A leg injury has the potential to take you out of commission for weeks and significantly limit your daily activities, depending on its severity. But there are ways to remain active after a leg injury that will keep you on the move without causing you strain.

Consult your doctor to determine what activities you’re ready to undertake, and remember to stick to your current limits. Hurting yourself before you recover will only lead to a longer recovery time.

Focus On Your Upper Body

If your injuries are so severe that you must avoid putting any pressure on your leg, you may need to focus on other parts of your body for a time. Lift weights with exercises that don’t utilize your lower body at all, such as bench presses or arm curls.

Water Activities

While on land, gravity pulls your weight down. Unfortunately, if you’ve suffered a leg injury, this isn’t ideal for recovery. But in water, the strain on your leg is no longer a factor. Swimming is a great way to remain active while not subjecting your injured leg to the same stresses as exercises on land do.

Water Exercises Can Be Therapeutic

Exercising in water can also serve as a way to ease your leg into supporting more weight or slowly relieving it of tension. Water helps support your entire body, and slowly working your leg in these conditions can help speed along recovery.

Assisted Walking

Depending on how far along you are with your recovery, walking with assistance may be a possibility. With the use of a cane or walking stick, you can take walks around town, through a park, or along a trail at a nature preserve. How far you can walk depends on your injuries, so make sure you don’t push yourself too hard with these excursions.

Have the Right Cane

There are several different types of canes available to you. Each one has its specific application. Be aware of how to choose the right cane for your injury and what kind of walking you’ll be doing.

Don’t Push Yourself Too Quickly

Always ask your doctor what they believe your body can reasonably handle. Jumping into activities that your body is not physically ready for can set you back to square one in terms of recovery. Know how to keep active after a leg injury and approach exercising cautiously.