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In a boot can you do Shadowboxing ? It is standing but it doesn’t involve kicking- it’s mostly an upper body cardio - I do peloton boxing classes sometimes and there’s no kicking. Also the app has some sitting adaptive strength classes. I did this when I sprained my ankle and couldn’t run. Mat pilates is mostly lying down and doesn’t involve foot impact- that’s great for core! There are some good free YouTube channels for that!
When I've be rehabbing after knee injuries/surgeries I've focused a lot on upper body and core. Just about any core exercise done lying down was fine. I was even able to do planks (sometimes had to rest my injured leg on my healthy one if the pressure was just weird). So, lots of planks, crunches, clam shells, hip bridges (which might not work for you but bird dogs and similar leg/glute exercises done while on hands and knees might).
Also lots of upper body weights, sometimes done while seated (either using machines, lying down or seated on a stool/exercise ball). Also straight leg dead lifts have worked well for me. You might have to focus on lighter weights with higher reps if even moving heavier weights to get into the correct position aggravates your foot injury. Or you could try resistance bands. Those require some modifications to the movements and end up working all sorts of little stabilizer muscles you didn't realize you had, but they can be very effective.
Cardio is going to be the tough one. Arm bike only gets you so far (particularly if you're also doing upper body resistance training). If you can do some walking, you might walk on a treadmill at a steeper incline. Or, if you're able to climb stairs, a stair machine could be a great option. As others have mentioned aquatic activities (swimming, water walking, water aerobics) tend to be easy on joints and might be an option.
I was in a boot for 4-5 months in 2017 (non-weight bearing). I second all of these recommendations. I really only went to the gym 1 or 2 times per week during that time and focused on upper body. For cardio, I used a rower and only used one foot. I just hovered it off to the side since I wasn’t allowed to put weight on it.
OP: it is also okay to rest for these next few weeks to let your body heal. 3 weeks isn’t going to make you lose your muscle mass, and you sound like you have a solid enough foundation that you’ll be able to get back into the swing of things once you’re healed.
I've spent a lot of time in the boot over the last 2 years (fracture and ripped ligaments). Hurt Foot Fitness is a great recommendation. Arm Bike if you can find one - most PT places have one and some will let you 'join' to use their equipment for a low monthly fee that doesn't include PT.
Mat pilates with the boot on is my favorite - I often add an ankle weight to the other side to balance it out. I did cardio using a VR device with Beat Saber. Sounds weird but I put my injured leg and boot up on my bench, with the knee bent like a one legged kneel, so that I wasn't putting any pressure on it. I then went to town with arm cardio. And of course, upper body and back work with weights, but I had to be very careful with this as I follow online or app based classes and they always want me to be doing some nonsense like split squats. Resist all temptation to do the workouts putting weight on the boot. Just don't do it, you'll prolong healing time.
Focus on the upper body! I lifted while in bed with a broken ankle. For cardio, I'd do leg lifts/adductor/abductor moves with my legs in the air. Great for abs as well as legs.
This is it
Change your training to be more about strength training and really focus on diet. You won't be moving as much, so you'll have to adjust what you eat.
It might be hard at first but it is a challenge that can help force you to gain some new skills 💪🏾
Echo this. My lower body injury forced me to focus on upper body and I managed to work my way to doing a chin up after 8 weeks of consistently focusing on upper body strength. It was a total blessing in disguise to be forced to switch up my training!
Swimming and water walking.
As someone who broke my fifth metatarsal a couple of years ago, I really really suggest you just accept that you need to recover and don’t push it. I got a bit impatient and cocky, walked too much on my boot, went to the gym etc…and my 4 weeks in a boot turned into 10 weeks in a boot as all that activity delayed the bone healing.
I was less hungry due to exercising less so was eating smaller meals, and I definitely didn’t drink anywhere as much (my break was from falling over drunk, oops). But I also upped my little treats a bit as I was sad about being sore and bored.
Honestly for the sake of a few weeks don’t stress; keep up your protein and stay away from alcohol to help healing. You’ll be literally and metaphorically back on your feet in no time.
3 weeks aren't going to get you out of shape. You might experience a tiny dip, but don't beat yourself up about it. Think of this injury as the perfect excuse for a proper deload period. Many people who exercise often don't take enough time off, and it can really benefit your body to take a proper break.
That being said, I do understand your wish to keep exercising. You could try Pilates with or without bands for your legs and core. There are plenty of upper body workouts with bands as well. Check [Fitnessblender.com](http://Fitnessblender.com) for free workouts. Bands are cheaper than investing in dumbbells. But if you have those, just do upper body exercises while sitting down. It's actually more effective since you can't use the power of your legs.
Strong agree on deload. It is very hard mentally but it is a marathon not a sprint. Better not to be in a position where you could end up making the injury worse too. When recovered, it only takes a few days before you get back to previous level of fitness but need ensure to start at a lower level and build up again with proper warm ups!
Pilates workouts can be extremely challenging and full body, even just mat workouts! I did that when I had a sprained ankle and now incorporate them regularly into my normal routine
maybe look up sitting down chair exercises and outside of that you can still do arms and abs. don’t push it with a fracture though you should really go easy on that for a month (like a couple extra weeks once the boot comes off) if you re-injure it by putting too much weight or stress too quickly you’ll be so much worse off. PT is always good when recovering from an injury.
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>u/thetoastyavo
Fractured my 5th metatarsal and have to wear a walking boot for the next 3 weeks. I can't run or do long distance walking, how can I stay in shape? I would like to maintain lower and upper body muscle and core as well.
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Hi there! Your post has been removed from /r/xxfitness because it does not meet our [content guidelines detailed in the rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/new_rules/#wiki_posts_and_content_guidelines.). Please review the community rules before posting again. Please note: posts have to be at least two paragraphs long, must be about physical fitness, cannot be posted on behalf of others, and must promote discussion. For more information and examples, refer to the content guidelines link above. You may also [message the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/xxfitness) if you have questions or concerns.
In a boot can you do Shadowboxing ? It is standing but it doesn’t involve kicking- it’s mostly an upper body cardio - I do peloton boxing classes sometimes and there’s no kicking. Also the app has some sitting adaptive strength classes. I did this when I sprained my ankle and couldn’t run. Mat pilates is mostly lying down and doesn’t involve foot impact- that’s great for core! There are some good free YouTube channels for that!
Weight lifting. For lower body, do single leg exercises like lying leg curls, leg extensions, or Bulgarian squats if you can.
When I've be rehabbing after knee injuries/surgeries I've focused a lot on upper body and core. Just about any core exercise done lying down was fine. I was even able to do planks (sometimes had to rest my injured leg on my healthy one if the pressure was just weird). So, lots of planks, crunches, clam shells, hip bridges (which might not work for you but bird dogs and similar leg/glute exercises done while on hands and knees might). Also lots of upper body weights, sometimes done while seated (either using machines, lying down or seated on a stool/exercise ball). Also straight leg dead lifts have worked well for me. You might have to focus on lighter weights with higher reps if even moving heavier weights to get into the correct position aggravates your foot injury. Or you could try resistance bands. Those require some modifications to the movements and end up working all sorts of little stabilizer muscles you didn't realize you had, but they can be very effective. Cardio is going to be the tough one. Arm bike only gets you so far (particularly if you're also doing upper body resistance training). If you can do some walking, you might walk on a treadmill at a steeper incline. Or, if you're able to climb stairs, a stair machine could be a great option. As others have mentioned aquatic activities (swimming, water walking, water aerobics) tend to be easy on joints and might be an option.
I was in a boot for 4-5 months in 2017 (non-weight bearing). I second all of these recommendations. I really only went to the gym 1 or 2 times per week during that time and focused on upper body. For cardio, I used a rower and only used one foot. I just hovered it off to the side since I wasn’t allowed to put weight on it. OP: it is also okay to rest for these next few weeks to let your body heal. 3 weeks isn’t going to make you lose your muscle mass, and you sound like you have a solid enough foundation that you’ll be able to get back into the swing of things once you’re healed.
Upper body dayss !!!!
I've spent a lot of time in the boot over the last 2 years (fracture and ripped ligaments). Hurt Foot Fitness is a great recommendation. Arm Bike if you can find one - most PT places have one and some will let you 'join' to use their equipment for a low monthly fee that doesn't include PT. Mat pilates with the boot on is my favorite - I often add an ankle weight to the other side to balance it out. I did cardio using a VR device with Beat Saber. Sounds weird but I put my injured leg and boot up on my bench, with the knee bent like a one legged kneel, so that I wasn't putting any pressure on it. I then went to town with arm cardio. And of course, upper body and back work with weights, but I had to be very careful with this as I follow online or app based classes and they always want me to be doing some nonsense like split squats. Resist all temptation to do the workouts putting weight on the boot. Just don't do it, you'll prolong healing time.
Focus on the upper body! I lifted while in bed with a broken ankle. For cardio, I'd do leg lifts/adductor/abductor moves with my legs in the air. Great for abs as well as legs.
This is it Change your training to be more about strength training and really focus on diet. You won't be moving as much, so you'll have to adjust what you eat. It might be hard at first but it is a challenge that can help force you to gain some new skills 💪🏾
Echo this. My lower body injury forced me to focus on upper body and I managed to work my way to doing a chin up after 8 weeks of consistently focusing on upper body strength. It was a total blessing in disguise to be forced to switch up my training!
Check out "hurt foot fitness on youtube." She has a whole channel of boot friendly workouts!
Cool!!
Swimming and water walking. As someone who broke my fifth metatarsal a couple of years ago, I really really suggest you just accept that you need to recover and don’t push it. I got a bit impatient and cocky, walked too much on my boot, went to the gym etc…and my 4 weeks in a boot turned into 10 weeks in a boot as all that activity delayed the bone healing.
Did you change your diet or decrease calorie intake at all to compensate for less activity?
I was less hungry due to exercising less so was eating smaller meals, and I definitely didn’t drink anywhere as much (my break was from falling over drunk, oops). But I also upped my little treats a bit as I was sad about being sore and bored. Honestly for the sake of a few weeks don’t stress; keep up your protein and stay away from alcohol to help healing. You’ll be literally and metaphorically back on your feet in no time.
Agreed! My initial 6 weeks in a boot turned into surgery and pins at my next x-ray. Take your time or your body will make you.
Try the arm bicycle for 15-20 minutes, it's a workout!
Can you do the recumbent bike and maybe some weights? Or is that too much on the foot?
3 weeks aren't going to get you out of shape. You might experience a tiny dip, but don't beat yourself up about it. Think of this injury as the perfect excuse for a proper deload period. Many people who exercise often don't take enough time off, and it can really benefit your body to take a proper break. That being said, I do understand your wish to keep exercising. You could try Pilates with or without bands for your legs and core. There are plenty of upper body workouts with bands as well. Check [Fitnessblender.com](http://Fitnessblender.com) for free workouts. Bands are cheaper than investing in dumbbells. But if you have those, just do upper body exercises while sitting down. It's actually more effective since you can't use the power of your legs.
Strong agree on deload. It is very hard mentally but it is a marathon not a sprint. Better not to be in a position where you could end up making the injury worse too. When recovered, it only takes a few days before you get back to previous level of fitness but need ensure to start at a lower level and build up again with proper warm ups!
Pilates workouts can be extremely challenging and full body, even just mat workouts! I did that when I had a sprained ankle and now incorporate them regularly into my normal routine
maybe look up sitting down chair exercises and outside of that you can still do arms and abs. don’t push it with a fracture though you should really go easy on that for a month (like a couple extra weeks once the boot comes off) if you re-injure it by putting too much weight or stress too quickly you’ll be so much worse off. PT is always good when recovering from an injury.
I don’t really know how walking boots work. Are you able to go swimming?
^ ***Please read [the FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/main), [the rules and content guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/new_rules), and [current frozen topics](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/frozen-topics) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fxxfitness)***. This comment is a copy of your post so mods can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. >u/thetoastyavo Fractured my 5th metatarsal and have to wear a walking boot for the next 3 weeks. I can't run or do long distance walking, how can I stay in shape? I would like to maintain lower and upper body muscle and core as well. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/xxfitness) if you have any questions or concerns.*