TO make a long story short I have had a bad knee for years. Doc's wanted to do surgery when I was a teen and my mom wouldn't let them. Well DH bought the family a trampoline and the second day we had it (Saturday) I ended up in the emergency room with a dislocated knee cap and torn ligaments and cartilage. I was on crutches until Tuesday when i saw the orthopedist and it turns out that my other leg is in bad shape too so now I'm in a wheel chair. i was going to the gym 5 days a week for 2 hours a day. I had gained right at 3/4 of and inch in my bicep, 2 inches in my calf and had lost an inch in my waist. Well now I can't even walk or drive or anything. I need some help from you wonderful people. Can anyone please tell me some exercises that I can do from my wheelchair, or couch, or bed so that I don't gain even more weight. I am so upset about not being able to workout anymore. I've spent the last week being depressed about it and trying to figure out how to take care of my house and kids and DH without the use of my legs. I've gotten pretty good at the housework and kids and stuff (I have actually figured out how to sweep/mop and cook dinner and do laundry etc while in this thing) but I'm still at a loss on how to take care of me and my body. Can someone please offer some advice, suggestions, help. Thanks everyone.

wow, torn cartilage? that wouldve killed me! I wouldve died from the pain!
PLease feel better though, don't stress yourself out. Health is a priority!
I relly dont know many exercises sitting down other than lifting weights. You could try that.

The pain was very very bad. I fell down screaming and crying. I thought I'd broken my leg in several places it hurt so bad. But the EMT's gave me 10 mg of morphine in the ambulance and the hospital gave me another 15 mg of morphine, some percocet, some phenergan for nausea (which makes you sleepy) and a 12 hr extended release tablet of morphine before I was discharged so I really didn't care about the pain anymore when they got through with all that.

Ooo you poor thing, I know how you feel *hugs*, I was very active then went and broke my ankle last September, it took me 4 months to get back on my feet and I managed to gain over 30lbs in weight. I gave up any form of activity and felt sorry for myself something rotten, my only solace was from cakes, crisps, pizza and sweets. The only exercise I got was from hauling my sorry arse round on crutches, got muscles in my arms from it.

My tip is keep away from the crisps, pizza etc, don't feel sorry for yourself, keep up the upper body exercises, time will pass and it will get better. I know if feels like **** at the moment, I cried so much during the first few weeks. Keep on with the housework, it burns a few calories, it will give you something to focus on and give you some independance.

Something positive will come out of it, with me it gave me the push I needed to lose the weight I'd gained and a bit more and change my lifestyle completely.

If you need to talk or rant feel free to PM me.

Moo
x

Ouch.. Man... that had to hurt.
Hmm well you can keep active without having to bee on your feet. Of course you won't be as avtive before but at least movement is movement. Keep eating healthy! I know you must feel very low right now but keep your chin up. It will get better and you'll be back on your feet in no time

get well soon.. lots of hugs and well wishes.

You mentioned that you are used to doing 2 hours at the gym, 5 days a week. Can you still try to do that much time, just either hand weights, or simply 'rolling' yourself around instead of walking? You could perhaps still go to the gym, to keep making good use of your membership, and get in an upper body workout. Then find a good walking route, that didn't have too many hills, and could just work your arms for an hour or so, moving the wheelchair, I would imagine that you would get a pretty good workout. You may even want to look for some hills after a while. You would certainly still be getting your heart rate up, which means you would be burning calories. I've seen people on the paths where I regularly walk, in wheelchairs especially designed for racing. They have gloves on, which I would imagine would be essential after a while, with the heat they would be generating, and they are really moving!

I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for, as it sounds just so practical that you may have wanted something a little more 'inventive'. My mind isn't that good with that sort of thing, so I go with the basics.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do and I'm truly sorry you have found yourself in this situation. I can only imagine the frustration you must be feeling.

Take care,

Zelma

I was in a wheelchair for nearly 6 months, so I know how you feel. It sucks, to be quite blunt. But, the biggest thing is that you don't use it as an excuse to feel sorry for yourself. Get up each day and set a goal. I had absolutely no upper body strength so wheeling myself around was quite a workout in itself. I started out by setting a goal of making it a block, then two blocks, etc. As long as you keep moving, and as long as you don't use it as an excuse to stop eating healthy, you will have less of a chance of gaining weight.

Hand weights are great. Resistance bands may help you too. There are several 'chair exercises' that you can do, but it may take some searching. I may still have some of them saved somewhere, so if you can't find any, let me know. I'll see what I can do. I actually had a chair that you could remove the back part of it, so I did stretches that way. If you feel you're able to, 'chin ups' or just pulling yourself up out of the chair is an option too. But, as always, you need to make sure any of these exercises are safe by checking with your doctor.

Good luck, and let me know if I can do anything for you.

Wow - that must have been so painful, and now so frustrating. I know that collagevideo has several videos for seated exercise. You sound like one strong and determined woman - you are truly inspiring that you are keeping going in the face of such difficult circumstances.

Thank you all for being so encouraging and supportive. I have fallen down on my eating somewhat but I am sitll trying toeat healthy, it's just the portions that I've been naughty on. I never thought that I could still use the gym, but thanks for helping me to realize that I still can. I just have to figure out how to get there since I can't drive. Unfortunately I don't have anywhere that I can "walk" in my chair. The road we live on is barely big enough for 2 cars to pass one another and there aren't any parks with trails or walking places in them, just playgrounds covered with mulch or gravel so it couldn't wheel through that. I do have resistance bands and some 3 lb hand weights that I can use here at home. I'm still looking for some chair exercises. I've googled it and haven't come up with anything so far, but I'm looking. I have been using the arms on the chair and pushing my body up and down (like mock push ups). I most certainly am not giving in or up on this and thanks so much to everyone for your support and ideas.

Heather ~ I'm so sorry for what you may be going through. I would think that with all the chores and every day life around your house, that you're probably still getting in a good workout. You're having to work a lot harder than the normal way of getting things done, so you're still burning calories. I hope you're feeling better and will be back up and going in the near future.

ouch! I was an active kid but also a clutz,,,I spent many an hour in the ER, with a broken whatever or torn something...how long do you think you will be wheel chair bound?

My thought is,,,being that most women's upper body doesn't compare to our lower body in muscle(we have bigger muscles in our legs then arms/shoulders),,,this is a good time to increase your upper body,,,so that when you are then back on crutches you will be able to hold your weight,,,and get yourself going with your lower body exercises. Hand weights. And what you are doing with the mock push ups is fantastic! Great upper shoulder excercise.
I take it your are able to get yourself to the bathroom and such? If so are you able to get yourself down on the floor with hubby near by of course...do some forward and side crunches.

They aren't sure yet how long I'll be in the chair but they will have a better idea Tuesday after I get the MRI done so that they can better tell how much damage has been done. They are saying at this point at least a few months (3 or 4) but it could be as long as a year depending on the amount of surgery required. I can get to the bathroom but not easily. DH has to hold me up on one side and help me in or I have to get the chair in as far as I can and use the sink and door to kind of fall onto the toilet and I have to use one of those shower chairs to bathe. The floor is a big no. I tried the other night and that was a huge mistake it took about 15 min just to be able to get me back up and I ended up in alot of pain, but thanks for the thought. Well I gotta run for now. It's bed time. Take care everyone. TTYL

Oh Heather, I am so sorry! But hang in there and do what you can!

Let me recommend the Danskin workout balls. They would at least help with upper body and you could probably even manage some wheelchair exercises with them. BUT I do a lot of exercises while lying on my bed! Mine are the 3 pound ones, but they also come in 5 and probably more. I love them!!! A set of 2 was $14 at WalMart.

You know, I can't help wondering why it is you are still trying to take care of the house and the kids and the DH who bought the (*#&$(*& trampoline! Maybe it's time to do some home maintenance education for those folks--especially DH!

A physical therapist can tell you of all kinds of exercises for the handicapped (which you are at the moment). Tell your doctor of your concerns and your desire to learn some exercises you can do from the chair, and see if he or she will refer you to a physical therapist. If the dr. says it's not a good idea now, it certainly will be once your legs are healing.

For example, there are pedalers you can buy for $30 and put on a desk and pedal with your arms. And also small hand weights (2 or 3 pounds) that you can use to do curls, presses, etc. But the main thing is, you need to let your legs heal, and it will take time. Don't try any more "floor stuff"--I guess you figured that out, huh? Take it easy. You have a long way to go still. The impulse is to try and fix it all right now, but patience is a better route.

Lots of hugs, and hang in there.

Jay