Running with a cast

Has anyone sucessfully trained for 6 weeks with their arm in a cast?

I've broken my wrist and desperately want to get out training but I'm worried about unbalancing my gait and ending up injured further as a result.

Also will the sweat destroy the plaster?

I'm sure I've seen footballers playing with lightweight casts but they probably get theirs changed fairly frequently.

I saw someone finish the London Marathon with their broken arm (happened during the race) in a temporary splint.

I'd suggest NOT running while your wrist is in a plaster of paris backslab. However, once the worst of the swelling has gone down it should be changed for a lightweight plasticky Scotchcast material. This is virtually indestructible and you should be able to run wearing it (put a Velcro ankle/wrist weight around your other arm to balance up - 0.5kg should be plenty). The only problem that might result is that sweat can't escape and Scotchcast isn't very breathable, so your arm will niff a bit.

Glad you're still keen to run!

One of my running colleagues tripped over his feet whilst out running a few weeks back. It took his wife some persuading for him to go to the hospital for x-rays and he came home with a cast - fracture of the lower humerus (just above the elbow). He stopped running for a couple of days, then started 'just a little run' again - he's training for and planning to do the Abingdon marathon, so if you see the bloke in a cast, it will be John.

I had a broken wrist and after having the cast on for 7 days I asked the doctor if she would replace it with a lightweighht one, no probs and I carried on running even did a hill race with it (but then all hill racers are nuts anyway). So go for the lightweight cast if you can.

Thanks for the tips. My next appointment is next Thursday so I think I'll wait and see what they say.

I dont want to push it too much as I'm quite dependant on my wrist: I do a bit of climbing and cycling.

Apart from a bit of fell running, I havent done much running over the summer. My entry is in for the FLM2003 so I ought to start ramping up in an attempt to beat last years 3.58. I wanted to do the Keyworth Turkey Trot 1/2M but I may not have time to get the m8iles in beforehand.

Make sure you have a blunt knitting needle handy Frank.... when you start to sweat you are gonna get itchy under that cast!!!