YANMD/PT: How to maintain push-up-related fitness while recovering from hand surgery?

December 3, 2009 10:00 AM

You are not my doctor or physical therapist. I am getting some minor surgery on my hand in a few weeks. (And I'll repeat the surgery on the other this coming year.) The surgeon stated it would be about 10 days before I could put my full weight on the hand to do things like push-ups (and probably, to get up from a seated position on the floor).

I have recently been pretty out of shape, but started doing tae kwon do in September. Since then, I have graduated to being able to do 20 full-style pushups in a row, without a break, or 50-60 kneeling style (I'm a girl). I like having this facility, and it makes me feel better given how much work I still have to do in other areas.

If I purchase some wrist weights so that I'm not straining the hand, what kinds of exercises can I do so that I don't lose the muscle/endurance I've built up and have to start all over again? (For my next belt test, I have to be able to do 55 pushups/minute to pass - which would be about one month post surgery.) I tend to build muscle rather quickly, up to a point - but I also lose it fast.

posted by mccn to Health & Fitness (8 answers total)

I think it would be better to discuss this with a physical therapist who understands the reasons for your surgery. And do tell your doctor that you normally do this amount and intensity of exercise.
posted by mareli at 10:08 AM on December 3, 2009 [1 favorite]

I think it would be pretty difficult to apply a stimulus to the chest/shoulders/triceps that resembled a pushup without using the hands. I don't know what the surgery entails -- maybe some kind of pushup variation, like knuckle pushups or parallette pushups, would be acceptable? In any case, strength is a fairly persistent adaptation. I doubt you will lose much with a 10 day layoff. Also, doctors tend to be very conservative with their recommendations for exercise layoffs, so you may not need as much time, but of course you should be careful.
posted by ludwig_van at 10:31 AM on December 3, 2009

Response by poster: Thanks - I have indeed discussed this with my doctor in full. The surgery itself is so minor, a minor incision in the sheath covering the tendon on one finger, that it shouldn't change anything and no therapy will be required for recovery.
posted by mccn at 11:20 AM on December 3, 2009

I've just recovered from a broken hand. Frankly, the injury was more sensitive after I had the cast off than while it was on. Ten days sounds about right for doing things like a push-up, but I was certainly doing other weights and things that did not put as much direct pressure on the injury/joint. Listen to your body and it will let you know when you are overdoing it. Either way, it all comes back pretty quick, so don't worry.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:40 AM on December 3, 2009

If I were you, I'd do shoulder presses. At the very least, it will prevent you from losing the muscle strength you've gained and your wrists will be flat the entire time. Just make sure to pull it off of a power rack, don't clean it from the floor if your wrists don't bend.

Also don't use too much weight.
posted by scrutiny at 11:48 AM on December 3, 2009 [1 favorite]

Best answer: You might want to try doing the plank position on your elbows - here. I just tried and I can in fact get into this position without using my hands - although it does depend on your ability to get down on the flow without your hands. Even though it probably won't help much with your arm and chest strength, it should work your abs and back which you use to keep your body straight in pushups.
posted by periscope at 4:31 PM on December 3, 2009

If I were you, I'd do shoulder presses.

The press is an important exercise and everyone should do it. However, if you can manage to do the press you can also manage to do the bench press, which is much more like a pushup. Also, the wrists shouldn't quite be flat during the press or the bench press -- there's a great description of the correct grip here.
posted by ludwig_van at 7:06 PM on December 3, 2009

I was going to suggest the plank, as periscope did. Also, if you don't allow your hands to touch, and in fact keep your arms parallel and as far apart as possible, it does work your chest, arms, and shoulders more.
posted by peep at 10:42 PM on December 3, 2009 [1 favorite]