Knee pain doesn’t have to result in avoiding physical activity altogether. If you suffer from knee pain due to a variety of conditions, including sports injuries or arthritis, you probably wonder what the best exercises are to maintain fitness and alleviate pain. Luckily, there are a quite a few options available. Here is just a short list of low impact exercises that you can add to your routine to help with knee pain.
4 low impact exercises for knee pain
1. Swimming and water sports
Because of your buoyancy in the water, swimming and other forms of water-based exercise like aerobics are great for knees. There is no impact or shock to be absorbed by the joints that are experiencing pain. Swimming is also a great heat buster in the summer months.
2. Recumbent exercise bike
Riding a stationary bicycle, especially a recumbent, helps to strengthen the muscles around your knee joints. It can help with long-term healing and allows you to maintain your fitness routine while you’re in recovery. Sitting back on a recumbent bike eliminates the downward force on your knee joints making the exercise a little easier.
3. Walking
If you haven’t had much exercise experience prior to your knee injury or the onset of pain in the joint, walking may be your best alternative. Build your walking routine up slowly by focusing on your immediate area. As you continue to improve, you can extend it so you are walking several miles in one session. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes that don’t add extra strain on your knees.
4. Dance
Because knee pain is most often centered on the joint, the best way to alleviate discomfort is to strengthen the muscles surrounding the kneecap. Dance, in a variety of forms, offers this opportunity. This is a great opportunity to be social while you exercise. Take a ballroom dancing class or sign up to learn the basics of ballet or tap. It is never too late to get started.
How can you add knee-strengthening, low impact exercises to your routine?
Image by David Goehring via Flickr