Bad knees can throw a wrench into even the best-intentioned exercise routines. Whether your knees are affected by arthritis, surgery aftereffects or past injuries, you can still exercise by employing an assortment of exercises that place little to no stress on your knees, such as swimming and bicycling.
Swimming
Most major muscle groups are worked while engaging in swimming exercises. Swimming laps using one of several types of strokes, such as breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle, gives you an opportunity to move, strengthen and tone your muscles while giving the rest of your body a workout and placing minimal strain on your knees. While some strokes such as the freestyle require your knees to move minimally, others such as the butterfly rely heavily on extensive leg movements, which include the constant flexing of the knees. Depending on your physical abilities and the extent of your knee limitations, you should take these factors into consideration before choosing a particular stroke. The simple backstroke may be the best for you if your knee limitations are extensive.
Bicycling
Mobile and stationary bicycling are effective exercises for people with bad knees. Mobile bicycling may place more stress on your knees than stationary bicycling will, so your knees’ capabilities will ultimately decide which is best for your situation. Stationary bikes come in upright and recumbent styles and are ways you can exercise without placing a lot of stress on your knees. A recumbent stationary bike may suit your needs better if your knees’ ranges of motion are severely limited. If you enjoy full range of motion with your knees, then a mobile bike may be better for your circumstance.
Walking
If you experience discomfort or minor pain in your knees, but are able to get around, then walking is a good exercise for you. Walking does not involve the bouncing and jarring associated with jogging or running, so it is a good way for you to enjoy the benefits of exercising without placing undue stress on your knees. If your knee situation prevents you from walking or is too painful to support your body weight, then try walking in a swimming pool. Water’s buoyancy can minimize, or eliminate, the effects of weight by supporting much of your body’s weight. You can adjust the amount of weight placed on your knee while walking in a pool by simply changing the depth of the water in which you are walking.
At the Gym
A variety of exercise machines commonly found in fitness centers and gyms include stationary bikes, treadmills and elliptical machines, each of which have low impact on the knees. An elliptical machine features pedals instead of a flat surface, like on a treadmill, that allow you to simulate walking and running while placing minimal stress on your knees. In essence, any exercise that does not require you to change directions suddenly and reduces the amount of stress placed on your knees is a good exercise for anyone with bad knees.
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