Exercise With a Broken Leg

Maintaining an exercise routine while you have a broken leg can be challenging but not impossible. Any injury to your leg clearly disrupts your regular workout routines, but you can still be active and maintain a regular cardio workout and perform muscle exercises. Be as active as you safely can be while you are injured and be ready for action, or at least a gradual return to action, once your injury has healed and the cast, boot, or protective shoe is off. Follow the advice of your doctor, physical therapist, or sports trainer, to properly exercise during your injury and regain your full mobility and your strength when the time is right.

Steps

Adjusting Your Cardio Workouts

1. Check in with your doctor. Before you begin any type of program, talk to your doctor or physical therapist to be sure your new exercises will not cause any risk of injury.
   • Your physical therapist is a valuable resource for tailoring fitness exercises that meet your exact needs.
   • As a result of your recent injury or surgery, you may be coping with a hard cast, or boot, or some special device or problem limits your mobility.
   • Take advantage of the equipment and knowledge available to you through your physical therapist.
2. Take a seat. It is possible to work up your heart rate to your desired level by doing cardio workouts while seated. The following exercises are best performed in a solid chair with no side arms and a straight back.
   • Even if you do not have an injury, following seated cardio routines are a good choice for people that have jobs that require constant sitting.
   • For the following sets of exercises, the suggested number of repetitions is 25 for each exercise, done back to back with very limited resting time.
   • Try wearing a Buy a Heart Rate Monitor. This can help you to adjust your exercise duration to get your heart rate into the zone you want. Calculate your target heart rate by reading this article: How to Calculate Your Target Heart Rate.
   • Complete three to six rounds of the exercises for a shorter workout. A longer workout includes eight to 12 rounds of the exercises described.
3. Begin with raising the roof. The raise the roof exercise is done by using your hands and arms, and pushing forcefully straight upwards.
   • Start with elbows extended straight outward, and both hands at shoulder level. Move quickly and push both hands upwards with some force as if you were raising the roof. Continue for 25 repetitions.
   • Next, alternate pushing upward with one arm then the other, then back. Again, move as quickly and forcefully as you can. Continue for 25 repetitions.
   • To get your heart rate up, you need to put some strength behind the movements and do them quickly.
4. Move on to single arm punches. Just as if you had a punching bag hanging to your left side, begin punching that imaginary bag with force and speed using your right arm and with your hand in a fist.
   • Your movement should be fluid and steady, punching across your chest with your right hand and arm. Repeat your right arm punch 25 times.
   • Now switch the imaginary bag to your right side and begin punching with your left arm and hand. Continue for 25 repetitions.
5. Punch using both arms. Put those imaginary bags on both sides, and punch away, alternating arms.
   • Keep your movements fluid, forceful, and quick. Avoid sloppy movements. Continue for 25 reps.
6. Start side to side arches. With your arms straight up, generally in the field goal position, angle your wrists and hands slightly inward with your palms facing each other to form an arch shape.
   • Lower your body over to your right side in a slow and gentle swaying motion.
   • Sway back to the left side. This works your abs and your side area. Try to keep your butt planted in the chair and use your side and ab muscles to generate the movement.
   • Exhale as you move down, and inhale as you move up. Repeat the swaying side to side arch movement for 25 reps.
7. Begin arm circles. Hold both arms straight out from your body to each side, and begin forward directed arm circles. Each revolution of your arm should contain your hand in an area about the size of a dinner plate.
   • Do these fast and furiously, for the 25 reps. Keep breathing as you proceed.
   • Once you have completed your forward circles, do not rest or lower your arms, and immediately begin the same movement only in reverse.
8. Rock your abs. This should only be done in a solid chair with a back. You do not want the chair to slip out from under you as you rock backward.
   • Keeping your body as rigid as possible, slowly lean back in the chair allowing your injured leg, cast or boot included, to gently lift from the floor.
   • Your abs should be the primary muscle group controlling your movement.
   • Now rock forward keeping your body as a unit allowing your abs to do the work.
   • Do not let your feet touch the floor, then repeat the rocking motion by gently leaning back again.
   • Go slow with this movement and place your hands wherever they feel the most comfortable. Repeat this movement for 12 repetitions.
9. Repeat the set of exercises. A short workout would include three to six rounds of the exercises as just described.
   • For people that are accustomed to heavy cardio workouts, it may take 8 to 12 rounds to get your heart rate into the desired zone.

Maintaining Muscle Strength and Tone

1. Continue your upper body workout. First, consult with your doctor to be sure you will not do further injury.
   • Continue with your existing upper body exercise provided there is no pain, no risk of further injury, and your exercise plan has been cleared by your doctor.
   • For safety reasons, be sure you have someone with you, both at home and at the gym, to guard against falling or further injury.
2. Use a chin bar. Do regular chin-ups using a reverse grip with your palms facing you and your hands a little closer than shoulder-width apart.
   • Pull yourself up until you can touch either your chin or your upper chest to the bar.
   • Do five sets with six repetitions in each set.
   • Be sure someone is with you to help you position yourself gently on the ground when finished with each set.
3. Try an advanced version. A type of chin-up exercise called the gironda sternum exercise works different muscles and is also more difficult to perform.
   • The goal is to position your body in a slant and touch the lower portion of your chest to the bar.
   • Depending on the type of injury you experienced and the form of brace on your leg, this may not be possible. The ability to engage your upper leg muscles is needed to maintain your body in the slant position.
   • If you are able to perform this exercise, do 5 sets with 6 repetitions in each set. Be sure someone is with you for safety.
4. Consider crunches. Keeping your injured leg straight instead of bent, position yourself so your legs are either flat on the ground or resting on a slightly raised bench.
   • The injured leg needs to remain straight, but the uninjured leg can be bent at the standard 90 degree angle.
   • Place your hands on either side of your head but do not lock your fingers behind your head.
   • Push your lower back into the floor, and slowly lift or roll your shoulders off the floor. Do not raise your shoulders more that about 4 inches from the floor.
   • Focus on slow and controlled movements while keeping your lower back pressed to the floor to get the greatest benefit. Do five sets with 30 reps in each set.
5. Consider push-ups. Position your body so that your toes are on the ground and your hands are directly beneath your shoulders.
   • Keeping your back straight and your head level, push yourself up from the ground.
   • Lower your body back towards the ground until you feel a stretch in your chest and shoulder area. Hold that position for one second, then push your body upwards keeping your back and head straight.
   • Repeat five sets with 20 repetitions in each set.
   • Depending on the type of injury and the type of cast, this may not be a good choice for you. Any exercise that causes pain at your injury site should not be done.
6. Try squats using one leg. Be sure you can do this safely. Your healthy leg will need to be very strong for you to do this exercise, and you'll need to have excellent balance and mobility. It may help to have a friend standing beside you so you can grab her arm if you lose your balance. Make sure your ankle in particular is warmed up and flexible.
   • Keeping your back straight, lower yourself down to a sitting position, with the thigh of your good leg at a 90 degree angle to your hips.
   • Keep your injured leg in a straight position out in front of you, parallel to the floor.
   • Return to a standing position using the strength in your uninjured leg.
7. Be creative. The exercises described e are only examples.
   • Whatever you choose to try, be sure someone is with you to help, you can do the exercises safely, and the exercises do not cause pain.
   • Work with your doctor, your physical therapist, or trainer, to develop a solid workout routine that includes both cardio and muscle fitness exercises that are safe for you.

Related Articles

• Deal With a Broken Leg
• Provide First Aid for a Broken Bone
• Put Your Leg Behind Your Head
• Do a Roundhouse Kick
• Do Upper Arm Exercises in Yoga
• Have Fun With a Broken Leg
• Do Leg Exercises

Sources and Citations

See also

• Improve Your Fitness With Proper Sports Nutrition
• Do Water Aerobics
• Cross Train
• Choose a Personal Trainer
• Get Exercise Outdoors
• Do Core Exercises
• Diagnose a Frozen Shoulder
• Measure Your Thighs
• Wear a Fitbit
• Switch from Treadmill Running to Outdoor Running

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