Knee pain often makes normal activities like walking up stairs challenging or impossible. People who carry excess weight face an increased risk of discomfort, since your knees suffer additional strain. Although aerobic activities like basketball and jogging can worsen knee pain, a variety of low-impact options exist that allow you to exercise safely and reduce your weight. Recognize the best aerobic workouts for knee pain to ensure your well being.
Knee Pain & Aerobic Exercise
Most people suffer knee pain at some point during their life. The pain often accompanies swelling, stiffness and weakness. Knee pain occurs for many reasons, although maintaining an unhealthy body weight elevates your risk and often leads to cartilage damage that causes osteoarthritis. Doctors typically recommend aerobic activity as the best method for weight loss since the workouts burn large amounts of calories and enhance the overall function of your cardiovascular system. Aerobic exercise also lowers your likelihood for cancer and helps minimize the discomfort of knee pain by aiding your body's release of endorphins, or natural chemicals often called painkillers.
Safe Aerobic Workouts
Low-impact aerobic workouts are safe with knee pain and often feature walking, which is easy on your joints since one of your feet will always be on the ground. Walking also offers convenience, since you won't need equipment and can exercise in almost any location. Swimming and water aerobics with hand weights are ideal for knee pain because the water supports your muscles. Water workouts also help you avoid hard falls that can occur due to knee weakness. The Cleveland Clinic recommends workouts on a stationary or regular bicycle for those who are unable to walk for long periods due to orthopedic pain or obesity, as cycling limits mechanical stress on your knees and ankles.
Workout Duration
Do low-impact aerobic exercise approved by your doctor three to five days a week. Swimming or walking for 20 continuous minutes is beneficial, although remaining active for up to 40 minutes increases your health benefits. Begin with a duration that feels comfortable and add more time as you are able. You'll lessen your injury risk by warming your muscles. Dedicate the first five minutes of your workout to a slower pace that gradually increases your heart rate and breathing. Spend the last five minutes of your exercise slowly decreasing the intensity, which allows your heart rate to return to normal.
Stretching for Knee Health
Complement your aerobic workouts with stretching and flexibility exercises throughout the week. The activity helps strengthen your hamstrings and quadriceps, which provide support to your knees. Stretching also prevents muscle tightness that often leads to injury. Alert your doctor if knee pain prevents you from fully extending your leg, accompanies a fever or significant swelling, or causes you to fall.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Knee Pain; Sept. 9, 2010
- Cleveland Clinic: Exercise & Weight Control
- Cleveland Clinic: What Is The Best Type of Aerobic Exercise?
- Merck Manuals.com: Choosing the Right Exercise; September, 2007
- Mayo Clinic: Aerobic Exercise: Top 10 Reasons To Get Physical; Feb. 12, 2011
- President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports: Exercise and Weight Control
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