Maintaining running strength w/o running?

I would really go to a sports doc to get a recovery plan or pt or whatever.  When I pulled my calf muscle 2-3 months before CDA I was allowed to walk, so I walked 20-30 miles a week. I don't know if you will be allowed to walk.  He told me 2 months of no running and then start walk jog walk 5 min 1 min jog, 5 min walk.  I am thinking tendon is worse than muscle.  There is water jogging to put less stress on it.  Elyptical is better than jogging.  I was also able to bike at a low effort, again something you probably can't do.  You might be able to do some leg muscle workouts but I think you are pretty much toast for 2 months down and 3 months recovery.  But again see a sports doc or pt.    

You can probably swim with no /very little kick and work upper body.  Maybe work on doing a mile with crutches daily, not sure. 

Edited by Baowolf 2010-12-22 3:22 PM

I had achilles tendonitis last year.  My PT had me doing various stretching and strengthening excercises, as well as, elyptical until I was able to run again.  It took a long time to get better...but I must admit that I don't think it has totally gone away. 

Aqua running is hands down your best bet.  I did it this past summer and lost very little run fitness.  Just be sure to ease back in to 'road' running, because you will lose some resilience.  I basically subbed one pool run per week onto the road, and that plan seemed to work.

Deep water running has been shown to maintain run conditioning when used by injuredmarathoners prior to goal race. In the study they were able to run1/3 the volume based on time and still maintain run fitness.

How exactly does one perform deep water running? In the deep end with a vest/flotation device of some sort? Waiting out an injury myself so...

Here you go:

http://www.pfitzinger.com/labreports/water.shtml

ETA: Meant to post this too:

http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums/injury-prevention/stretching-cross-training/water-running-thread

Edited by Experior 2010-12-23 1:59 PM

Are you sure it is not the gastroc muscle?  I thought mine was achilles, until I saw the doctor.  Rest and ice for a week on crutches and then limited useage, then walking into running.  Less than a month and was back to normal.  Or at least as normal as I get.

Good stuff. Thanks! 

i've always done it without the belt/float but have heard good things either way

TBD on that. I'm as educated on this as I can be after a few days of playing Dr. House MD. I'd say it's a possiblity that it's the Gastrocsomething muscle and not the tendon itself. We'll see what the doc says.

I will say though that so far it's responding quite well to my injury 101 rehab. Rest, ice  and rolling it gently with a Trigger Point massage thingy I picked up this week. I'm walking normally today (improved from pronounced limping on Mon), and managed 0.75 mi walk, and a 45 min easy bike on my rollers over the last 2 days w/o issue.

*Hopefully* I've dogged a bullet and a few more days rest, plus easing back into it next week will suffice. I just jinxed myself didn't I?....

Thanks all for the replies, if it's not a quick rehab, water jogging looks to be my best bet. I'll discuss w/ the doc next week if things still seem iffy.

One thing to add, with an achilles injury:

aqua jogging = good
swimming = good

flip turns = bad


Even if you're very careful and don't push off hard, all it takes is one flip too close to the wall and your achilles will land right on the gutter.  Not that I've ever done it... 

So are you doing shallow water running without the belt, or deep water running without a belt? It's not hard to stay afloat without the belt, but when you use one you can really focus on the leg movements that mimic running rather than also trying to do motions to keep your head above the water.

Either way is good, but using the float is a fun way to play in the water and probably mimics running a little bit better.

With past injuries, I've tried to see if I could tolerate the elliptical trainer, without any pain. When I can, I'd use it. If it's minor achilles tendonitis, you might be able to tolerate the elliptical trainer. And you get some running-related range of motion. In any event, I would not concern myself too much with trying to do anything on the injury, if you are trying to take a good week off....maybe just get in the pool, and work on your swim -- you will maintain or even improve your cardiovascular fitness, and you stay off of that leg. LET IT HEAL!