Cardio exercise, also called cardiovascular or aerobic exercise, is a form of physical activity that deepens your breathing, accelerates your heart rate and improves your body's consumption and use of oxygen. Individuals with bad knees may assume that they need to avoid cardio exercises to avoid worsening their condition. However, participation in appropriate exercises can help improve knee pain symptoms.
Basics
Regular performance of cardio exercises can help you control your weight. In turn, weight loss can help control or diminish your knee pain by lessening the pressure on your weight-bearing joints, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Cardio exercises can also help diminish your levels of joint inflammation. However, people with bad knees may not be able to safely perform all types of cardiovascular activity; to avoid further injury, they must work with their doctors to develop an exercise plan that fits their current capabilities.
Low-Impact Activities
Typically, individuals with bad knees need to stay away from cardio exercises such as running, high-intensity aerobics and jogging, which jolt and bump the body. Low-impact options that can replace these exercises include walking or speed walking on flat surfaces, bicycling outdoors or using a stationary bike indoors, swimming, using an elliptical trainer and participating in various forms of dance. To vary your workout and keep exercise interesting, you can include some or all of these activities in your regular routine and rotate among them as you see fit.
Additional Exercises
In addition to the physical activities listed above, you can get cardiovascular benefits from exercises designed to work specific muscles in your body, Gaim Life reports. Exercises in this category include calf raises or toe raises; which work your lower-leg muscles; scissor kicks, which work your thighs, hip flexors and abdominals; step-ups, which work your quads, hamstrings and gluteus muscles; and partial squats, which directly work your knees, as well as your quadriceps muscles. To gain the cardio benefits from these exercises, you must perform them with a relatively high number of repetitions. You must also perform them with proper form to protect your knee health. Ask your doctor and a fitness instructor for further guidance and advice.
Considerations
In addition to cardio exercises, NIAMS recommends that individuals with bad knees perform range-of-motion exercises --- which relieve stiffness and help maintain normal joint function --- and strengthening exercises, which build your muscles and improve joint support. Ask your doctor and fitness instructor to help you develop a program that includes these exercises as well as beneficial cardio options. Stationary bike exercises may be especially helpful, since they can simultaneously build your leg strength and provide a cardiovascular workout.
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