Depressed and on crutches Advice?

[mollyjean]

I'm beyond the "major funk" or pity-party period and in full force struggling.   I've been non-weight-bearing on crutches for multiple stress fractures and I officially feel worthless.  I can't run, I can't bike, I can't even tumble around on the floor with my son or easily manage anything around the house without asking for help.  In fact, I usually end up abandoning crutches at some point late night because I need to do laundry, etc.  If I play by the rules, which I haven't been entirely, I am still looking at four more weeks.

Advice?  My leg feels like jello and cold all the time which makes me think I'm just losing muscle/strength at every.single.moment.  I'm a little depressed over the whole scenario, mostly from being immobile. Any success stories to share? 

[enfuego23]

You will heal. Will it take time? yes. Will it suck? unfortunately, yes:( I suffered a pelvic stress fracture in January. I limped for a straight month - I wasn't allowed to do much either but I wasn't on crutches. I lost strength and muscle with my stress fracture. I gained some weight.

I was just released to start running again at the end of March - I'm slow, close to 2 1/2 minutes slower than I was running before my stress fracture. BUT I am running again and that is the most important thing to me and that is biggest success to me. The injury sucked, running isn't the best right now but I am doing it.

[Susie]

I don't know what you consider a success story, but I was out of running for 6 mos with a stress fracture from about March-Sept of 2012. It was in my talus, which apparently doesn't get a lot of blood flow and is slow to heal. Since then I built back up--slowly--and have done two 13.1s, a 70.3, a bunch of PRs in other races, etc. So know that this is temporary.

The crutches thing sounds super frustrating, just trying to get LIFE accomplished. But as for the feelings of frustration and worthlessness because you can't run, and focusing on feeling like your muscle is wasting away - this kind of goes to what I was trying to say in the post the other day about hobbies outside of running. I feel like it's pretty risky to tie up too much of our own self-worth and self-identification in one thing that we can lose (temporarily) so fast to an injury. I really don't think it's a great thing to be all "life outside of [sport]? what do you mean?" I say that as a reformed "there's life outside of swimming? huh?" person. I would try to find something non-H&F to occupy your mind and energy while you're injured that you might be interested in continuing to do after you can run again. It will help keep you sane now, and might help you avoid sinking so low if you have to ease off running for a bit in the future too.

[gt7301b]

(hug)mollyjean (hug2)

It is super frustrating, but four weeks is a relativly short amount of time in the big scheme of things.  I know being active makes me feel better in general, so I can relate.  Are there any exercises you can do to get moving?  Maybe the hand bike or something in the pool?  I had ankle surgery several years ago and after six weeks I was able to start most exercises again.  Hang in there!!

[Deleted]

You have an upper body you can still work out. You just need to get creative. That kept me sane when I broke my foot.

Like Susie said, use this time to find new things to do and instead of feeling bad for yourself, use this as a time to develop a better you. Focus on the good things and the people who are helping you. It has made my difficult road more manageable and positive.

[katinthehat]

It sucks. I was in a walking cast for a month and it was horrible; I imagine crutches would be a lot worse. You just have to get through it. I know that's not great advice but that's all I've got. It's just difficult because you're used to using workouts to cope with stress and now you are super stressed but can't workout which makes you even more stressed and it's a vicious circle.

Try finding a new hobby like knitting or something involving your hands like that. See if you can get comfortable doing some upper body weight training.

And it wouldn't hurt to give your doctor a call and see if you can go on and move to a walking cast or a boot. If you aren't using the crutches all the time then you're not getting full benefit from them and while it might take longer to heal with something marginally weight bearing, it might be worth the trade off.

[jamalynn]

I don't have any advice but I am sorry. That sucks! I hope these 4 weeks go by quickly.

[mrsjthompson]

Oh no!  I really feel for you.  I was in a boot this winter, and on crutches for 4 weeks of that, and life was SUCH a pain on crutches!  This is going to be a tough few weeks for you, but stay on the crutches so you don't have to have to do this for longer than you already do.  Do upper body work if you can.  I even did the arm cycle just to be doing something.  You're still going to go nuts, but you will come back from this.  The most important thing right now is to heal.

I broke a bone in the top of my foot during a half marathon at the beginning of November.  7 weeks in a boot, 4 of them on crutches, DH had to drive me everywhere. 4 more weeks in supportive shoes, then 3 weeks of PT.  I did upper body weights the entire time, and added stationary bike (in a boot!) and lower body when I got off crutches.  Then aquajogging once I was out of the boot.  I started back with couch to 5K and I'm in the 4th week, going strong, aiming to run at least part of the Space Coast half this fall.