Rowing Modification - Toe Surgery

[Garyvrck]

Hello,
I have been a very happy user of my Model D rower for many years - awesome piece of equipment!!

I just had surgery on my big toe / right foot and can’t bend the toe for several weeks. Is there a way to still use my rower during this time? When I row, my feet always bend when the heels comes off the foot holder and my toes bend where the strap comes across the feet.

Is there any modification you could recommend to keep my feet flat so they don’t bend at the toes?

Thanks in advance,
Gary

Sent from my iPad

[Dangerscouse]

It's not ideal but I have seen people rowing one footed due to a leg cast, or could you row strapless and only use your heel?

It will take a bit of modification in your rowing style but it's probably possible

[jamesg]

Put a frontstop on the rail at about 70 cm from your toes (according to height so heels don't lift off) and use plenty of swing. The position reachable is more or less like that used in starts and lets you use both legs.

Any loss of length can be compensated by higher rating, controllable by keeping Watts not far off earlier levels. Pace is not linear with power (cube root), so cannot give you an accurate perception of power loss.

Alternatively don't use the slide at all, there's nothing wrong with fixed seat rowing, tho' some hitherto unknown muscle may make itself felt.

[Garyvrck]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I’ll try wrapping a towel around the rail as a front stop as suggested and see how that goes. I’m not particularly concerned about power / pace time as I just want to be able to get some basic exercise in during this recovery period and the front stop idea might do the trick for me.

Failing that fixed seat rowing should work out too.

Thanks again,
Gary