Help with exercise plan for my daughter

[lunabee34]

My 16 year old daughter is a runner who has been having tendon issues that interfere with her running. She hasn't been able to run since the first week of December. She is sad, frustrated, sleeping poorly, and managing her anxiety poorly as a result. The issue is currently with her foot.

Does anyone have any suggestions for exercise that might not exacerbate the injury? Once the inflammation calms down, walking seems to be okay, but she really wants to be doing something that gets her heart rate up and is more of a workout. We tried the stationary bike, and after about 16 minutes, her foot started hurting. Swimming is out because there's no indoor pool in our town.

I'm just at a loss. I feel so helpless and bad for her. She tested positive on an autoimmune scan, but we can't get into the pediatric rheumatologist until March. I tried to get her GP to call them and expedite the appointment but he won't do it because he doesn't see enough evidence that it's a rheumatology problem instead of a musculoskeletal one. He is referring us to PT, so hopefully that will happen soon, but in the meantime, I don't know what to do to help her get the exercise she needs.

Help!

Comments

[abyssinia]

Oh man, that's hard.
I personally love rowing machines - but that does require pressure on the foot. Some companies that make rowers also make ski ergs (https://www.concept2.com/skierg) where you stand still and pull on cords in a movement that simulates nordic skiing and can give an intense cardio workout (Crossfit gyms often have these - you could try calling around and see if any near you have one and would let you give it a try). I'd also worry about possibly injuring another joint though....

Did she try both upright and recumbent stationary bikes?

[lunabee34]

She only tried the recumbent, but they do have the upright. I'll get her to try those.

I had also thought the rowing machine might be good; we'll try that too. Thank you!

[redbird]

There's a cardio thing that my physical therapist called an "arm bike"--you sit down and use your arms similarly to how you'd move your legs on a (regular or stationary) bicycle.

I've seen two--that one, and one in an apartment building exercise room. I just googled quickly, and found an article comparing a few desigms, which might at least give you an idea of what I'm talking about.

[lunabee34]

My old gym had one of those! It was really cool. Our current gym doesn't have one, though.

Thank you!

[tei]

Not really the cardio she's looking for, but perhaps a focus on core strength would be helpful to her running when she starts back up? Most core exercises are either lying down or involve only minimal weight on the feet, so perhaps some sort of ab-focused circuit at a quick pace would fit the bill.

Rope pulls of various types could be a cardio-focused exercise, too-- either those machines that you sit down and basically pull a circle of rope down from above you, or sitting on the ground and pulling on a rope attached to a weight or sled, if you have the space for it.

[lunabee34]

*nods nods*

These are great ideas. I think you can never go wrong with focusing on your core.

Thank you!

[jjhunter]

As a daily practice to help take the edge off, the NYT's Scientific 7 Minute Workout might not be a bad place to start. (I would recommend skipping or adapting the jumping jacks and high knees bits, but the rest will likely be fine.)

Pilates can be surprisingly intense & satisfying with the right teacher, and it would definitely be gentle on the feet - there's a big focus on building core strength that would be excellent cross-training for a runner even if she was in her usual frequency of practice right now.


I don't know if climbing stairs at a slow but steady pace would avoid exasperating the tendon issue, but you can definitely get your cardio up significantly if you just keep climbing up and down multiple stairs even if your actual pace is slow-ish.

Shame there isn't a nearby indoor pool - that really would be ideal for cardio with that kind of injury.

Um, that's all I can think of at the moment, but if you have a local equivalent of the YMCA or a climbing gym or the like, somewhere where there are trainers or coaches, might be worth stopping by to see what they recommend to their clients who have similar injuries as far as continuing do cardio without slowing the healing process.

[lunabee34]

Thank you so much for the suggestions. That link looks really great, especially.

I wish we had a pool, too. We live in this really rural area, and all that's available is the school gym which is perfectly serviceable but hardly well appointed.

[rydra_wong]

We tried the stationary bike, and after about 16 minutes, her foot started hurting.

Obviously it depends on what the tendon issues are whether this might work, but while I had a midfoot injury, I was able to do stuff with pedals if I put only my heels on the pedals.

[lunabee34]

Oooh, thanks for that data point. We'll give that a try as well; it is midfoot for her as well.

[princessofgeeks]

Focusing on core strength and upper body was what I thought of too. And trying to keep in mind that this is temporary.

So sorry and so frustrating for an athlete to not be able to Do The Thing.

Wish there was a pool you could access.

[lunabee34]

*hugs*

My kingdom for a pool year round. I would do absolutely nothing but swim, and I would be a goddess.

We tried the Nordic Track today, and that seemed okay. It didn't hurt her, and those things are hardcore, so it had the effort and difficulty level she's wanting.

[cesy]

Echoing core strength - ab work can get the heart rate up quite easily. Even just doing the plank from your knees for a while can work.

Sitting and lifting weights with your arms can also work well - holding good posture and doing biceps etc.

[lunabee34]

This is a good idea. Strength training is always a good idea, and she can do more reps with lower weights.

Thank you!

[rydra_wong]

Once the inflammation calms down, walking seems to be okay, but she really wants to be doing something that gets her heart rate up and is more of a workout.

Specifically cardio, or would something generally strenuous do the job?

It occurs to me that circuit training with weights/bodyweight can kick one's ass and definitely raise the heartrate, so that might be the way to go -- if it'd be any use, I can raid my notes for all the exercises I found I could do without weighting one foot.

[lunabee34]

I think strength training would not be a bad idea, and I think we'll move to that if what we're trying now doesn't work.

We tried the Nordic Track today and that didn't hurt her and was strenuous, so maybe that will hold.

Thank you for the suggestions!

[rydra_wong]

Yay Nordic Track! Anyway, just let me know if you do want me to raid my notes.

[lunabee34]

Thank you. I will!

[indywind]

Pushups,reclining bicycles, reclining leg lifts or scissor kicks, crunches, hanging or 'uphill' crunches, tricep dips, bridge with leg lifts, plank variations like shoulder-tap or one-leg plank or side plank, leg lifts or hip dips or crunches from side plank, glute kicks from hands and knees...
all stuff that's low strain on at least one foot, vigorous enough to feels 'exercise-y' (which is often what people mean by 'cardio', as much as literally raising heart rate), can be adjusted faster/more explosive to feel more vigorous if form is safe, or repeated at length as a cardio endurance workout for someone who's starting in good cardio shape--as long as safe form is is maintained.

[lunabee34]

*nods nods*

I think all those would work for her. I really appreciate the suggestions!

[thistleingrey]

Thanks from me as well for this list! I live within easy access of gyms but have no chance to go to one, so I do things at home; I'd forgotten about some of these, and I've become just barely strong enough to try them again.

(For anyone contemplating pushups, https://hundredpushups.com/ modified (titrate down as needed, but do sets 3x/weekly) is pretty good for adding structure, even if one is not very able, like me.)

[lunabee34]

Thanks for the link! That's useful for me, too. I've never been able to successfully do a pushup.

[indywind]

Yes! I second the rec for hundredpushups.com.
And for folks with the requisite number of functioning feet (and knees and hips and so on) their sister sites like twohundredsquats.com are pretty good too -- though they don't explain modifications.

[lunabee34]

I love squats; will be checking that out for me!!