I broke myself

A couple of weeks after achieving a personal best time in a half-marathon, I started feeling a great deal of pain in the ball of my foot. A visit to a podiatrist confirmed what I was trying to deny: a stress fracture in my foot.

So, now I must wear a boot for three weeks, and am not to engage in any exercise that causes impact to the feet for six to eight weeks. I'll know more after a follow up visit in a bit over a fortnight.

So, any ideas on cardio-vascular exercises to keep my fitness up? One strong possibility is swimming, and there is an outdoor pool near my office, where I could swim for $2 each visit. I'm not an avid swimmer, but I have regularly swum laps many years ago, back when I was presenting in a rather different way.

The hours are not especially convenient, as it is not open before work, or most days after work, but maybe I could squeeze in an hour around lunch or in the early afternoon. Unfortunately, schools are about to let out for the summer, and I fear it will be populated with children soon. Still, I will try to go check it out today, and see if it's workable, especially in terms of the changing and showering arrangements. Swimwear might also be an issue, but I do have some board shorts and a rash-guard top that I could probably wear. 'Yes, I'm an old surfer chick, stuck living inland.'

My Daughter is also wearing a boot for a stress fracture and I can appreciate your predicament. Get well soon.

Swimming is a great cardio exercise as it is maximum output with minimal impact. One of the attributes most competitive swimmers exhibit is smooth versus chiseled muscle. So swimming won't do anything to your physique (unless you swim a couple of miles a day and then your shoulders will widen!)
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I was very fortunate in living within a 30-minute drive of the original Surf City (Santa Cruz, CA) and surfed there often in the '60s (I cut most of my high school attendance to surf) and when I tried to resurrect an old body in my late 50s.

I should be clear that my surfer chick comment was not true history, just a thought as to explaining wearing board shorts and rash guard instead of Speedo-style women's swimwear, which I don't currently own.

Sorry to hear you banged up your foot; I hope it heals well. I think swimming is at the top of a very short list I think. Cycling and rowing are possibilities that come to mind.

Hi Tara!

Yes swimming is best and the pools will be full when the holidays come. There are other things you can do though. Chair body exercises are possible, you need a strong upright dining kind of chair to do them and there are many shown on youtube.

Some usual exercise is possible too, for just one example push and pull ups, that's if you rest the boot on the back/top of the other foot depending how you are facing. These would need to be approached slowly and surely to minimize the stress upon the boot. It is also possible to do side planks and squats are still possible, though there may be a little pressure with squats, only you know if they are possible with the boot. Certain wall exercises should be ok too. Have a look online and there will be lots to attempt that should suffice for a full regime.

Overall, it will depend how pliant your foot is without stressing it. I would look online as there will be others that have faced the problem.

Celia xx