What can I do for exercise?

[joannqn]

I've been gaining weight at an alarming weight ever since taking Cipro injured my heel. I'm so fortunate it didn't rupture the tendon, but that is still a risk for another couple of months. I don't have insurance nor the money to repair a tendon rupture, so I have to be very careful.

 

I've found that I can walk (little kid pace) ten minutes to the local playground and back but I'm in pain on the way home. I'm guessing a mile is my upper limit for walking. I can't play actively with my kids outside. Can't dance and be silly with music.

 

I don't have a bike.

 

I have no access to a pool.

 

So, are their any options for aerobic, fat-burning exercise that won't be too boring?

[LaxMom]

I'd go for more toning than cardio with a fresh injury that low. Keep from turning to mush while it heals, then add cardio back in as you rehab it. Other than swimming, you sort of need ankles and feet to be health for cardio activities.

 

Pilates is definitely easy on the ankle.

 

You can put any series of 7 exercises together in a tabata sequence (one exercise, maximum effort for 20 seconds, rest for 10, repeat 8x, then move on to the next one...). 4 minutes per exercise x 7 exercises is 28 minutes, and you'd be surprised how hard you can work. Those short days when I do something like that, I'm usually shaking and wondering if the trash can is nearby, in case I actually barf. :D I definitely work myself harder than I do teaching strength training or Pilates, and those are both hour classes.

 

FitnessBlender.com has some good programs and videos to help you come up with something that will work with the heel limitation.

 

Good luck!

Edited April 16, 2012 by MyCrazyHouse
Clarity

[Whereneverever]

Chair exercises?

[LauraQ]

Chair exercises?

 

Ooh, I wonder if that Sit and be Fit lady is still on the air??

[Barbara H]

I just wanted to offer my sympathies. Several years ago I had what sounds like a very similar injury while on Cipro. I had no idea that was even a risk. You are right you want to be really careful with this kind of injury. If I had a do-over I would have taken it easier for longer because overdoing it make it slower to heal. It is really hard with kids though and so frustrating. I wish I had a better answer than that.

[LG Gone Wild]

You can do Tai Chi but you can also weight train. Really, you can. I am not saying this to make you feel guilty but there are body builders (not the scary looking kind) that are wheelchair bound. The point is their lifting has burned fat off their body (and I am sure their strict nutrition as well).

 

Don't despair!

[ThisIsTheDay]

Joann, look at this book, Power of 10.

 

It's easy to do at home, and it's easy to adjust to your injury. It's quick. I did this for several years and need to get motivated to do it again. There are six or seven exercises in the program I followed at home, requiring nothing more than ~20 mins. of my time. I also cut out the nasty white carbs while on it and lost weight--which was not my original intention, but a wonderful side effect.

 

If you're interested, definitely check your library.

[joannqn]

Thanks! I'll look at that website and book.

[LaxMom]

You can do Tai Chi but you can also weight train. Really, you can. I am not saying this to make you feel guilty but there are body builders (not the scary looking kind) that are wheelchair bound. The point is their lifting has burned fat off their body (and I am sure their strict nutrition as well).

 

Don't despair!

 

I would agree with this except that, with the people you're talking about, their disability is stable. Joann is still at increased risk of injury (or re-injury) for some period of time after taking the Cipro, due to whatever insane, completely wrong, evil effect it has on ligaments. That's where the limitation lies. ;)

[Heart_Mom]

I love T-Tapp ... and I'm pretty sure they have a DVD that has an option for exercising while sitting down.

[StephanieZ]

If you can get a resistance band (very cheap at PT or similar supply place), there are tons of upper body things you can do (rows/etc). You can also get an old sock and fill it with some pennies for a great hand weight -- and you can do all kinds of curls/lifts/etc.

 

You can also do loads of hip things and core things that don't bear weight on the AT. You can do plank variations from your knees, "girl" push ups, etc. There are many great seated hip exercises and other slow standing hip exercises that don't put tension on the AT.

 

I've been AMAZED at how much my HR increases when I simply raise my arms straight out at shoulder level -- like a plane, or I put my arms straight up above my head. I can make my HR increase by 15 or so bpm when walking by doing this. I do tiny circles at shoulder height or raise my hands up and down above my head. So, when you walk, you can do this to up your calorie burn. :)

 

You can also do all kinds of laying down aerobics -- leg lifts, etc. Remember Jane Fonda??

[LG Gone Wild]

I would agree with this except that, with the people you're talking about, their disability is stable. Joann is still at increased risk of injury (or re-injury) for some period of time after taking the Cipro, due to whatever insane, completely wrong, evil effect it has on ligaments. That's where the limitation lies. ;)

 

So loose ligaments like a pregnant woman?

[Amy Jo]

I'd go with weight training / resistance.

[joannqn]

It causes a triple or quadruple risk of tendinitis and spontaneous tendon rupture. They do not know what the drug does to increase that risk, just that it does. And that risk stays increased long after the drug is stopped.

 

FDA Warning

[LaxMom]

So loose ligaments like a pregnant woman?

 

Oh, oops. Tendons. And, really, I'd be much more comfortable training a pregnant client. Their looseness and other limitations are more predictable than the Cipro fallout appears to be. Not that I think pregnancy is a disability, just that you end up trying to bend over a beach ball, have pronounced lumbar curve, center of gravity changes, joints get loose... But it's all regular change and easily adapted.

 

Unpredictable, spontaneous rupture doesn't scream "challenge me" or "work through it", especially with weight bearing joints. (Says the trainer who rehabbed a rotator cuff benching maxes, but wouldn't advise a client to do so. ;) In my defense, it didn't feel any worse than doing nothing or rehab type exercises)

[ZooRho]

Spark people.com has workout videos online. they have all different kinds including some chair workouts

[joannqn]

(Says the trainer who rehabbed a rotator cuff benching maxes, but wouldn't advise a client to do so. ;) In my defense, it didn't feel any worse than doing nothing or rehab type exercises)

 

LOL

 

Unfortunately, it doesn't take much to make my heel/ankle feel worse. Without insurance or money to pay for surgery and rehab, this is one time I'm actually listening to the pain.