A stress fracture is an overuse injury and results in a small crack in the bone, most commonly in your lower leg, ankle or foot. Those who participate in high-impact activities, such as running, basketball, tennis and gymnastics, are at the highest risk of developing a stress fracture. It can take six to eight weeks for your stress fracture to heal, during which time you should only participate in non-weight bearing activities, such as swimming.
Step 1
Swim laps doing strokes, such as freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke, which can burn between 300 to 444 calories in 30 minutes, depending on your age and weight. These three strokes will also work almost every muscle in your body, so you’ll stay toned and strong while you recover.
Step 2
Swim at an exertion level of seven to nine, on a scale of one to 10, in order to optimize your calorie burn and get the most out of your workout. You might find water to be soothing and relaxing, which can interfere with your ability to get a vigorous workout. Swim laps for 30 minutes and then cool down with a few slower laps to relax and enjoy the water.
Step 3
Take a water aerobics class to mix up your routine and work your muscles from a different angle. Though you are doing aerobics, the water helps to prevent the type of impact that would most likely harm your injured foot or leg. Water aerobics can burn approximately 100 to 200 calories in 30 minutes, depending on your age and weight.
Step 4
Avoid strokes that will agitate the stress fracture. For example, if the fracture is located on the front of your shin or top of your foot, the butterfly stroke may not be appropriate since it involves the front of your leg hitting the water with great force.
Step 5
Use a pull buoy if all of the strokes are bothersome to your leg and foot. Pull buoy’s are foam flotation devices that are positioned between your thighs -- they float your legs so that you are able to swim using just your upper body and core muscles. The most common strokes to do with a pull buoy are freestyle and backstroke.
Things You'll Need
- Swimming pool
- Water aerobic class
- Pull buoy
