5 Exercises That Won’t Affect Your Knees
The knees support a lot of your body weight, so considering exercising when they are sore can seem difficult at first.
Having knee problems shouldn’t be a barrier to engaging in periodic physical activity. Although some activities can affect your joints, there are several exercises that you can perform without damaging them.
In many cases, improper execution of techniques is responsible for joint damage. So, if you have any questions about your exercises, consult an athletic specialist to help you with this process.
The health of your knees
To improve knee problems, it is essential to control your weight, as this is one of the causes of joint injuries, such as osteoarthritis, tendonitis or inflammation of the ligaments. Indeed, every 4.5 kilos of overweight exerts an additional pressure of almost 20 kilos on the knees.
“It is important for the public to know that obesity is not only a cosmetic problem, but also leads to musculoskeletal health problems , ” said Stuart D. Miller, orthopedic surgeon at Union Memorial Hospital of Baltimore, United States.
In addition, obesity causes other well-known health problems:
- Increased blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Heart failure
- Increased blood sugar and diabetes.
- Fatty liver disease
- Arthritis
For these reasons, having knee problems shouldn’t be a reason not to exercise; on the contrary, it should be an additional motivation. For this we can resort to low impact exercises that take care of our health without affecting the joints.
Benefits of low impact exercises
Low impact exercises are based on smoother, more controlled movements. This decreases the pressure on the joints, which suffer the most from regular exercise and sports , such as running, jumping, soccer, tennis, basketball, or any other high impact activity.
This doesn’t mean that these exercises don’t burn fat or make you sweat. On the contrary, some of them can test your muscle and cardiovascular capacity.
5 exercises to take care of your knees
1. Swimming
It is considered one of the most complete sports and the most beneficial for the joints. Water reduces pressure on the body by supporting its weight and cushioning any impact.
Swimming requires cardio, muscles and a certain flexibility. All swimming styles require movement of the upper and lower muscles.
It is estimated that half an hour of continuous swimming can burn between 220 and 270 calories . An ideal sport, therefore, to tone the body!
2. Aqua fitness
If you don’t like swimming but enjoy being in the water, then aquafitness is probably for you; it is an aerobic endurance exercise that is done while standing in a swimming pool. Aquafitness exercises are similar to those in a regular fitness class, but being in the water decreases endurance and impact.
Brook Turner, nutritionist and fitness trainer, said that “walking in water takes more effort and therefore burns more calories than normal. In aqua-fitness, the body will draw energy from fat stores rather than carbohydrates, as is the case with high intensity exercise. “
According to the United States National Institute of Health, one hour of aqua-fitness burns about 520 calories.
3. Rowing
This is another low impact exercise that will keep your knees protected. Paddling requires all parts of the body, from the arms to the legs, especially the pectoral and abdominal muscles.
You don’t need to be near a lake or river, or own a kayak, you can go to any gym and use the rowing machines . These allow you to regulate the resistance according to your abilities and you can do sets interspersed with short breaks to rest.
Half an hour of rowing at a moderate pace can burn between 260 and 300 calories.
4. Elliptical trainer
You have surely already seen in the sports halls a machine made up of two platforms on which to put your feet and two handles; this is an elliptical trainer. This machine provides complete, demanding, low-impact cardiovascular exercise.
The internal pulleys of this device cushion the impact of each step and force the arms to move along with the legs . This increases the intensity and energy expenditure. The elliptical trainer also works mainly the muscles of the legs, buttocks, abdominals and upper part of the biceps, triceps and pecs.
One hour of exercise with the programmed elliptical exerciser at medium intensity can burn between 550 and 650 calories.
5. Yoga
Yoga is generally associated with stretching and relaxation postures that require flexibility but are not fat burning. However, some types of yoga involve a significant energy expenditure, and therefore help you lose weight.
Ashtana Yoga
It is a continuous sequence of postures that work both resistance and flexibility in coordination with breathing. While exercising the body with intensity, it also has other benefits of yoga, such as stress release, relaxation, and spiritual connection.
An hour-long Ashtana yoga class burns between 320 and 400 calories.
Yoga Bikram
It is performed in a room where it can be up to 40 ° C. It is based on a routine of 26 postures to be performed always in the same order. It is specially designed to strengthen muscles and eliminate toxins.
While sweating is not linked to weight loss, a Bikram Yoga workout allows you to lose up to 600 calories .
Power yoga
It is a variant similar to Ashtana yoga but more vigorous. Even some purists consider it almost more than gymnastics than yoga. Like Ashtana , Power yoga adopts continuous postures, but more supported, which require greater strength.
Due to its physical demands, this activity helps burn between 300 and 400 calories in a one hour session.
As you can see, knee problems don’t stop you from staying fit or burning fat. However, if you experience any discomfort, it is advisable to consult your doctor to find out which exercise is best for you.
