One Legged Turbo Training when Injured?
ryan_w-2
Posts: 1,162
So, been off the bike and work for 12 days now and I'm getting seriously bored at home.
Do you think doing one like turbo training will be beneficial at all?
I'm having MRI is on my right knee this week to figure out if I need just physio, or if the MCL is fully detached, an operation.
I'm aware that I'm losing my fitness quite quickly and I'm just thinking of anything I can do to maintain a decent-ish level.
Before you say it, don't worry I will wear a helmet.
Do you think doing one like turbo training will be beneficial at all?
I'm having MRI is on my right knee this week to figure out if I need just physio, or if the MCL is fully detached, an operation.
I'm aware that I'm losing my fitness quite quickly and I'm just thinking of anything I can do to maintain a decent-ish level.
Before you say it, don't worry I will wear a helmet.
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How about swimming? Any decent pools nearby?
Sometimes. Maybe. Possibly.
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>Do you think doing one like turbo training will be beneficial at all?
No, as you won't be able to generate enough stimulus to create adaptation. If the doc\physio agrees I would have thought swimming would be much better to support recovery and retain some endurance conditioning. Speedo and Richie Porte have a whole website full of routines you could use
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Why not just sit tight and let yourself heal before you create a bigger injury for yourself. Patience is a virtue. I spent 7 weeks doing absolutely nothing after fracturing my spine. It is frustrating but relapsing cos you rush back in too soon is worse0
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It's an option, although to enable you to do it for any meaningful duration and intensity it'll likely require that you apply a counterweight to your non-drive pedal/crank, or use a fixed gear ergometer with a reasonable crank inertial load (e.g. like a spin bike with a good flywheel). This is about the only time one might usefully consider single legged pedalling, aside of course if you only have one leg to begin with.
An example of what I mean:
It typically requires about 10-12kg. Single legged pedalling without such a counterweight or crank inertial load is not a particularly useful exercise for someone that normally uses both legs.
There is reasonable amount of published work on single-legged cycling, in particular when done in the manner I've described. Some examples of studies looking at various training interventions or analysis involving single-legged cycling:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27396440
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25872025
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25099961
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24492992
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22806085
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21330612
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12165689
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26818200 -
That's just not true, as borne out in the scientific literature.William Marshall wrote:>Do you think doing one like turbo training will be beneficial at all?
No, as you won't be able to generate enough stimulus to create adaptation.
That's not to say that single-legged cycling is the best or most suitable form of exercise while recovering from injury, on that point I agree with you.0 -
Appreciate the replies all.
Problem is, I' also have a fractured radial head in my right arm from the same accident. So in that sense swimming is out the question.
I'm in the mindset that anything would be better than nothing.0 -
Ryan_W wrote:Appreciate the replies all.
Problem is, I' also have a fractured radial head in my right arm from the same accident. So in that sense swimming is out the question.
I'm in the mindset that anything would be better than nothing.
Your body needs to heal. Adding stress from anything like this will not help. If anything strengthening your good leg while the injured one does nothing will just create an imbalance which when you start cycling again can create more problems as you are even weaker on the bad leg as the other has strengthened.0 -
Ryan_W wrote:
I'm in the mindset that anything would be better than nothing.
I can understand where you're coming from, but realistically I think you are just going to have to live with doing nothing for the forseeable, until at least one or other of the injuries becomes trainable again.0 -
That per se is unlikely to cause much of a problem. Asymmetry is normal in any case and to the extent that it's normal the body will self correct when back to regular pedalling. Can always do some unilateral work on the other leg when it's ready.SmoggySteve wrote:Ryan_W wrote:Appreciate the replies all.
Problem is, I' also have a fractured radial head in my right arm from the same accident. So in that sense swimming is out the question.
I'm in the mindset that anything would be better than nothing.
Your body needs to heal. Adding stress from anything like this will not help. If anything strengthening your good leg while the injured one does nothing will just create an imbalance which when you start cycling again can create more problems as you are even weaker on the bad leg as the other has strengthened.
Given the upper body injury, you might want to consider some light pedalling on a recumbent ergo bike so you are not required to use upper half to support any body weight nor for getting on/off the bike. Perhaps a local gym might have such a machine.
Yes his body needs to rest and recover, but some light exercise to lift the heart rate a bit is not a bad thing.0
