Alternative Exercises when Injured

  • So my training schedule was going well. I was lifting three times a week and seeing gains in strength. I was also running three times a week with the intention of entering the Seattle Half Marathon in the fall of 2011.

    I was feeling good. Great, even. Dreaming to dream.

    Then it happened. Not while training, not while pushing my body to its limits.

    Oh no.

    Walking into the grocery on a Monday morning before work. Snap. Boom. Down I go. Laying on the wet, cold pavement, pitifully moaning. A passerby stops to help and I tell him I think I broke my ankle. I couldn't think straight. Someone called an ambulance and off I went to the emergency room.

    A piece of my ankle bone broke clean off, but there was no fracture to the rest of my ankle. Not so lucky were the torn tendons and ligaments. So now I'm booted, crutched and sporting ten stitches in my knee, going stir crazy and worrying about losing ground.

    I see the orthopedic surgeon next week once the swelling goes down to see what needs to be done.

    So I'm compiling a list of exercises that I think I can do. Of course, I will get his OK before doing any of them. But I'd like some feed back and maybe suggestions of anything I haven't thought of.

    Upper body: Chest press, chest fly, knee pushups, rows, bicep curls, supine tricep extensions, lat pulldowns, long arm pullovers

    Core: knee planks, swiss ball crunches, swiss ball chops, supermans. side planks on knee

    Lower body: body weight only leg lifts

    Cardio: swimming (after stitches are out); pool walking; stationary bike

    Any suggestions? Thoughts?
  • Hi from another BlueFlower

    Wow, sorry about your accident, that sounds nasty.
    Will you have access to Dr supervised rehab/physical therapy? I did after a back injury, and they were able to give me some exercises. Not cardio, but weight training. Might ask.

    Good luck!
  • Hi fellow BlueFlower!

    Thanks for the reply I see the ortho Tuesday morning and will most likely be prescribed PT sessions. I'm going to bring my list to see what he thinks--hopefully we'll be able to work something out! I'm already feeling pudgy-er after less than a week of sitting around. Eek!
  • I had pneumonia a while back, two weeks on the couch about killed me. Any cardio is GONE with pneumonia, but my muscles seemed to go to puddy, too. I felt like Jabba.

    I didnt adjust my diet at all to account for the sedentary situation. I was bored to death and ate more. What a mess.

    Good luck on Tuesday!