming. Oops, I see now that you don't care for that idea. But you could look into water classes, master's swimming, and even open water swimming with a group. I am currently training to do the swim leg of a triathlon relay. I train in a lake weekly with a group and with another group in the pool for master's swim. There are also various adult swim competitions that might help inspire you. IMO swimming laps isn't any more lonely or boring than running by yourself, step after step, mile after mile.

    You could also consider an elliptical or rowing machine or biking, depending on your specific limitations.
  • Mrsindepenant1
    Mrsindepenant1 Posts: 196 Member
    SJBalarezo wrote: »
    Let me tell you... I started running about 4 years ago. I fell in love with running... The rush was incredible! The problem is, I got into a bad car accident and ended up with dashboard knees. Eventually I will need a double knee replacement. On top of that I found out this year, that the crunching sound in my ankles and knees are caused by degenerative arthritis. Doctors have all told me my running days are over. I actually cried like for weeks. I am looking for ideas for low-impact workouts or workouts for injuries. Any ideas other than swimming? That's all my doctor can come up with... It's depressing. I mean don't get me wrong I love to swim, but it gets really lonely and boring after the first 10 laps.

    I have AS and RA, I also have stuffed knees from horse riding and competing for so many years, I loved running too. I was diagnosed 2years ago at 23 after having my son. I love to swim, I also find jogging at night to be amazing and I have almost no pain. I think it’s down to the cool air. At home workouts I can do at my own pace are good but do give me a lot of pain in my knees and back. Walking at the beach, bike riding they are all fairly easy to do and low impact.
  • philcycle12
    philcycle12 Posts: 17 Member
    Cycling is the way ahead, had two knee ops and was told cycling is best way to build up quads to protect knee joints, I use a turbo trainer during the winter and out road or mountain biking in summer months. Best of luck
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    So, since you've gotten good advice I'm going to go out on a limb and give some bad advice. Since you have to have double knee replacements in the future anyway, who the heck cares that you have degenerative osteoarthritis? Are you in pain right now? Can you run with it? Stopping running because you might some day no longer be able to run seems like keeping the plastic on the furniture because it might get a spill on it - it means you never get to enjoy it in the first place.

    Osteos HATE running. Mine told me I had no arthritis but shouldn't run anyway because someday I might get arthritis. I am running anyway, thanks to a more seasoned sports medicine doc who admitted that more recent research found that running doesn't make arthritis worse. If you love it enough to cry about it you love it enough to find a doctor who shares your goals and will work with you to get you back to doing what you love.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    Osteos HATE running. Mine told me I had no arthritis but shouldn't run anyway because someday I might get arthritis.
    That's a rather large generalization. Mine loves it. My two physical therapists were actually kind of surprised that she okay'd me for plyometric stuff as early as she did (which then lead to a running program once I was strong enough). That said she also specializes in sports medicine, LOVES figuring out how to best treat people with patellar femoral issues, and has worked with a number of elite athletes both during her residency and now.
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