Knee problems are extremely common in older adults, but can also affect athletes or those who have experienced trauma directly to the knee region. For those who have experienced knee trauma or have any sort of pain around the knee, keeping the thigh muscle strong is imperative in protecting the knee. Avoiding high impact or weight bearing exercises such as running and jumping is also important and the elliptical cardio machine provides a safe and effective alternative for exercise.
Benefits of Ellipticals
Elliptical machines provide a smooth, continuous motion with no impact to the knee area. Your feet are never lifted from the foot panels, but the motion of the machine mimics the motion of running through a gliding stride. Elliptical machines also provide various programs like treadmills, bicycles and stair machines, which include interval programs, varied inclines, speeds and resistance. Elliptical machines offer an excellent cardiovascular exercise while protecting injured or hurt knees from high impact.
Causes of Knee Pain
Knee pain has a wide array of catalysts and identifying what the particular problem is will help you to continue to improve your fitness while protecting the knee injury or issue. A knee injury is defined as any trauma that incurs to the ligaments, tendons or fluid-filled sacs that protect the knee and provide structure and foundation. ACL injuries and torn meniscus injuries are two very common knee problems. Mechanical issues such as torn cartilage which results in knee locking, or not being able to straighten the leg, along with dislocated knee caps, which many athletes who play high impact sports experience are another category of knee pain. Osteoarthritis, which is one of the most common forms of arthritis, occurs when the cartilage around the knee area degenerates as a cause of wear-and-tear and older age.
Knee Pain Prevention
Doing low impact exercise such as the elliptical is one way to avoid knee pain or injury, but keeping off excess weight is important also. Carrying around additional bodyweight puts a great deal of strain on your joints, resulting in various tendon and ligament issues along with an increased risk of osteoarthritis. Keeping your muscles loose and limber through flexibility and stretching programs also reduces your risk of injury not only while exercising, but also in performing every day activities.
Additional Exercises to Include
Keeping your stabilizer muscles strong will provide a protective barrier for your knee, and include your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and core area. Some exercises to include in your workout program are wall squats, halfway-down chair squats, seated leg extensions, leg curls and forward lunges with knee over foot. These exercises can be done if even if there are some existing knee problems, under the guidance of your doctor or physical therapist.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Are Elliptical Machines Better Than Treadmills For Basic Aerobic Workouts?
- May Clinic: Knee Pain Causes
- Mayo Clinic: Knee Pain Prevention
- "Exercise Therapy"; Karl G. Knopf; 2010
