May 26, 2011 5:26 AM
Injured and don't want to lose conditioning?
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I have been a runner for at least 8 years and have just recently suffered a left tibial stress fracture. I am on crutches and would like to know what I can do to stay in shape and not lose too much muscle. I have been doing AB workouts and some leg lifts, just doesn't feel like enough, I am going crazy, please help!!! Thank you, Judy
You dont mention whether you have been diagnosed by a Sports Physician or not. In addition, finding one that is also a runner would be very helpful. I had the same issue about 15 years ago and was able to swim and cycle. It worked well enough that I ran a marathon 4 weeks after being given the ok to run again. Not saying that was a smart thing, just that there are alot of different things you can do to maintain where youre at and bounce back quicker. Good luck!
Brad
Yes he is a sports orthopaedic, but not a runner...has not given me anything. Right now he wants no weightbaring on it. He said when there is no pain in that leg I could bike or eliptical....there is an excessive amount of edema in the bone marrow, so no weight on it. It will be 4 weeks Sunday and I have a 2nd MRI scheduled for Tuesday, with contrast. I will try and swim at our lake this weekend, pending water temp. He said no pool swimming to hard of surface.
A few gyms have handcycles (upper body ergometers) which are basically exercise bikes, except that they're configured so that you pedal with your arms instead of your legs. Of course one's arm muscles aren't as strong as leg muscles, so it's not as efficient a workout. However, it is aerobic. Try it out if you have access to one.
Another option, if you're well coordinated, is to pedal a standard exercise bike with just one leg. It can be done if you are able to fold or prop the injured leg out of the way, and are careful with your technique.
If all else fails, you can still do upper body weight work, along with core strengthening.
"...I've learned that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others can do, but to the best you can do....I've learned that you can keep going long after you think you can't..." --- author unknown
2013 highlights...
@ 5K:
Ontario Mills 5K, Ontario, CA, 24:42
Heart of the City Run, Los Angeles, CA, 24:13
Downtown Anaheim 5K, Anaheim, CA, 24:32
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LA Chinatown Firecracker 10K, Los Angeles, CA, 51:42
The Great Race - Old Agoura 10K, Agoura Hills, CA, 51:12
Fiesta Days Run, La Canada, CA, 49:31
Sorry to hear about your stress fracture! Taking 6-8 weeks off from running can result in a lot of lost fitness, but there are a few ways you can hold on to some of that fitness.
First, you can probably still do some aerobic exercise that's zero impact (ask your doctor first, of course). The best form of cross training for runners is pool running and cycling because it closely mimics the same motion you do while running. With both exercises, you want to make sure your cadence is in the 90+ RPM range (rotations per minute) which will mimic a running stride.
More with pool running than cycling, you can also run at a higher intensity than when you're running on land (especially since your heart rate will naturally be lower in the pool because of the water).
Good luck!
- Jason.
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