Hello there I'm new here, just trying to find anything that will work to get me back in shape. 1 1/2 years ago I injured my a legament in my left leg/hip socket and have been told it may take years to heal, longer if I dont take it easy. I read Bill's book Eating for Life and was starting to use an Eliptical for my cardio, but I'm starting to strain my injury. I need help finding a cardio exercise that is less straining on my left leg, anyone out there got any suggestions? Thanks!

You might want to check with a doctor or physical therapist before you jump in, but you might be able to do some exercises in the water. Swimming, or deep water joging. I would definitely check in with a pro before trying anything new.

Welcome to T.com!

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Originally Posted by UptownBrian Hello there I'm new here, just trying to find anything that will work to get me back in shape. 1 1/2 years ago I injured my a legament in my left leg/hip socket and have been told it may take years to heal, longer if I dont take it easy. I read Bill's book Eating for Life and was starting to use an Eliptical for my cardio, but I'm starting to strain my injury. I need help finding a cardio exercise that is less straining on my left leg, anyone out there got any suggestions? Thanks!

Definitely find a good ortho doctor specialising in sports medicine and get a referral to a good physical therapy place, hopefully also specialising in sports injuries. Their advice should supercede anything you read here.

My experiences are as follows (different problems require different solutions so adapt as necessary). I had a full rupture of my left patella tendon requiring knee reconstruction. After this I was told by my surgeon that I should avoid strenouous exercise, and that activities such as snowboarding and surfing were completely out of the question. I ballooned up in weight. After all, if I couldn't do the activities I liked, why do anyhting? Right?

A couple years later my other knee was causing me bigtime problems and I decided to get it checked out. I was not happy with the surgeon who did the orginal surgery, so this time I asked around for recommendaitons. I found an awesome doctor at a practice that also fixes professional athletes in the Bay Area. During the consult on my "good knee" I mentioned the "bad" knee that had been repaired was really painful. The conversation went along these lines:

me: "my surgeon told me it was just messed up and that I'd need to avoid most forms of exercise and sport (tennis, snowboarding, surfing, etc)"
great dr: "no that is not the case, after a repair you should be fully functional"
me: "then why does the 'fixed' knee hurt so bad"
great dr: "it's shouldn't - we'll MRI both knees"

Long and short of it was torn meniscus in right knee, left knee was damaged by two titanium bolts projecting out of the back of the patella. These bolts were surgical anchors for the tendon repair, and should not have been projecting out of the back of the patella, they had eroded the cartelidge behind the patella. The hardware was removed, the dr performed microderm-abrasion on the bone where the damaged cartelidge was, I did physical therapy for a long while and I can now stick 540lbs on a leg press machine with no problems at all. I can surf, skate and twist with no real difficulty. The first dr was a butcher.

The moral of all this is find a great ortho guy that you can trust, and maybe get a second opinion. Get a referral to physical therapy and work with them on an exercise regiment that makes sense for your injury. Phys therapy fixes things a lot of surgeons will want to cut you for. I've had partiallly torn achilles, and a rotator cuff injury that physical therapy has fixed up for me in no time, where some ortho guys would want to do surgery.

Swimming, just using upper body, will give you a hellacious workout for cardio.

Also upping the intensity of an upperbody gym workout (increase reps, reduce weight, and reduce rest time between sets and reps) is a great way to do cardio in the weight room.

A rule of thumb is to really listen to your bod. Injury pain is not something you can train through (sure workouts can be painful, but if you have something that feels like someone just stuck a knife in there and twisted, then stop. Right there and then).

Definitely get your injury checked out, by a sports medicine specialist, either ortho Dr, Phy therapy or both. That should help you get a regimin in place that will not aggravate your injury and will help you progress.

Good luck with your healing, and your transformation.

Hi,
I was born with out a hip on my left side. After many surgeries and procedures where they cut three inches off my femur, stuck a metal rod through my leg and put me in traction for a month, I am left with bolts holding my hip together. I can walk, and I'm so thankful because my parents were told that I never would walk.

I was very concerned about starting this program because I can't run and I didn't know how I would get the cardio in. I have found that doing a workout on a mini trampoline has really helped me. I can get a full workout and hit my high points. My sister in law was looking for something to do at home for cardio and she didn't believe me when I told her how hard you can work on that thing. She found out the hard way. It really works you while being gentle on your joints.

I also use the rowing machine and put less pressure on my legs. I mainly use my arms. That is also a very intense workout! On days that my hip is hurting, usually do to the weather, I use the hand bike. Most gyms have them. I can get my heart rate up and I get a great arm workout.

As everyone else has suggested, swimming is also a great way of getting your cardio done. I'm just not a big fan of swimming since my leg is pretty useless when I'm kicking.

Hope all this helps! Good luck and get better quickly!
Christine

Wow Christine, thanks for sharing your story, and a very inspiring one at that.
Jump sweetie, I know, I had one for the kids and I did it a few times and wore my butt out, it works. But the real secret is you, how you make it work, so many people would just say I can't do it, there is nothing to do, but you are a shining example of what can be done when you want to do it.
Thanks, God Bless you!
Love , Linda

Thanks Linda! I appreciate your encouragement! We all have difficulties in life. Mine is just more evident than others.

Many Blessings,
Christine

I think I may have to switch to the pool or the exercise bike because my feet, knees and hip are killing me. I have diabetes and my feet are definitely hurting in a way that is not from injury. My doctor checks them regularly but though there is no damage that can be seen, they feel raw and numb after a cardio session. I am looking forward to getting my diabetes under control and getting my health in line but until then I must do something to keep my feet healthy. SO, I am there with you. Hang in there!

Wow, thank you!!!

I still have problems with my back, legs and hip from time to time :0)

I use 4 alternative ways of getting my cardio in at these times.

1. Bagwork / shadowboxing - I tend to do more bagwork, which means I don't have to dance around any more than I need to.


2. Using a mini trampoline / rebounder (depends on the severity of your injury / complaint)


3. Performing martial arts movements / strikes / blocks underwater whilst wearing hand paddles


4. Using an Arm Ergometer (if the gym, I'm using at the time, has one!)

I know this sounds crazy, but with my back, hip and now foot it's getting harder and harder to do cardio

bike, hurts the foot, it makes it bend at the toes
swimming hurts my back, now I know everyone I ever heard said water aerobics for back , but I swim and my back arches and It kills my back
Kickbox class that I teach, I'm dying after class, hip hurts but I do it anyway.
running, forget it for now
muscle pump, I teach that too but hip hurts after all the squats
treadmill and ellicical huirts the foot again.
walking in wal-mart for an hr hurts my back, and foot,
Well at least I can still lift weights, that is when my hand isn't hurting. lol
Sad but I have arthritis and tendonisit all over and trust me it hurts. most times it feels better after I workout and get it moving but sometimes, It's just plain ole pain that hurts
but I keep on truckin

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Originally Posted by gloomraider 2. Using a mini trampoline / rebounder (depends on the severity of your injury / complaint)

I have to 2nd the mini trampoline! I had to pull out of a 5K once because my hip hurt so bad, but I was still able to do my mini trampoline. Same for when I get knee pain!

If you're gonna get one though, don't get a cheapy $30 one. I think i paid about $169 for mine, but it's been worth every penny!

The trampoline sounds like a good idea. I was able to tough through some jogging lately. I just scoot my feet a lot and my shoes are already worn out!

Last night, I got on the rower and took my affected knee out and had it remain stationary. I used the rower as an ergometer using only my arms. I fatigued and felt a cardio surge given the 10 minute experiment. I think this is going to be incorporated into the new routine that you are all helping me sculpt.

Thanks all.
Ellen

Well done Ellen - great job !

;0)

Don't know what your equipment budget is, but one machine that is easy on the joints is the Bowflex treadclimber. It is two separate belts, and they go up and down separately, so the knees and joints don't get the pounding that you do with a treadmill. It is a little more like walking in deep sand. You might look for a used one. It really burns the calories faster than a treadmill too.
Also, remember - anything you do with your arms while you are walking, running, bicycling, etc., will increase that heart rate. Good luck - JL

Uptown Brian, try exercises that won't put strain on your hip. I am learning to do different cardio exercises after a repetitive strain injury last year while getting up to 19 km of in-line skating 4 days per week. It still hurts to in-line skate, even after 6 km, so I use the elliptical, jog, and cycle.

Try a variety of exercises that tend not to strain on that tender area, but choose more than one. I am stubborn...yes I should have seen a doctor. Seeking professional help is important in recovery and keeping physically active.

Rowing if you can! It's a killer

Even if you have an injury I agree you can do all sorts of excercises ..resting the injury,,you dont want to do things that will keep it injured or further injure it!! In retirement homes they do chair excercises and even work out in wheelchairs,,any Physical Therapists out there????