How to do Cardio With a Broken Foot?

To enjoy the essence of cardio, you might need to walk, run, swim, row, and do all sorts of activities involving your feet. But what if you have a broken foot but need cardio to make your life better and fit? How will you perform cardio with a broken foot? Is that even an option? Well, there’s always a way. This article will make sure to help all the people who have been suffering from foot or leg injuries that could be hindering their routine of physical activity. Let’s do it.

What Is Cardio?

Cardio is a combination of workouts aiming at improving cardiovascular fitness. These workouts are performed in such a manner that the heart rate elevates, pumping more blood to the muscles. As a result, the heart works more and its muscles remain fit and healthy.

What Are The Significant Types Of Cardio Workouts?

There are a number of variations in cardio workouts but the most common ones are as follows.

• Brisk walking
• Running
• Jumping
• Sprinting
• Rowing
• Swimming
• Treadmill
• HIIT

There are many more but the above-mentioned exercises are the ones often practiced. If you look at these exercises, all of them require you to use your feet. Then how can a person with a broken foot perform these workouts? Let’s see if we have any alternatives.

How To Do Cardio With A Broken Foot?

A foot or leg injury usually takes a lot of time to heal, as it is prescribed to take as much rest as possible to let the tissues heal. In that scenario, one finds it hard to perform certain workouts. But it all depends on the level of injury one has been facing. If the injury isn’t very severe, there is a high chance that the doctor will allow some cardio workouts but at a slow pace like slow walking and light swimming. However, if the injury has been so bad that even after recovering a bit, the doctor would prescribe keeping it slow, then following workouts can be followed to get the results.

1. Yoga And Pilates

Improvement of core muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness is what yoga and pilates offer. You do not need to perform any extensive poses during yoga and pilates but need to sit in a certain manner on a mat. That’s why these are the perfect choice for someone with a broken foot.

2. Upper-Body Ergometer

It’s just like another stationary bike with the only difference being that its pedals are designed to cycle with arms. These bikes come with an option to adjust resistance and by increasing the resistance, one can feel their heart rate going up and giving the results of aerobic exercises. Another good option for people with an injured foot.

3. Boxing

Got a stationary punching bag? Problem solved. You can throw some punches to increase your heartbeat and get some cardio feels and benefits. Boxing is considered a great cardio workout and does not need you to stand every time for it. You can simply adjust yourself on a stable chair and can use your punches on a punching bag.

4. Push-Up Variation

Your arms and hands are fine so why not make the best use of them? Adding some variation to your push-up routine can get you cardio benefits as well while keeping your broken feet safe. You just need to hold your body in a push-up position and instead of placing your feet on the ground, you can balance your body on your knees. Now do some push-ups to elevate the heart rate and burn some calories.

5. Dumbbell Bench Press

Strength training and weight-lifting come to the rescue when one isn’t able to perform classic cardio workouts. The dumbbell bench press requires you to lay down on a bench while holding an equal amount of weights in both hands and pressing them towards your chest, so your arm muscles get toned and you get more muscles which will leave no place for the fat.

6. Rowing

You can make use of that rowing machine at your gym to enhance the level of your heart rate and get the benefits of cardio. This machine does not need you to move your feet instead you just have to pull the strings with your arms to get the whole body impact.

7. Battle Ropes

One of the best workouts for upper-body cardio is a battle-rope workout. You just need to grab the ropes while standing or sitting in a stationary position and wiggle the ropes to make some waves.

8. Swimming

People think that swimming can make their injuries worse, but that’s not true. Swimming has been considered a rehab exercise as it is a proven fact that water creates pressure on the muscles. This pressure makes the muscles strong and it helps speed up the process of muscle repair. So, anyone with a broken foot who does not have any cast on can swim for a minimum period to get the dose of cardio.

Does It Really Bear Results?

The results of cardio workouts depend on the level of intensity at which they are performed. Even though the cardio workouts when performed with a broken foot does bear results, they are not significant as when performed with a healthy foot. That does not mean one just stops doing it. On the other hand, it is a great way to keep your body accustomed to the cardio workouts even during an injury, so you never feel out of place once you get back to your cardio after healing completely.

The Final Word

If someone has a broken foot and still wants to perform cardio then there are some safe options including swimming, yoga, pilates, arm biking, rowing, bench press, and boxing to name a few. These exercises can be performed even with a broken foot and do ensure the benefits of cardio.