Exercises to Stay in Shape on Crutches, Safe Non Weight Bearing Ideas for 2025

If you're stuck on crutches watching your gym routine disappear, you're not alone. I spent eight weeks on crutches after ankle surgery, and the first question I asked my physical therapist was: "Can I do anything to stay in shape?" The answer was yes—with the right exercises to stay in shape on crutches, I could work my upper body, core, and even parts of my legs without breaking my weight-bearing restrictions.

This guide covers safe, non-weight-bearing exercise ideas you can do while on crutches. Everything here assumes you've gotten clearance from your doctor or physical therapist. If you haven't talked to your provider yet, bookmark this page and bring it to your next appointment.

I'm not a doctor or physical therapist—I'm just someone who tested a bunch of seated, lying, and modified exercises during recovery. What worked for me might need tweaking for your situation, injury, and provider's rules. Let's get into it.

Safety Checks Before You Exercise on Crutches

Before you try any exercises, make sure you're cleared to move. Here's what I checked off before I started:

Confirm medical clearance: Your doctor or physical therapist needs to know you're planning to exercise. They'll tell you if you're allowed to do upper body work, core movements, or any leg activation. Some injuries come with strict "no exercise" periods in the first week or two.

Know your weight-bearing rules: Are you non-weight-bearing, toe-touch, or partial weight-bearing? These rules matter even for seated exercises if they involve transfers to the floor or certain leg positions. I was full non-weight-bearing for six weeks, which meant zero load on my injured ankle—even during floor exercises.

Check your space: Make sure you have a stable chair, clear floor space if you're doing mat work, and something sturdy nearby to grab if you lose balance. I used my kitchen table as an anchor point when getting up and down from the floor.

Pain and symptom check: If you're having a high-pain day, feeling dizzy, or just started new medications that make you woozy, skip the workout. Your body needs that energy to heal.

Red flags to stop immediately: Sharp pain in your injured area, chest pain, shortness of breath that feels wrong, or feeling faint. If any of these happen, stop and call your provider.

How I Tested Crutch-Friendly Exercises

I tried exercises in every spot I could think of: my bed, the couch, a kitchen chair, and a yoga mat on the floor. Each location had pros and cons.

The bed was soft and easy to get onto, but too mushy for core work. I kept sinking in, which made it hard to feel my abs engage.

The couch worked better for seated upper body moves, but the low height made getting up awkward with crutches nearby.

A kitchen chair was my favorite for seated exercises. Firm, stable, and the right height for transfers. I kept my crutches propped against the wall within arm's reach.

The floor (on a yoga mat) gave me the best surface for core exercises and stretching, but getting down and up was a whole process. I had to sit on the edge of the couch, scoot to the floor, do my exercises, then reverse the process. It took practice.

Equipment I used: I stuck to bodyweight moves at first, then added a set of resistance bands ($15 on Amazon) and a pair of 5-pound dumbbells I already owned. I also used a small throw pillow under my injured leg when lying down to keep it elevated and supported.

Time blocks: I started with 5-minute sessions—literally just five minutes of seated band rows and arm circles. By week three, I was doing 10- to 15-minute blocks twice a day. I kept notes in my phone about what felt energizing versus what wiped me out.

Monitoring my injured leg: I was paranoid about accidentally loading my ankle, so I always double-checked my setup. If an exercise made me shift weight funny or feel unstable, I skipped it.

Exercise Category Overview

Here's how I organized my crutch-friendly workouts:

• Seated upper body strength: Band rows, chest presses, biceps curls, triceps extensions, shoulder presses
• Gentle core work: Seated marches (if allowed), ab bracing while lying down, dead bug variations with arms only
• Safe leg and glute activation: Quad sets, glute squeezes, straight leg raises (only if your provider approves)
• Seated or supported cardio: Seated boxing, fast-paced band circuits, arm ergometer if you have access
• Daily movement habits: Small trips around the house, standing transfers, and building activity into everyday tasks

Each category below has step-by-step instructions, image placeholders, and my personal notes on what worked.

Seated Upper Body Exercises on Crutches

Your upper body is working overtime with crutches, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't train it. I found that deliberate, controlled exercises felt way different than the constant low-level strain of crutch walking.

Seated Band Row

Starting position: Sit on a stable chair with your injured leg elevated on a stool or ottoman in front of you. Loop a resistance band around something solid at chest height (I used a doorknob with the door closed and locked).

Steps:

• Hold both ends of the band with arms extended straight
• Pull the band toward your ribs, squeezing your shoulder blades together
• Keep your elbows close to your sides
• Hold for one second at your ribs, then slowly extend arms
• Repeat for 8-12 reps

My experience: This felt great in my mid-back and helped offset the forward hunch I developed from crutches. I started with a light band and worked up to medium resistance by week four. My lats were sore the next day—a good sore, not a pain spike.

Seated Chest Press with Band

Starting position: Sit with the band looped behind your back at shoulder blade height (I wrapped it around my chair back). Hold one end in each hand at chest level.

Steps:

• Press both hands forward until arms are nearly straight
• Don't lock your elbows—keep a slight bend
• Bring hands back to chest slowly, controlling the band
• Keep your core tight so you don't arch your back
• Do 10-15 reps

My experience: My chest and shoulders felt this immediately. I had to adjust the band tension a few times—too tight and I couldn't do more than five reps; too loose and it felt like nothing. Medium tension for 10 reps was the sweet spot.

Seated Biceps Curl

Starting position: Sit with your back supported, injured leg elevated. Hold a light dumbbell (3-8 lbs) in each hand, arms hanging at your sides.

Steps:

• Curl weights up toward shoulders, keeping elbows stationary
• Don't swing or use momentum
• Lower slowly back to starting position
• Do 10-12 reps per set

My experience: I used 5-pound dumbbells and felt the burn around rep 8. My biceps were already getting a workout from crutches, so I didn't need heavy weights here. Focus on control, not load.

Seated Triceps Extension

Starting position: Sit upright holding one light dumbbell with both hands overhead.

Steps:

• Bend elbows to lower the weight behind your head
• Keep upper arms still—only your forearms move
• Press the weight back up until arms are straight
• Do 8-10 reps

My experience: My triceps were already fatigued from pushing up on crutches all day, so I kept this light (5 lbs max). Any heavier and my elbows felt tweaky. Listen to your body—if your arms are already fried from daily crutch use, scale back.

Core Exercises You Can Do Without Standing

Core work was tricky because most exercises require standing or putting pressure through your legs. I found a few moves that worked without breaking my weight-bearing rules.

Seated Marches (If Hip Movement Allowed)

Starting position: Sit on the edge of a chair with both feet flat (or your uninjured foot flat and injured leg supported).

Steps:

• Lift your uninjured knee up toward your chest
• Lower it back down with control
• If allowed, gently lift your injured leg's knee (no weight through the foot)
• Alternate sides for 10-20 total "steps"
• Keep your core tight the whole time

My experience: I was cleared to lift my injured knee as long as I didn't put weight through my foot. This felt good for my lower abs and hip flexors. I did 15 marches per session, slow and controlled. If you're not cleared for hip movement on your injured side, just do the uninjured leg.

Ab Bracing and Deep Breathing

Starting position: Lie on your back on a mat or firm surface. Bend your uninjured knee with foot flat. Keep your injured leg straight and supported on a pillow.

Steps:

• Place both hands on your stomach
• Take a deep breath in, letting your belly rise
• Exhale slowly while gently pulling your belly button toward your spine
• Hold the "braced" feeling for 5 seconds
• Relax and repeat for 8-10 breaths

My experience: This sounds too easy to work, but it's legit. My physical therapist had me do this every day to reconnect with my core after weeks of limping and compensating. It helped me feel more stable when I eventually progressed to standing exercises.

Dead Bug Arm Variations

Starting position: Lie on your back, injured leg supported on a pillow. Bend your uninjured knee with foot flat.

Steps:

• Extend one arm straight up toward the ceiling
• Slowly lower that arm overhead toward the floor behind you
• Keep your lower back pressed into the mat—don't let it arch
• Bring arm back to start and switch sides
• Do 6-8 reps per arm

My experience: Traditional dead bugs involve moving legs, which I couldn't do. This arm-only version still worked my core because I had to keep my torso stable. It felt surprisingly hard after rep 5. If your back starts arching, stop and reset your position.

Safe Leg and Glute Activation (Only If Allowed)

Isometric Quad Sets

Starting position: Lie on your back with legs straight (or injured leg supported).

Steps:

• Tighten the muscle on top of your thigh (quadriceps)
• Press the back of your knee down into the mat
• Hold for 5 seconds
• Relax and repeat 10 times
• Do on uninjured side first; only do injured side if cleared by your PT

My experience: My physical therapist had me start quad sets on my injured leg at week three, but only sets—no movement. It felt weird to "flex" a muscle that had been dormant, but it helped me remember that leg still existed. Start with 5-second holds and work up to 10.

Glute Squeezes

Starting position: Lie on your back or sit in a chair.

Steps:

• Squeeze your glutes (butt muscles) together
• Hold for 5 seconds
• Relax and repeat 10-15 times

My experience: This is gentle enough that most people are cleared to do it early. I did these while sitting at my desk or lying in bed. They're not intense, but they keep some glute engagement alive while you're healing.

Seated or Supported Cardio Ideas

Getting your heart rate up without standing or jumping takes creativity. Here's what worked for me.

Seated Boxing

How to do it:

• Sit upright with injured leg elevated
• Throw light punches in the air—jabs, crosses, hooks
• Move your arms fast but stay controlled
• Do 30 seconds of punches, rest 30 seconds, repeat 4-6 times

My experience: This got my heart rate up to about 110-120 bpm, which felt great after weeks of sitting. I added 1-pound hand weights by week five to increase intensity. My shoulders and arms were burning by round four. Stop if you feel dizzy or your breathing gets too labored.

Fast-Paced Band Circuits

Building a Simple Weekly Exercise Plan on Crutches

Here's how I structured my week once I got into a rhythm. You can adjust based on your provider's clearance and your energy levels.

Notes on this plan:

• I started with just three days per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) and added Saturday in week four
• Every exercise must be cleared by your provider—skip anything you're not allowed to do
• If you're exhausted on a workout day, move it to the next day or scale back to 5 minutes
• Rest days are not optional—your body needs recovery time to heal your injury

How Everyday Tasks Still Count

You don't need formal workouts to stay active. Normal crutch use and daily tasks add up.

Crutching around the house: Every trip to the kitchen, bathroom, or bedroom is upper body work. I tracked my daily steps (or crutch swings, I guess?) and was surprised I was moving 2,000-3,000 times per day even while "resting."

Simple household tasks: Washing dishes (seated at the sink), folding laundry on the bed, organizing a bookshelf—these all involve reaching, moving, and engaging your upper body. As long as you're not breaking your weight-bearing rules, these count as movement.

Smart carrying strategies: Getting better at carrying things while on crutches made daily life easier and added small "exercise snacks" to my day. Check out our guide on how to carry things on crutches for bag setups and container ideas that work.

When to Change Devices or Adjust Your Plan

If staying active on crutches is causing constant hand pain, exhaustion, or balance issues, talk to your provider about mixing in other mobility devices.

Knee scooters for longer distances: Some people use crutches for short indoor trips and a knee scooter for anything over 100 feet. This saves upper body energy for actual exercise instead of burning it all on transportation. If you're interested, check out our best knee scooter reviews for tested options.

Lighter or ergonomic crutches: If daily crutch use feels like an all-day workout in itself, upgrading to lighter or more comfortable crutches might help. I switched from hospital-issue aluminum crutches to a pair with gel grips and better padding at week four. It made a noticeable difference in my overall fatigue. We dive into whether expensive crutches are worth it in another guide.

Adjusting your exercise plan: If you're consistently too tired to do even 5-minute workouts, scale back. Your primary job is healing. Exercise is secondary. I had a rough week around week five where I barely had energy for daily tasks, let alone workouts. I took three full rest days and felt way better afterward.

Common Exercise Mistakes on Crutches

• Doing intense workouts without clearance: I tried a full upper body circuit on day three and my physical therapist was not happy. Wait for approval.
• Accidentally loading the injured leg: During floor transfers, I put weight on my bad ankle twice. Both times I felt it immediately and panicked. Be hyper-aware during position changes.
• Ignoring sharp pain: Dull muscle fatigue is okay. Sharp, sudden pain is not. I pushed through some shoulder discomfort one day and regretted it—my rotator cuff hurt for three days.
• Trying to match pre-injury intensity: You will not lift the same weights or do the same volume. Accept it. I was benching 135 lbs before my injury; I did band presses with light resistance during recovery. That's reality.
• Skipping rest days out of guilt: I felt guilty resting because I was already "doing nothing" all day. But your body needs rest to heal. Rest days are productive.

Exercise Overview Table

FAQ: Exercising While on Crutches

Start Small, Stay Safe, and Be Patient

Staying in shape on crutches is possible, but it requires realistic expectations and careful planning. The exercises to stay in shape on crutches in this guide—seated strength work, gentle core exercises, safe leg activation (if cleared), and creative cardio—can help you maintain some fitness while you heal. But none of them work if you skip the clearance conversation with your doctor or physical therapist.

My advice: Pick one upper body move, one core move, and one short cardio idea from this guide. Write them down. Bring them to your next appointment and ask which ones are safe for you. Start with 5-minute sessions twice a week and only add more if you feel good afterward.

Listen to your pain signals. Rest when you need to rest. And remember that healing your injury is the workout that matters most right now. Everything else is just trying to maintain what you can while your body does its job.

Create a small, realistic weekly plan. Protect your hands and wrists with proper padding and technique. And stay patient with yourself—getting back to full strength takes time, but doing smart, safe work now will make that return much faster.