Plantar warts are growths on the bottom of the feet which may cause irritation or pain when standing or walking. They are noncancerous and are caused by the human papillomavirus, or HPV. While plantar warts pose no serious health risks, they can be inconvenient when walking or engaging in other more vigorous forms of exercise. Until you clear up the warts, adopt alternative forms of exercise that spare your feet from any pressure.
Cardiovascular Exercise: Swimming
For exercise that's low impact but high intensity, it's hard to find a better cardiovascular workout than swimming. While swimming, you use your whole body for each stroke, helping to work various muscle groups evenly. Typically, swimming laps is a moderately vigorous activity, though you can easily change the intensity of your workout by varying your stroke style or your speed. On average, swimming for an hour burns 423 calories for a 160-pound person, which is comparable to hiking, more than brisk walking and less than easy jogging.
Cardiovascular Exercise: Combat Sports
Another option for aerobic exercise is to take up a combat sport or a martial art that stresses ground work, such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. An offshoot of Judo, the martial art focuses on grappling on the ground instead of from the standing position. For a Western sport, wrestling is another option that largely keeps you off your feet. While your warts are bothersome, either option offers a highly vigorous workout. Once your warts have healed, you can transfer the ground work skills to martial arts such as Judo or the standing aspects of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Strength Training: Weight Lifting
If you're more interested in developing strength and muscle mass, you can continue most weight lifting activities with plantar warts. Opt for movements that put minimal stress on your feet. For example, many weight machines use a seated or supine position. If you lift free weights, do as many exercises as you can from a bench to take the weight off your feet. To exercise your leg muscles, practice movements that exert resistance against your ankles instead of the soles of your feet, such as hamstring curls or leg extensions.
Strength Training: Calisthenics
Calisthenics are a convenient and low-cost alternative to weight training, requiring no initial investment in weights or weight machines. Instead of using calibrated weights as resistance, you rely on the force of gravity and your own body weight. Exercises such as pushups, crunches, pullups and the static plank position work a range of major muscle groups while taking the stress off your feet. If your plantar warts have kept you off your feet for awhile and you feel that your leg muscles are losing tone, lie on your back and practice cycling with your legs in the air. The closer to the ground you bring your legs, the more you engage your abs.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Plantar Warts - Definition
- MayoClinic.com: Exercise for Weight Loss: Calories Burned in 1 Hour
- University of California Berkeley Recreational Sports: Martial Arts
- MayoClinic.com: Video: Seated Hamstring Curl with Weight Machine
- Bodybuilding.com: What Is The Best Calisthenics Workout?
