By I’m taking the recovery from my hip stress fracture very seriously. I only walk with crutches. I teach my yoga classes from a seat. I even use the electric shopping cart at the grocery store.
But that doesn’t mean I get to be lazy.
Don’t get me wrong, the first week or so into my prescribed 6-weeks on crutches, I was pretty darn lazy. I did quite a few marathons…of the Netflix variety. But for me, constant inactivity really isn’t sustainable. While I’m not working out nearly as much as I’m used to, I have found some staple workouts that elevate my heart rate while keeping my hip protected.
Here’s a few of my faves, and if you have any to add I’m all ears!
Core
Abdominal exercises are definitely a staple for me and I’ve used this time to explore and find more than I love! Here’s a video I’ve been totally digging.
Swimming
Apart from a handful of triathlon training swim practices while living in Hawaii in 2010 – 2013, I hadn’t done an organized workout since I graduated college in 2009. I knew that the best way for me to get back into swimming shape (totally different than running or yoga shape) was to join a Master’s (adult swimming) program. I settled on Dad’s Club because I liked the coach and the pool is outdoors which is a must for me. These types of workouts have been the best for me based on my injury and swimming history.
- Distance & Pull Sets — Freestyle is the easiest stroke for me to get back into and to minimize kicking with. Distance sets (200 – 400 yard intervals) have been great from a meditative perspective. These types of practices give me the balance of cardio and quiet time!
- Stroke Sets — While freestyle is the easiest for me to get back into, doing non-free has been a great way to break it up. I can do butterfly and backstroke no problem, but have been modifying breaststroke (using a fly kick) to protect my hip.
- Speed Play — I finally have a little speed back, so it’s been fun to play!
Upper Body Strength Training
Besides crutches being a totally killer upper body workout, I’m also trying to get into the weight room twice a week. A few of the exercises I’ve been loving include:
- Tricep press (I do this from a seat and really focus on my core and hugging my elbows in toward my midline).
- Bench press with dumbbells.
- Bicep curls with push press (I do this one from a seat, too).
- Russian twists with med ball or dumbbell.
- Dumbell chest flys.
Yoga
My yoga practice has been extremely modified and I pretty much only practice in the comfort of my own home to avoid temptation to push myself. A few poses that have been working well for me include:
- Seated cat / cows
- Seated (gentle) twists
- Forward folds
- Thread the needle hip opener on my non-injured side
What types of workouts do you default to when you’re injured?
Loving life on the run. 