The Best Exercises For People With Knee Pain

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

Millions of people suffer from some form of joint paint. Knees are especially prone to injury and can often begin to bother us as we age. Chronic knee pain can affect our lives profoundly, by limiting our movement, leaving us unable to do some of the things that we would like. We avoid movement which can make us sluggish, unhealthy, and prone to weight gain. 

Depending on the cause and severity of your knee pain, you may still be able to build a healthy and fulfilling exercise program that can improve your wellbeing. 

These exercises can help. 

First, understand your limits

You shouldn’t exercise with knee pain unless you’ve been given the all-clear by your physio or doctor. Knee pain can have many different root causes and it’s important to know what’s causing yours so that you can plan your diet and fitness accordingly. If you’re taking BodyBio Supplements or medications, these can help you to manage your condition and work with it. 

Swimming

If you’re experiencing any kind of joint pain, then swimming is the ideal form of exercise. Being in the water takes the pressure off your joints, allowing you to exercise effectively without the pain. 

The right swimming program can strengthen muscle and give you a great cardiovascular workout too.  Experiment with different swimming strokes and speeds to get the best out of your sessions.

Elliptical Trainer

The smooth action of the elliptical trainer ensures that the force is spread evenly throughout your legs and feet, so there’s no impact on your knees as there would be on a treadmill of the traditional step machine. 

You can design a program to improve your cardiovascular health and also get a great arm and core workout too. 

Yoga

These exercises have been used for hundreds of years to improve flexibility, stabilize joints, and promote a healthy body and mind connection. Yoga is by its very nature, a low impact exercise. It can be tailored to take into account most injuries. 

Look for specific programs that are suitable for people with knee injuries. You’ll be able to avoid too much stress on the area while also building up strength and flexibility around the joint, which could help ease some types of knee pain. 

Strength Training 

You’ll need to get a bit creative, but it’s still possible to perform many strength-building exercises without putting undue pressure on your knees. Many arms, shoulder, and back exercises can be done from a seated position. 

Similarly, floor-based core exercises don’t require you to stand up or put any pressure on those joints. 

Legs are a little more tricky. Calf raises and scissor kicks are good for strengthening the legs and depending on the severity of your knee pain, you could do partial squats.

Final thoughts

Living with knee pain isn’t fun and can affect our quality of life. However, it doesn’t have to stop you from exercising entirely. By doing your research and building your routine carefully and slowly, you can still reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. 

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