A foot injury is one of the best ways to sabotage marathon or other cardio training. It's difficult to improve your cardiorespiratory fitness when pain shoots through your foot with each step. Fortunately, several types of cardio will allow you to maintain and even improve your fitness without causing unnecessary strain on the foot.


Rowing is an effective low-impact, total body cardio workout. It engages all the major muscle groups of the body including the hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, back, shoulders and abdomen. To use a rowing machine, sit on the seat and secure your feet into the foot straps. Adjust the resistance of the rower; the higher the resistance, the more difficult the movement. Grasp the handle with both hands with an overhand grip. Contract your abdominal muscles, stabilize your back, extend your arms and lean your torso slightly forward. Begin with your knees bent and your butt close to your heels. Keeping your arms and back straight, press through your feet to extend your knees and hips. As your knees straighten, bend your elbows to pull the handle to your midsection. Bend your legs and hips, straighten your arms and return to the starting position to repeat the movement. If you prefer the outdoors, rowing an actual boat will give you the same cardio benefits as a rowing machine.


Water activities are not only safe for those with an injured foot but for nearly every population including those with arthritis, pregnant women and the obese. The American Council on Exercise notes that the buoyancy of water reduces the weight of your body on your feet and joints by 90 percent. While this decreases the load on your body, a water workout is still challenging due to the resistance of the water. Swimming laps is an effective way to challenge your cardiovascular system without straining your foot. If actual swimming is your strong suit, water aerobics and even walking or jogging through the water is a surefire way to get your heart rate up.


If you're a runner dealing with a strained foot, cycling is a great cardio replacement because it works many of the same muscles as running. Cycling can be tailored to any fitness level and can be done indoors or out. Road biking and mountain biking are challenging options that allow you to enjoy the great outdoors. If you're more the indoor type, many gyms offer spinning classes that are sure to get you gasping for air. If you prefer to work out on your own, then a stationary bike will help you get the job done without straining your foot. No matter your bike of choice, always make sure it fits you properly. Adjust the seat and handles as needed and, if using a stationary bike, the resistance. REI suggests that there should be a slight bend in your knee at the bottom of the pedal stroke and your knee should be aligned over your forefoot for greatest efficiency.


Cardiovascular exercises that are safe for a strained foot can be performed at a moderate intensity for a prolonged amount of time or in intervals. If your goal is to simply maintain your current state of cardiovascular fitness, then a steady-state workout will likely be sufficient. However, if you need to continue to improve your fitness while your foot heals, interval training would be more appropriate because it allows you to tax your cardiovascular system at a high intensity for a prolonged period. Interval training is quite simple; work really hard, rest and repeat. For example, once you've completed a five- to 10-minute warm-up on your bike, begin to pedal as hard as you can with the resistance set at a challenging level. Pedal hard for two minutes, and then pedal at an easy cadence for one to two minutes to allow your muscles and heart rate to recover. Immediately begin to pedal hard again. Continue this cycle until you've completed the desired amount of time, usually 20 to 30 minutes.


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