Anyone who enjoys working out usually has a set routine exercise program which may at times be too strenuous. What can then develop are a series of body and joint pain in the hips, knees, or ankle joints, forcing you to let out a wince every time they become tender.
There’s no need to discontinue what you enjoy doing the best, which is exercising, working up a good sweat while exerting the muscles. There’s no need to quit doing physical activity, as all that’s required is you needing to become a little more creative.
When it comes to the type of exercises that you choose to do, or are recovering from an injury, what’s recommended are a series of exercises which you can still perform, this especially to avoid further damage.
There are a variety of low impact exercises which can take the weight and the strain off the joints, particularly the knees and hips. What they’ll do is alleviate the pain, while building up the muscles and strengthening the joints, which allows you to maintain your body better.
Low Or No Impact Exercises
• Low Impact Walking – This especially if your knees aren’t strong enough to go running, or painful as a result of running. What you’ll get are the same benefits from a brisk walk or hike, this without further damaging or risking your joints.
To begin, novice exercisers can start with a quick 15-minute walk around the park, and then gradually progress up to 30 to 45 minutes. Make sure that it’s brisk with your arms flailing, and wear proper cushioned shoes to absorb the impact.
• Easy As Doing Pushups – Most may think that doing pushups is a body weight exercise which just benefits the chest, but this “free” form of strengthening also develops the biceps, triceps, lower back, and the abdominal area.
Also, if full pushups are too difficult to start with, then begin with pushups when on your knees. Or, if regular pushups are too easy for you, then challenge yourself by adding a weight vest for resistance, elevate your feet on a bench, or try one armed pushups.
• Doing Body Planks – This similar to pushups, planks are also considered a multifunctional, multipurpose exercise which is low impact. What it does is it targets the biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest, back, and the core of the stomach.
You can challenge your muscles further by moving on your side and then doing side planking, or planking with alternate arms and legs raised.
• Lets Go Swimming – Swimming laps around a pool is excellent relief for all your muscles giving them a break. Swimming is an extremely beneficial low impact exercise which soothes your bad joints or if you’re carrying excess weight.
What your entire body becomes is virtually weightless when in the water as almost all of your weight is supported, which means that you can go out and enjoy a vigorous swim while burning calories without experiencing any post joint pain.
• Performing Water Aerobics – Similar to swimming laps, what water or aqua cardio does is it helps those who are elderly or overweight, to reduce joint pain issues or arthritis.
What this workout does is it combines cardio which burns calories along with weight bearing motions in gravity defying water. So as a result, what you get is an excellent low impact, no weight bearing workout without putting any stress on your joints.
• Using An Elliptical Trainer – Elliptical trainers which can usually be found at your local gym does is they can burn up to 300 calories in around 45-minutes, and its all low impact.
The reason being the science behind how these elliptical machines are designed and structured to keep your feet still, while you’re pumping your arms. What this results in is a safe low impact workout which builds the upper and lower muscles while burning calories.
• Stationary Cycling – What most will seek out is a safe form of exercising to get their heart rate up, while dealing with their painful joint issues. One of the best solutions are stationary or recumbent cycling.
What you get are all the benefits of riding a bike but in a safe, low impact environment which is the gym. This so you won’t need to battle the elements, falls, or rough terrain. The recumbent style of bikes are especially beneficial on the knees and ankle joints.
• Row Row Rowing Machine – One of the most overlooked pieces of gym equipment is the stationary rowing machine, which is considered one of the best low impact full-body workouts with the time expended.
They’re also easy on the joints while they focus on strengthening the upper body once you pull, and improving the lower body as you push.
• Yes To Yoga – Especially a certain form of yoga known as Hatha yoga, which combines gentle stretching along with properly guided breath. Your instructor will lead you through low impact, high cardio poses which are designed to challenge the body to becoming more flexible, while strengthening the joints and muscles.
• All In For Zumba – This is a Latin-inspired sizzling cardio dance which is extremely fun to do, as well as being an excellent way of burning calories in a low impact way. Some of the Zumba classes however will feature jumping, so if you suffer from lower body joint pain, then other low impact alternatives may be needed.