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Hi all, Very new on here, so forgive me if this doesn't work properly. I'm 23 and have recently started working in an office job, which is soul destroying enough but it gives me such little amount of time because I also am studying my degree in naturopathy full-time (My day starts at 5:30 with a 7am start and ends at 10pm when I get home). I try to get to the gym for an hour everyday in the 2 hour break between work and uni and I'm usually pretty good. Unfortunately I am used to going to the gym for anywhere up to 3 hours a day and generally living a pretty active lifestyle. Now the worst part of it, friday night I broke my foot (high heels... maybe a little too much wine... rain, slippery gutter you know how it goes) so for at least the next few weeks I'm on crutches and will have my left foot in plaster for about 3 weeks until I can take it off and wrap it in a bandage instead (which will certainly make having a shower easier) the problem is my doctor has told me I can't go running for atleast 3-4 months and I might be allowed to get on a stationary bike after 2 months as long as I take it easy. I was hoping someone on here might be able to help me with coming up with exercises I can do that will help me keep up some level of fitness until I get back on my feet (so to speak) [while I'm at home and at the office]. I bought myself some hand weights for upper body strength but I'm just not sure about what else to do. Sorry this post is so long but I would really love help from anyone. No suggestion is too absurd... I'm up to my 3rd day on the crutches and already I'm going crazy. Thanks so much

i think i'd be asking my doctor for a referral to a rehab physio to get the guidance you need. after breaking bones, you've got to be so careful. i can't imagine you'd be allowed to go running any time too soon.

might be a good time to look at alternative forms of exercise such as pilates!

sorry to hear about your foot, awful stuff. hope it mends for you fast.

Also, check if you can use a Cam Walker boot instead of plaster or even bandages later. They are pricey, but well worth the investment if the doc OK's it. You cna take them off to shower!

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Caution: Sarcastic and Cynical!!!

Resistance bands may be an alternative to weights.

 

Perhaps you should spend some time reviewing the 3-5 year plan?

 

From my experience on the academic progress committee ant the university where I work many students struggle to mange the workload of full time work and full time study.

Those who do have exceptional support systems in place.

 

Especially if you have a social/private life as well.

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Thanks everyone!! Unfortunately I've seen a physio and he really wasn't a huge amount of help, told me more what I couldn't do than what I could do. This break has also made me realise I probably need to slow down ALOT so I've changed to PART-time study and full-time work... though not back at work yet because my foot is still killing me and I don't want to even think about tackling all those stairs on monday morning. 

I've started a bit of a routine doing some upper body weights work and I'm doing a lot of leg raises  to try and keep some muscle tone but I just don't know what else to do. Once I get my cast off I think I'm going to try and do some swimming and aquarobics. Though I am a bit worried about kicking (in the water) with my foot so I'll have to keep check on that but atleast I'd get some kind of aerobic exercise.... This sitting and doing nothing is driving me mad!!

The count down to getting my cast off is already on (and I only got it on 5 days ago)

you've got to give the physio a chance - it's all a matter of slowly building up to what you CAN do.

perfect case in point: a friend of mine had surgery just over 6 weeks ago on his arm, to reattach muscles to the bone.
on sunday he took the kids to the pool, couldn't help himself just HAD to get involved in a bombing comp with the young ones.

he fractured the arm that's been operated on.
the next day he was supposed to be getting the all clear on returning to his normal stuff.

instead he's now in a plaster cast and not able to do things for a good 3 months.

so yes, you will need to slow down. but use the slow down time to heal & find different things that you CAN do.

Yeah I know what you mean it's just that, that's what I'm trying to do - find things I can do. I'm so used to running and doing weights in pump classes that I'm not sure what kind of exercise program to get going. All the leg exercises I can find involve squats and let's face it I can't do those for a while. So I'm really struggling because I downright refuse to put on weight while I'm like this but I'm starting to think it's inevitable and I just really don't want to lose too much of my fitness. I've worked so hard to get to the point that I'm at that the idea of losing it from just one stupid accident is really getting me down. I just don't know what exercises I can do