Ankle rehab!

[profkemp]

I'm back after a very severe sprain last November that injured my outside tendon and a heartbreaking avulsion fracture of my right ankle in April or so. Now I still have moderate pain in the right (and occasionally left) ankle but bought a pair of Birkenstocks and continue to do my exercises.

So. I was about to start running again when the 2nd break happened, Had been working up to it with 10K+ step goals for a good year. I have a very sedentary job and am about to have surgery for which I need to lose another 5-10 lbs. 

Advice from anyone who has gone down the broken-ankle path is heartily welcomed.

[JungleGymJam]

@profkemp sorry about your injury and re-injury. I'm working through anterior tendon pain that gave way to "runner's knee" + had a sprain in my past that sent me to physical therapy. 

Until you can run again, here are a few things that can help. At work, can you get a sit/stand desk so you spend part of your work day standing? The weight-bearing will burn some calories if you can do it. Varidesk, the makers of sit/stand desk appliances, also makes an anti-fatigue mat for your feet. 

As you recover from surgery, is cycling an option? I've been using cycling to help rehab my anterior tibial tendon and now the runner's knee. 

Also, if lower body is out of commission to a degree, burn calories through upper-body workouts. They make an upper body ergometer (UBE) which is essentially an exercise bike for arms/shoulders. Cardio boxing could be a good option; maybe you can do it seated if you have to, and get out some of that frustration!  

[Baltoscott]

I've had to cut back (but not give up) on my walking/hiking over the past several years due to plantar fasciitis on my left foot (finally cleared up about six months ago), and a knee sprain and tendonitis of some sort on the right side.  I am a daily bike commuter anyway so I just focused more on that, and for my strength training exercises I've selected exercises that don't aggravate the pain. 

As far as the need for weight loss goes, take a hard look at your eating habits, and see if you can make some simple changes that will reduce calories over the course of the day.  It is different for everyone.  In my case I lost about 40 lbs 2.5 years ago in large part by eating lower calorie non-starch vegetables at every meal + a glass of water at the beginning of the meal to crowd out other stuff, and by cutting my caloric drinking in half (for me this meant cutting from a mostly everyday experience to an every other day experience -- i.e., I usually don't drink beer or wine on even dates).

As I've gotten older I've tried to become less reliant on exercise for weight loss.  I think it is very helpful for maintenance because you can aim for a level of exercise that is enjoyable and sustainable long term. There are a lot of stories in the forums of folks who gain weight after injuries, and even those who have 'exercised away' weight usually see it come back because they don't have the time to dedicate 2-4 hours/day every day for the rest of their lives to maintain the exercise levels that caused the weight loss.