Things to do with a broken ankle...

[Mad Rocker]

So a few nights ago, I went to a party. A lot of alcohol was consumed and consequently, I fell down some stone steps and caused myself an avulsion fracture (where the ligaments rip off a part of the bone). Yay booze!

I've actually been thinking about not drinking for awhile now and this may provide the motivation which I've otherwise been lacking. It would save me a hell of a lot of money at university...

But anyway, that's not meant to be the point of this thread. No, in here, I was hoping for suggestions for things I could do to keep at least some level of fitness up.

I can't put any weight on it (doctor's orders! ) so most weight training and cardio is out, and since those were all I've ever done, I'm sort of at a loss here. Obviously, the usual medical advice of 'get lots of rest' applies, but I can't just sit around playing video games, watching films and checking facebook all day...I can't play my electric drum kit for obvious reasons and even guitar is difficult with the way I'm forced to sit.

So I don't know, flexibility training?

[Hackademic]

Ouch! Sorry to hear that!

Sounds like you'd need to focus on keeping your diet in check, since your energy expenditure will be plummeting, considering. Could you maybe take up swimming (it's summer, after all), using some stroke that's entirely or far-and-away majority upper body? Butterfly, maybe? (I can't swim; grasping at straws, here.)

Good luck!

[spezzy]

handstands.

(or - this is where we need alethea, she worked out with a broken foot for months!)

[bigm141414]

Hmm, things to do:

Knee pushups.

One legged squats, although this may cause you to have one freakishly giant leg, which may come in handy if you are applying to be a carny attraction.

Bench press and seated dumbbell presses.

This is a toughy since a lot of exercises require my legs.

[Kristen]

I was thinking knee pushups, handstand pushups, pullups, but that's all I can come up with.

I had a broken foot a few years ago, and all I did was sit on the couch and watch Tv. I was non weight bearing for about 5 months, all of which were a nightmare. I didn't work out at all. Don't do what I did!

But DO follow the doctor's orders. Don't start walking just because you feel like you can. If I pushed it, I might not have full function of my foot, or constant pain. It was a complicated break, and after having two surgeons tell me they couldn't fix it, I was desperate to try anything. I'm glad I did though, because I still have two working feet.

[tasty`]

When I had a broken ankle, I tried to improve my flexibility as much as possible. I did different stretches almost everyday.

Also i broke my ankle in a similar way as you, and didn't drink for the entirety of my cast being on and the month after that when I got it off. Saves a ton of money and you have a good excuse.

[67alecto]

Keep in mind that your body will need to heal itself, so it will direct energy to this. Working out too intensely early on can cause your recovery to take even longer.

[Fogo]

Last year I sprained my ankle pretty badly, and had to be off my feet for about 5 weeks. During that time, diet was a HUGE thing to me, since couldn't do much else. I actually managed to go without a single soda during that period, and I saw more progress in my weight loss than I had when I was working out. I fell back into the soda habit a bit, but a lot of the diet changes I made during that time have stuck.

[Mad Rocker]

When I had a broken ankle, I tried to improve my flexibility as much as possible. I did different stretches almost everyday.

Also i broke my ankle in a similar way as you, and didn't drink for the entirety of my cast being on and the month after that when I got it off. Saves a ton of money and you have a good excuse.

Any sort of stretches in particular? I did kickboxing when I was younger so I can remember a few, but it has been awhile and they were primarily designed for warming up...

Glad to hear about the not drinking. It's encouraging to see somebody else has followed the same path.

Diet is something I'm already pretty good on (the only really unhealthy things I consume generally are alcohol and coke, when it's used as a mixer), though I could always improve.

The general consensus seems to be knee pushups and seated dumbbell work. Well, we'll see how it goes...