Need help

klew356

Sorry if this is long winded but I need help, last year may 2017 I badly injured my leg resulting in a broken ankle, fibia broken in 3 places, a broken shin, dislocated knee and extensive ligamentous damage of the knee. The ankle and fibia was plated and pinned. I was housebound and off work for a long time. Since then I have had a lot of physio which ended in April 2018. I occasionally suffer with achilles tendonitis in this leg as well which I receive laser and massage treatment as well as stretching exercises, hot and cold treatment etc.
I dont use a stick and I do not wear any form of support as the physio advised against this so I did not become reliant on it. i have a dog which I walk every day. I can walk 3 miles. Can walk more but can do this comfortably. At my own pace. I do not walk as fast as I used to. Difficulty on uneven ground. Physio suggested non weight bearing exercise. I spin once a week. I find it harder getting on and off the bike than I do the exercise itself as I cant twist my knee the way ‘normal’ people can. I struggle to be on the floor on my knees and my balance isn’t great.
When I went for my year review they said give the ligament damage another year but surgically the ops were a success, he said my knee is at about 85% normality if that makes sense. Advised not to actually bike ride but exercise bike fine but once a week would be fine to start with. :j
My problem is I don’t feel very fit, im not very fit! im overweight and 30 something. I puff going uphills. I want to get fit but I am struggling to find an exercise I can do at home/outside that gets the heart racing so to speak? Helps improve my balance? I cant run obviously, I struggle to get up off the floor without something to hold on to so feel that yoga isn’t for me – im just looking for fitness ideas that I could do. Anything that involves twisting the knee is out really, so Zumba which I used to love I cant do

parking_question_chap

I suggest cycling or swimming, they will be the lowest impact.

Start will a little amount and build it up.

You can expect to be a bit sore the next day as you will be using muscles you have not used for a long time. As long as you dont get any pain when you are doing the exercise it should be fine.

As you start to move and exercise more your balance will gradually improve.

klew356

Thank you for your suggestion, the doc advised not to cycle on an actual bike but exercise bike is fine, maybe I should invest in one so I have one at home – there isn’t a pool where I live and the spinning class is in the next town its not something I can attend every night

klew356

Ps: spinning does not give me pain at all, no more than any other person gets and it has def helped strengthen the leg, getting on the bike is a challenge as I cant put my foot on the pedal and swing on like I enviously watch others do! I have to climb a leg over and then get my bum on the seat inelegantly