Pain Free Workouts

I’ve got a foot/leg issue that I’m currently trying to fix. It feels like severe shin splints (sp?) and has really limited me to what I can do for exercise. My workouts typically consist of HIIT (on treadmill), basketball, and biking. Currently biking is my only workout that doesn’t aggrevate my condition. Unfortunately I don’t have the time/desire to spend all my workouts on the bike. My question is, until I can fix my problem, what are good, extremely low impact workouts I can do (with no access to a gym)? What are your favorite at home workouts? Should I just focus on strength training for now? What are your recommendations?

First of all don’t ride at the gym, it will melt your brain and make you want to kill yourself if you last long enough. ;)
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Go outside. Bikes are meant to be ridden outside.
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And there also other options, like the rowing machine, the elliptical, if you absolutely need to do this inside.

I’ve been weight training for many months without access to a gym. There are tons of bodyweight exercises that you can do without the need for weights.

I spent many years running long distance until the littany or injuries eventually ended my running career. I’ve been doing heavy strength training for the last 6-7 months and my feet, knees, hips, etc. have never felt better!

@micalzon, a couple of thoughts in regards to this:

1) As long as you have pain during or after your run, stop. You shouldn’t be running until the injury heals.

2) If you’re having pain during or after strength training, stop. You should switch to non weight bearing exercises until the injury heals. You can find body weight only exercises here on Daily Burn. I also have a few posted throughout my blog (here’s a recent program I posted – http://catapultfitness.blogspot.com/2009/08/300…

3) If the tenderness you’re experiencing extends horizontally across the front of the tibia, see a doctor. You may have a stress fracture. Also, if you tap on your tibia and are able to recreate the pain, it’s likely a stress fracture and not shin splints.

4) You want to start investigating as to why you’re getting shin splints. It can be due to

- an improper running shoe (If you haven’t done so already, you should be fitted for running shoes by someone who understands how to identify foot strike and gait and recommend the proper shoe based on this)

- muscle imbalances between the posterior and anterior leg. For example, weak calves and dorsiflexors can cause shin splints. Here’s a good strengthening exercises you can do at home – http://www.ualberta.ca/~alester/conditions/stre…

- Over-training

- improper stretching pre-workout (tight calf muscles can cause shin splints)

Here’s a pretty good article on shin splints: http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/016…

Susan
www.CatapultFitnessBlog.com

@susannyny – I’m not sure how accurate this is, but in the Army they always taught that in addition to those reasons you listed as a possible causes for shin splints, insufficient hydration can also cause them. True?

@micalzon – I have permanent nerve damage from a military injury that extends down my legs from my abdomen and prevents me from a lot of great exercises much in the same way your (hopefully) temporary condition is doing. I’ve found the stationary bike and elliptical very tolerable, albeit incredibly boring.

I’ve also found extended brisk walks to work well too. My dog really thanks me for it too.

I really think that your should wait until your injury heal before working out but whatever its your decision…I cant really recommend workouts because I don’t know the extent of your condition but I do know that if you use interval training you can maximize the results you are getting from biking. Basically just go as hard as you can for 8 seconds and then go at the relax pace for 12 seconds and continue this for 10 or 15 min. This will give you the same results as if you were biking for 60 min. Hope you get better bro.