I broke the little toe on my right foot yesterday. Confirmed by x-rays at my podiatrist. I’m taped up, and need to minimize activity on that foot until it heals - probably 6-8 weeks.
I try to work our three or four days a week…in part, because it helps me control my blood sugar. I’m pre-diabetic, and I’d like to keep it that way.
I have plenty of resistance exercises I can do without using my foot. But I could use some suggestions about how to do cardio workouts.
I used to have a little pedal set that I could use before I had a full blown exercise bike. Apparently some of them are good as a hand cycle, too. Anyone have any experience there? Any other suggestions?
I do have a benefit from my job - $300 for exercise equipment each year - that I can spend if I need something for this.
Thanks!
I have trouble with both ankles, and I find I can get a good aerobic workout using my Wii and Just Dance 4. Because it only scores players on how they’re moving the Wiimote, the dances are all heavily weighted to upper body moves. I can still get really high scores without moving my feet at all, which is just the ticket some days. I’d wager you could even do it sitting down, after a fashion.
I ride an actual on-the-road handcycle. If the small pedal set has adjustable tension and can be fixed in place so it won’t move, it should be fine. There are specific tabletop models.
Armbikes-or UBEs (upper body ergometers) are exclusively what I use for cardio. Much like the model in RunnerPat’s link, only fancier and with more features. I like it, I can get a very good workout from it and it doesn’t wear on my rotator cuffs like wheeling in my chair does.
I was hoping you’d stop by, Ambivalid! I actually thought about you when I was thinking this through at work today.
Ok. I’m looking at Amazon, and I see a few viable UBEs: This one for $450 has neat suction cups and a display for time and speed.
This one is only $275, which is in the “free” range based on my $300 benefit. But it uses baseballs as handles. Would that be strange? I just picked up a baseball, and I think it would work. It also calls out being able to go forward or backwards.
In between the two is the higher end Therapy Trainer for $390. It has a display. But it’s out of stock.
I may call the company that makes the last two tomorrow and check availability. The prices on their web page are the same as Amazons. They also have a $340 option. It isn’t really clear to me what the differences are.
Of those three, I definitely like the first option the best. WTF is with the baseball handles on the other two? That’s a big turn-off for me.
And just for clarification, I want to show you the type of UBE I use. It’s the big, seated variety. I’m not suggesting you purchase one of these, as they can run up to a few thousand dollars; I just wanted to show you what’s out there. The linked picture isn’t exactly what I use, but it’s close. It can be adjusted in so many ways to exercise the muscles in different fashions; backwards, forwards, low pedaling, high pedaling, etc.
I’ve broken nine toes, and think of myself as something of an authority on the subject. IME, if what you are doing doesn’t hurt, you aren’t slowing down the healing of the broken toe. Exercise in sneakers that have a roomy toe box, don’t take up activities that require a lot of stomping, wearing a stirrup over your foot (eg biking), etc., and you should be fine. That said, don’t be a hero and keep going if something hurts.
This is what I did when I broke mine, and years later, you can’t even see the old breaks on an X-ray.
If it’s serious enough to require casting, crutches, etc., obviously ignore the above. But the instructions you received sound like what I always got for mine, other than the broken big toe (weight-bearing, so I was on crutches for 3-4 weeks).
In the short term, at least, I’ve decided to follow the path of least resistance. While discussing it with my sister, she pointed out that she has a Wii, and never uses it. So she gave it to me. My co-worker said she does “Just Dance” while sitting on the sofa sometimes, and works up a good sweat. So I picked up a copy, and learned:
My upper body is weak
b) I have no rhythm
I may pursue some of the other suggestions…I’m always interested in cross training opportunities. But so far, so good, with the free wii.
Indeed, there is no need to be upper body exclusive in this case. You cannot put much pressure on that toe - that leaves lots that still use your lower body. It’s taped not casted. Swimming at the local community pool, or “water running”, is an easy option without even joining a gym. Even body weight squats placing the weight on heels and/or the inside portion of the foot - do as high intensity intervals such as 30 seconds of as many as you can, rest 10 seconds, repeat 8 times, or 1 minute with 30 second rests … you get the idea.
I appreciate the out of the out of the box thinking, and the questioning of my basic premise. (Seriously, I do.) But my podiatrist specifically said no biking, no pressure on the foot other than walking. So yeah…I could probably do a lot of the stuff listed here if I’m careful, I’m going to follow my doctor on that and avoid them. That’s why I’m focusing on upper body only.
He also said no sneakers for at least the first three weeks - I’m stuck in sandals or barefooted.
That’s a big turn-off for me.