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

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  • Reddak98
    Reddak98 Posts: 58 Member
    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
    very inspiring keep up the good work and thanks for sharing!
  • aling01
    aling01 Posts: 163
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    Sit and Be Fit:

    http://www.sitandbefit.org/
  • FitMama2013
    FitMama2013 Posts: 913 Member
    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
    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.
  • plantgrrl
    plantgrrl Posts: 436 Member
    Pedrogirl--SO glad you beat the depression. That is worse then everything. Glad you can laugh now. I've been in a dark mental place off and on over the past few years and I understand how hard it can be to even want to get up in the morning some days with depression alone--injuries not withstanding! Keep up your chair dancing and when things get to healing start adding more activities little by little so you don't get hurt--swimming adding a little bit of weight training--it's good for bone density and muscle tone. Hang in there! And a BIG HUG for you!
  • TrainersRoom
    TrainersRoom Posts: 28
    Food journal is the one most thing you could do to lose weight; more important even than exercise or the contents of your diet.
  • ChelleDJM
    ChelleDJM Posts: 161
    great advice here! As another one with trouble walking because of foot issues, I will try many of these ideas. Thank you so much.
  • netchik
    netchik Posts: 587 Member
    Punches will get the HR elevated in a jiffy. Start with unaided punches then graduate to doing it with weights. I did this when I had a knee, foot and ankle injury (both legs after an ugly fall) and still managed to lose weight and inches. I even did this in front of the television; hubby thought I was mad until he saw results. Now we both do it occasionally to switch up our routines :)

    Good luck!
  • gazz777au
    gazz777au Posts: 157 Member
    Punches will get the HR elevated in a jiffy. Start with unaided punches then graduate to doing it with weights. I did this when I had a knee, foot and ankle injury (both legs after an ugly fall) and still managed to lose weight and inches. I even did this in front of the television; hubby thought I was mad until he saw results. Now we both do it occasionally to switch up our routines :)

    Good luck!
    Punches ? Interesting ! More info needed here. Sometimes I get mad and would like to walk it off - punching sounds like an alternate venting method !

    I just tried walking after 6 months of waiting to be able to do it again (ankle), now my right hip hurts. I cant wait any longer - I think the upper body is calling out for a workout.
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