Exercise when laid up

[victoria maki]

I had foot surgery two weeks ago and have another 4 weeks recovery.  I feel like I am losing muscle tone in my legs since I can’t walk my hour a day with my 22 lbs weight vest. Before surgery I was down to 30 minuets because of pain for quite a few months.  Now I am down to nothing. Doctor says no extra weight on my foot so doing leg lifts and such is out of the question. I do tighten my thigh and stomach muscles for 2 minuets while brushing my teeth every morning.  Anyone else gone through this and how did you keep somewhat in shape or do I just wait until the next 4 weeks are up and start all over?

[Greg Mihalik]

This might give you some insights –

[victoria maki]

Thanks Greg.  Upper is good but I’m more concerned about keeping strength in my legs….

[Greg Mihalik]

Are you allowed to “heel walk”, or are you completely non-weight bearing?

Edit to Add: How about upside down “bicycles” with ankle weights?

Lay on your back, head against a door, knees up with a stretch band behind them, anchored to the door knob, and do leg extensions.

Lay your stomach, anchor a stretch ban to a couch leg, and do ham curls.

Sit in a chair, anchor a band to the chair leg and do quad lifts.

[victoria maki]

I had my stitches out yesterday and doc says I can do some walking on a treadmill (I live in Minnesota and have to wear a special open toe boot, so no outside). Also a stationary bike, which I was glad to hear. NO  extra weight on my foot.  Your suggestions, except for the ankle weights are a good idea.  Thanks for the suggestions.

[Tom K]

If you have access to an upper body Cybex machine, get on it and crank at whatever resistance you can handle.  Work up to half an hour 3-4 times a week, and you will maintain your cardio vascular condition.  I have done that twice when laid up for several months with a lower extremity injury, and came out the other end with a resting heart rate of 50.  I will warn you, though, that it is brain death.  You have be able to make yourself go somewhere else mentally, or simply focus on the process and what your body is doing in real time.  I chose the latter, because that is how I am wired. YMMV

[jscott]

1. foam roller or towel under your knee while you lie flat on your back. Lift your foot off the floor and hold for 10 seconds. Relax. Two sets of 10 repetitions, perhaps alternating with:
2. on your back, draw the left foot up under your knee (which rises in the air) and keeping your right leg straight, lift it to left knee level and hold for 10 seconds. 10 reps times 2
3. bridges: you might google this. On your back, keep your shoulders and head on the mat while lifting the rest of your body into the air so that you form a slope, knees down to head. HOld for 10 seconds, 10 reps times 2 sets
4. stand against a wall with your feet extended out a bit. slide your back down the wall and form a sitting position. hold for ten seconds, etc.

[victoria maki]

No access to a Cybex.

[victoria maki]

Good suggestions Jeffery….

[Jim Colten]

Hi Vicki,

Sorry to hear about the ouchies.  Good that you got it repaired.   I wish I could give you an easy recovery but after last years multi surgery “vacation” all I can offer is encouragement to get to the gym when the doc says OK.  I took Roleigh’s suggestion to heart and booked some time with a corrective exercise specialist.  Best decision I’ve made.  To avoid discouragement I set modest goals and then kept raising the bar when I achieved them.

[victoria maki]

Hi Jim.  Thanks.   Yes, looking forward to using my “home” gym when the month is up.  I have all this energy and can’t do much. I am normally so active that this last 2.5 weeks has been tough.  I am glad you are doing well.  We have no exercise specialists up here so I’ll be on my own…..good to hear from you.  Now that you are all better, we’ll have to plan the Memorial weekend hike if others are willing……

[BC Bob]

You mentioned that you can use a stationary bike. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) might work for you. As little as 60 seconds of HIIT (3 x 20 secs over 10 minutes) will have your thighs screaming for mercy. Try a podcast at Youtube. Search for — HIIT Gibala. Also, https://amzn.to/2qM6zdx

[jscott]

Victoria, it may be that after ONLY 2.5 weeks you don’t want to make the affected area or just around it ‘scream for mercy’–not yet! I’m three weeks into a total knee replacement and my knee, foot and leg make ME scream for mercy when I overdo it. Sometimes the warrior ethic is counterproductive and can set you back. Keep the big picture in mind and accept that there’s no shortcut to healing, And the healing has to come first. My nurse neighbors and everyone else involved tells me it takes 6 weeks for soft tissue to heal–and months for the knee to totally heal. There’s no muscling our way to a shorter time frame. It is what it is.

[Jerry Adams]

I use exercise bike.  Physical Therapist said that’s better than treadmill.  You can start with whatever intensity feels okay and work your way up.  Put more on the good leg, except you really want to balance them.  I used to have knee and hip pain but it seems better now, knock on wood…

[victoria maki]

Ha Ha.  I went to hop on my bike this morning and forgot the pedals have straps to hold your foot in.  My surgical boot,that doc said I have to wear during any activity,will not fit through hole.  I even tried to remove the strap but couldn’t get it off.  I tried to use the backside but foot slipped off, so guess bike is out of the question…..;-(

[victoria maki]

Jeff sorry to hear you ended up with a knee replacement.  I hope it will be successful.  You, my friend, are probably correct that I need to just take it easy.  I haven’t been this inactive since my back surgery and even after that I was back to working half days at 2 weeks in (Laser Spine.  The commercial is true).  I begged the doc to let me go back if I took it easy….;-)  Guess I’m not used to sitting around and need to be patient.  Thanks for the reminder to settle down.  Sometimes I need a good kick in the head…I’m half Polish….:_))

[victoria maki]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions but probably will take Jeff’s suggestion…..I get anxious when inactive……

[jscott]

Thanks Victoria! Actually I’m already really glad I did the knee replacement–it’s working! Now if I can get the surgery pain to subside and heal up, I’ll be far better off than before.

Post surgery, there is a balance for the knee between keeping it somewhat active–good for healing–and resting and icing for the same reason. I imagine that’s true for the foot too but the foot is problematic! In any case you’re not going to become thirty pounds overweight and a lounge about for life in six weeks time. And you won’t lose all of your muscle tone either.

The exercises I referenced are from physical therapy at Kaiser. They look trivial but try them out–you can really work your leg muscles without weighting your foot with these. But boring!

Best wishes on your recovery!

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