How does a person exercise if they can't walk?

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2

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  • PedroGirl
    PedroGirl Posts: 7
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    CONGRATULATIONS missfancy1980!!! What a tremendous accomplishment!!! Thanks for sharing your success story. :love:
  • megmo_7
    megmo_7 Posts: 98 Member
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    WOW!! Thanks SO much for all the wonderful suggestions...given with genuine concern. You've all been very helpful!

    I didnt go into much detail about my physical limitations, but I have rotator cuff problems in both my shoulders as well as the feet problems. (I was very depressed about it last year, but I'm moving on.) I recently finished several weeks of physical therapy on my right arm, and cortisone injection, but was allergic to the cortisone. :frown: I do stretching with my arms, but that's all I can do. My dr said "no weights" or I'll be back in PT. I'm determined to MOVE, so I also do some leg exercises in the morning while in bed. I've become very creative with my moving. :wink:

    I'm hearing everyone talk about swimming, but I have major problems with my arms if I go in the pool. I've discovered that as long as I'm moving, a little is better than none. What's been SO hard for me, is that I've always been so active, but now...oh, well. Little by little, step by step.

    This site is very helpful!! THANKS AGAIN for all the helpful suggestions...and for caring. Blessings.... :heart:

    Since you are unable to do much with your arms the pool is still a wonderful option. You can walk in the pool or just move your legs. It will take the pressure of actually walking off of your feet.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Wow, that is a tough place to be in.
    Seeing as you have some pretty specific issues going on.... can you ask your physical therapist for some recommendations?
    Beside swimming, or at least moving/walking in water....could you use a exercise bike - or you can get sets of pedals that go on the floor?

    And if there aren't a lot of good exerciseoptions for you right now, don't stress too much about it.
    A lot of weight loss has to do with diet, the exercise is just a bonus, but if you can't do much exercise, you can at least eat right.
    Remember that you burn a whole lot of calories just keeping your body alive (heart beating, brain functioning, stomach digesting, all that kind of stuff) and as you are recovering from injuries, you need to make sure you are getting in good nutritin to help your body heal and stay healthy.
    Don't cut calories too low - perhaps set your MFP goals to "lose 1/2 pounds a week" and try to stick to this.
    Even without exercise you have a deficit to ensure you can lose weight.

    Good luck!
  • jsp2374
    jsp2374 Posts: 131 Member
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    I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and there are days I can't even get out of bed. SO yes it makes it very hard to stay fit. Another RA Friend of mine does chair yoga on her good days. She has more mobility problems than I do. The Arthritis Foundation in the US has some chair yoga stuff on their web page.


    http://www.arthritistoday.org/fitness/exercise-videos-and-photos/index.php

    I have never tried it, but she says it is really good. She has also lost several pounds and 4 sizes since January. A lot of the meds we take make weight loss difficult as well.
  • HeaderAutumn
    HeaderAutumn Posts: 119 Member
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    Maybe you could look up the DVDs or VHS of "Sit and Be Fit" it was a program that was on in the USA that ran for years. It is made for people that need very light workouts. Like the elderly, rehabbing or people with muscle disabilities. The woman who hosted this excercise program was very gentle and upbeat. It could probably be easliy found. It won't win you any marathons, but it will get you moving and is very low impact. Most of the excercises are done from sitting in a chair. I hope you find what will help you. Good luck.
  • gazz777au
    gazz777au Posts: 157 Member
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    I had suffered from Hypermobility syndrome and easily fatigue and now have damage in my foot. These things of course may lead to depression and anxiety.

    12 months ago I started a weight loss program on my own (ok, initiated by prayer to help with other things).

    When walking and other exercise was a problem I joined MFP to track calories despite not being able to exercise.

    In those first few months I had made substitutions to my food intake (stopped the excess sugar I was taking in from Sodas and from adding white sugar to other foods). My main sugars sources now are fruits and other fresh foods.

    I still manage to maintain at my goal weight (84 pounds lighter than 2 years ago and most of that in the last year!) despite being stuck on my back some days. If you can move anything, do it ... even breathing / sleeping burns calories. Track it here you will do well.

    My inspiration for overcoming obstacles and trying to live a full life ? Watch this vid. ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8ZuKF3dxCY
  • BellydanceBliss
    BellydanceBliss Posts: 330
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    I have just the thing for you!!!! I will be back with the links...
  • BellydanceBliss
    BellydanceBliss Posts: 330
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    http://www.amazon.com/Jodi-Stoloves-Chair-Dancing-Stolove/dp/B00062IWL6/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&qid=1332499247&sr=8-22


    here are some chair yoga dvds http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=movies-tv&field-keywords=chair+yoga

    this one impressed me http://www.amazon.com/Chair-Aerobics-Everyone-Bellydance/dp/B000N6UHKO/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1332499442&sr=1-1

    here is the youtube preview...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqlWz7rVEDk

    and i just found this maybe you can put it on repeat? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eUmRwRyWD8&feature=related
  • samandlucysmum
    samandlucysmum Posts: 320
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    33 months ago I was 560 lbs., home bound for over 2 years and unable to walk from my chair to the bathroom without sitting down in between. I have grade 3 osteoarthritis in both knee's, torn meniscus in both knee's and a torn ACL in my left knee. I started with a doctors script for aquatic therapy and began my weightloss chest deep water. The water displaced my weight and aloud me to exercise. When I started I could barely do 5 minutes but over time I did more and more. I lost over 170 lbs. in the pool over 16 months and then worked my way out of the pool and into Knee braces, pain pills, and injection therapy.. I lost another 133 lbs. between the pool and land based exercises like seated elliptical, recumbent bikes, UBE upper body bike, You have options just got to try some.. I would definitely think about water exercises for people with joint issues it is amazing... Good Luck...

    WOW, well done to you.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
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    Exercise is movement against resistance, any movement against resistance. There are thousands of things you can do without walking (free weights, machines, bands, TRX, floor exercises, etc.) Our gym even has a cardio machine that you peddle with your arms.
  • Reddak98
    Reddak98 Posts: 58 Member
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    Maybe you could look up the DVDs or VHS of "Sit and Be Fit" it was a program that was on in the USA that ran for years. It is made for people that need very light workouts. Like the elderly, rehabbing or people with muscle disabilities. The woman who hosted this excercise program was very gentle and upbeat. It could probably be easliy found. It won't win you any marathons, but it will get you moving and is very low impact. Most of the excercises are done from sitting in a chair. I hope you find what will help you. Good luck.

    The TV show "Sit and Be Fit" is still shown on a PBS station here in my area. Early in the morning (6:30 AM). It might be in yours too.
  • emilysuelemus
    emilysuelemus Posts: 66 Member
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    very inspiring keep up the good work and thanks for sharing!
  • aling01
    aling01 Posts: 163
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    You can still do workouts where don't need to run or be on your feet. You can still work out your quads, hams, calves.

    Check out this guy who is in a wheel chair. Nick Scott IFBB Pro. http://www.wheelchair-bodybuilding.com/nick_scott

    He is a wheelchair bodybuilder and you should watch his video on his story (about half way through the page). How he became unable to walk, etc.
  • Dozer_me
    Dozer_me Posts: 5
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    Hi and welcome, I read your post and the replys, there is a lot of good advice there and working out from a chair. My wife has some what the same problem, but it is her ankles that are messed up. hang in there we are here for you. :happy:
  • jcpmoore
    jcpmoore Posts: 796 Member
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    WOW!! Thanks SO much for all the wonderful suggestions...given with genuine concern. You've all been very helpful!

    I didnt go into much detail about my physical limitations, but I have rotator cuff problems in both my shoulders as well as the feet problems. (I was very depressed about it last year, but I'm moving on.) I recently finished several weeks of physical therapy on my right arm, and cortisone injection, but was allergic to the cortisone. :frown: I do stretching with my arms, but that's all I can do. My dr said "no weights" or I'll be back in PT. I'm determined to MOVE, so I also do some leg exercises in the morning while in bed. I've become very creative with my moving. :wink:

    I'm hearing everyone talk about swimming, but I have major problems with my arms if I go in the pool. I've discovered that as long as I'm moving, a little is better than none. What's been SO hard for me, is that I've always been so active, but now...oh, well. Little by little, step by step.

    This site is very helpful!! THANKS AGAIN for all the helpful suggestions...and for caring. Blessings.... :heart:

    If you want to use the pool but the arms need it easy, then try finning. Grab a kick board for the arms and let them rest. Use your legs to do the work. I do the dolphin/mermaid kick mostly as that puts most of the work on the thighs and core, not on the feet.

    other stuff. Lay down and do your workout that way. Bicycles in the air. Leg lifts. Side leg lifts. Crunches, oblique crunches, reverse crunches, push-ups on the knees. You know, all that stuff we used to do in aerobics that we called the 'floor exercises'. :)

    Yoga is another option. If you can stand and hold weight on your feet, but need to not walk, then yoga is perfect. Gaiam has a Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss that is great. It'll strengthen your arm and leg muscles without putting weight on them specifically. It involves concentrated poses with slow transitions. It also includes four people doing the poses with various levels of modifications so you're not guessing how to do it if you don't start off as flexible as a pipe cleaner. :)

    HTH
  • PedroGirl
    PedroGirl Posts: 7
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    Thank you so much for all the helpful tips!!!! I am definitely moving whenever I can, so my muscles won't atrophy. It's just been the last 3 years (2 surgeries that year) that I've had so many problems with moving around. Yes, the depression was heavy at times, but I was encouraged (without meds...yay!) and the depression is no longer a problem. Whew!!! I think that was worse than not moving around.

    So...I'm continuing to do my moving in bed and in my chair. I am very careful NOT to move my feet at all. Just getting out of bed too quickly, I sprained my foot which added more problems for my feet. A sprain on top of a break!! I laugh at myself, in a good way, and do find the humor in everything. I always say, "I could be my own sitcom!" :laugh: I'm also getting very good at taping my feet up, so I can get to work...and driving? Yikes...that can be difficult some days to not move my toes a certain way. But...I'm determined...and SO glad my daughter told me about MFP. Even though I don't have much weight to lose, I do HAVE TO keep my body fit...in 2 years I'll be 70 yrs old, so I need to prepare for bones, etc getting older.

    This is a great community...and I appreciate and read everyone's comments. They are all very valuable to me...passing it on to everyone who needs to hear. Blessings.... :flowerforyou:
  • yesthistime
    yesthistime Posts: 2,051 Member
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    Mini stationary bike:

    http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_15?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=stationary+mini+bike&sprefix=stationary+mini,aps,209
  • yesthistime
    yesthistime Posts: 2,051 Member
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    Sit and Be Fit:

    http://www.sitandbefit.org/
  • FitMama2013
    FitMama2013 Posts: 919 Member
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    My grandmother is confined to her chair, but she does chair aerobics. You should try googling it - but she does a lot of exercises from her chair including using weights (you could get ankle weights or hand weights). You can also use resistance bands or focus on your upper body. You don't have to use your feet for everything!
  • adamb83
    adamb83 Posts: 719 Member
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    Shadow boxing can be done while sitting and can get your heart rate up pretty quickly....especially if you do it while holding weights.

    ^^^Agreed. Shadow-boxing is my suggestion, too.

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