Sprained ankle
 

I sprained my ankle a while ago. It was feeling good but now it doesn't feel so good anymore.

I wanted to exercise. And I was thinking of swimming at the gym. Since running is probably out of the question. Anyone else had this issue?:?:

I am totally phobic about exercise. I tried once, and bought a bike. One day of riding, and I had an accident that shattered my tibia and fibular in my lower right leg. I have read a lot of things that say that exercise is good for things like hormone function, stamina, and flexibility, but it has minimal effect on weight loss. I would do maybe yoga, Pilates, maybe a bit of weight lifting, swimming, and walking, but nothing harder than that.

If you are looking to continue a cardio workout after spraining your ankle, I would recommend riding a stationary bike at your gym. The bike has zero impact so you will not hurt your ankle!

Good luck!

Weight training, you can always do exercises around the ankle if it continues to hurt. Check with a physio for some rehab ideas.

Rowing is a good aerobic option, if it doesn't hurt.

Most of all: be safe, have fun, and experiment until you figure out what works for YOU! 😊

What I do
 

I fractured my ankle in May 2015, and I had to limit my exercise for 7 weeks. Two weeks in, I couldn't stand being idle, and used my pool for water jogging! I did my best to keep from putting any strain on the ankle, staying in deep water, and mostly using a bicycle motion.

It's been over a year now, and I still have trouble with exercise because of the stress on the ankle. So now when I work out, not in the pool, I wear an ankle support. It helps immensely.

I actually read recently that gentle walking can heal a sprained ankle faster. So you can do that at least. And arm weights.

I used to sprain my left ankle every other year or so when I was in my twenties, so I've got a lot of experience with this. (sigh) Here's what worked best for me:

- Swimming. I stuck to the breast stroke or backstroke. While doing freestyle or I tend to point my toes which hurts when you add water resistance.

- Spin bike, with lots of resistance. I'd have to stay in the saddle, though--no 2nd or 3rd position, since it puts impact back on the ankle.

- Walking in sand, e.g. on the beach. Sand walking is GREAT for rebuilding muscle around the ankle joint, plus it's almost impossible to accidentally re-injure yourself doing this so you don't have to stress.

In general, start walking on the ankle as soon after the injury as you can stand, even if you have to take Advil to avoid soreness. Some doctors will tell you to keep off it for weeks and that's no good--you end up with a stiffer joint and weaker muscles.

Good luck and feel better!