I shattered my wrist and had surgery and was in traction for 6 weeks. I was cleared for cardio two weeks after surgery, I started with the recumbent bike and then did elliptical and spinning. I didn’t have a plaster cast after week 2, I had removable splint/ brace for the traction. The main issue was making sure I didn’t get the brace too hot and sweaty. I could take it off and do the recumbent bike but on the elliptical or spin bike I needed to keep the brace on, so I had a huge fan on me so I wouldn’t get the arm too hot.

The risk of falling or bumping into something is the issue, but maybe not too much if you have a cast. If you have a waterproof cast you can really do anything, if it gets too hot you can wash the inside (by putting water in it). When my son broke his arm in two places he had a full arm cast with his elbow at a 90 degree elbow, I got him the waterproofing. He was cleared a week later to swim on swim team in it. Didn’t slow him down one bit, I’ve seen kids play soccer in casts, I think the issue was other kids getting hit, but not the player wearing the cast. So if you have a plaster cast, you have some protection . But you can’t put weight on it, even with a cast, so things like yoga or Pilates you can’t use that arm. I would stick with cardio for now.

Thanks for the additional suggestions, I may check out spinning once the cast is off.

Anonymous wrote:Go for long, brisk walks in your neighborhood. You should be able to cover three miles in an hour, which is equivalent to a 30-minute jog.

LOL, no it isn't. A walk is great, but there is no equivalence to running. I burn about 325 calories running for 30 minutes. I burn... maybe 150 calories walking for 60 minutes (3/mph).

When I broke my wrist I could kind of do spin or bike rides, but only once I’d had some time to heal (from surgery in my case)

Go for long, brisk walks in your neighborhood. You should be able to cover three miles in an hour, which is equivalent to a 30-minute jog.

My teenage son broke his wrist recently and I tried to get him to walk on the treadmill toward the end of his cast time. It didn't really work tbh - even without a cast, he was off balance. I think it would be fine outside, but on the treadmill all you need is one wrong step and you're in trouble. His break needed surgery and he's been told no gym/sports for another 6 weeks - so about 3.5 months in total.

Thanks all! Good point about the liability. Don't have a gym membership and not a runner (plus worried about falling in the winter since I'm a carrying myself little off balance). Love the pool running idea, I may try that.

Pool running?

Honestly noplace should let you take a class because of the liability. What if you fall and go to put your hand down to brace your fall and worsen your break, or break the other hand?

Do ab and leg work at home, then when cast is off, swim.

Classes will be hard. Possibly zumba? Maybe an abs or core strength class if your have access to those? Hula hooping?

I feel your pain, though this is a good time to get some good leg strength training in. Do you run? Use the elliptical (hands free), or walk up the incline on a treadmill (also hands free), and stair climber (again, no hands).

You can certainly workout - but you may get a better workout if you take it solo to the machines.

I usually do 2 yoga classes a week, but will be unable to do those for probably 2 months because I broke my wrist. What other group exercise classes could I try (both with the cast and once I get it off)? The holiday weight is sitting on me and I don't want to drop my routine!