How to Exercise with a Leg Injury, Lower Body Injury or Pain

How to Exercise with a Leg Injury, Lower Body Injury or Pain

It can certainly be a challenge to stay active with pain or an injury involving a lower extremity, but depending on the type and extent of the injury, there are a variety of things you may be able to do.  First off, always make sure you clear an exercise plan with your medical provider before working out when you have an injured extremity.   

If you have an injury or pain associated with a joint, tendon, muscle, or ligament, you may be able to participate in physical therapy.  Generally your primary care provider or specialist will be able to arrange this for you if you request.  If you choose this option, be sure to ask the physical therapist for suggestions on how to maintain your cardiovascular fitness while you heal.  They will be able to show you safe exercises for both strength and aerobic fitness.

Other options are available in addition to formal physical therapy. If you have enjoyed swimming in the past, you may be able to join a water aerobics class, or swim laps, depending on the type of injury. (Obviously check with your health provider before starting exercise.)  Swimming is done primarily with the arms, but can be a terrific aerobic workout.  In many water aerobics classes you are supported by a flotation device, so you can limit the use of your legs; don’t be embarrassed about “being seen in a bathing suit” - people in these classes come in all shapes and sizes!  If you need the name of local pool facilities, we can give you some leads if you live here on the New Hampshire seacoast.  Other leads:  check your with local YMCA/YWCA, local hospital (many have connections with pools or water-based therapy), and your local town hall (some towns have their outdoor and even indoor pool facilities.)  If you need to have a knee or ankle relatively immobilized, you may be able to use a neoprene brace for support while in the water; check with your health provider.

Depending on the injury, you may be able to use your leg in a limited way with non-weight-bearing exercise such as stationary bike, either upright or recumbent (again, check with your health provider to see if you need a brace or support, if this is appropriate.)  You may be able to purchase stationary bikes for a surprisingly affordable price.  We can refer you to a Consumer Reports guide on the best exercise bikes for price and performance. In addition to local stores, check outlets (such as the Brookstone Outlet in Kittery, ME, for locals).  You may also find affordable stationary bikes at yard sales, on Craigslist, or other ‘want ads’ in your favorite paper or online.  Don’t forget to ask friends and family if they have any bikes “lying around” that you can borrow.

If you are unable to use your legs at all, there are other solutions.  One neat trick is to use a stationary “mini peddler” (also known as a ‘hand cycle” or “upper body ergometer”)  that is similar to a small exercise bike - but put it on a table and peddle it with your hands.  It sounds funny, but you can work up a sweat.  These are used often by physical therapists, but you purchase basic models for home use, for as little as $25 in some cases. You can find these mini-peddlers online (look on online pharmacy websites,big-box store websites, Amazon, Brookstone, etc), and you can  sometimes find them at local pharmacies or medical supplies stores, specialty stores,  or sports stores.  They are tiny and easy to store, and can be converted to leg use as well.

Another idea is to look into “chair exercise” videos.  Just as it sounds, these exercises are done while sitting in a chair.  Check out the offerings on collagevideo.com, where you can actually go online and SEE one minute clips of videos before you decide to purchase any, to see if you like the style of a particular video.  http://www.collagevideo.com/search?q=chair   Warning:  be prepared for some goofy music on some of them, but it’s all in fun!  One example: CHAIR DANCING:   “More Sit Down and Tone Up”  will give you a full body workout in just 20 minutes. Now you can sit comfortably on your chair, enjoy delightful music, and strengthen, tone and shape the muscles of your arms, shoulders and back. You’ll also firm your legs and flatten your stomach in just 5 minutes!” http://www.collagevideo.com/products/chair-dancing-more-sit-down-amp-tone-up

Hang in there!  It can be frustrating and discouraging to be set back by an injury.  Stay motivated by reviewing WHY you wanted to work on healthy activity in the first place - and use those reasons stay on track with healthy eating (SO important for healing), quality sleep, stress managment, and more.  Focus on goals such as: feeling better, stronger, healthier, happier, having more energy, overcoming fatigue or depression, lowering risk of disease (such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer); avoding or minimizing the need for medications; seting a good eample for others in your life; feeling in control and confident; fitting back into clothes that are hiding in the back of the closet, etc.  Write out the goals that motivate you- list your top five “Motivators”- and post them in an obvious place, such as your bathroom mirror, or your refrigerator door.  And remember, you can always call us for support!  We can even do consults by phone, online, or ‘virtually’ on Skype.

Call at (603) 379-6500

Email:  healthyweightcenter@hotmail.com

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