One of the benefits of exercise is that it can make people feel better about themselves. This view is supported by three medical doctors, Ashish Sharma, Vishal Madaan, and Frederick Petty. In their article published by the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, the authors note that “Aerobic exercises, including jogging, swimming, cycling, walking, gardening, and dancing, have been proved to reduce anxiety and depression.” 

It is, however, crucial to note that exercise is not always straightforward when you are on crutches, but this doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. The most important thing is to ensure that you do not put much pressure on your injured leg. It’s also important to target the areas that are not injured when you exercise.  

In his article published by USNews.com, Ruben Castaneda suggests some exercises you can do to remain fit while you recover: 

Exercise sitting or lying down: You can lift weights targeting the upper body while sitting or lying down. 

Use resistance bands: Ask your physical therapist to recommend resistance bands you can use, whether sitting, standing on crutches, or lying down. 

Exercise the legs: An example of exercises you can do when sitting include straightening the leg and keeping it in the air for several seconds. This helps prevent muscle atrophy (the wasting away of muscle because it is not being used) and maintains muscle tone. 

Stretch: Gentle stretching before and after every exercise will help you maintain flexibility. 

You can do these types of exercises several times a day.

It’s important to get the go-ahead of your doctor or therapist before you start exercising.  The University of Michigan Health suggests that you should “Start each exercise slowly and use your pain level to guide you in doing these exercises.” The same source adds that when you feel more than mild pain, ease off.