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Friday 3 February 2012

Cardio Exercises for Bad Knees

 
Exercising with bad knees can be a very painful experience. A bad knee can cause immense amounts of pain and greatly hinder the freedom of movement. Performing cardiovascular exercises with bad knees can therefore be very hard to accomplish, and can even cause significant amounts of damage in the long run. Here are some cardio exercises for bad knees that should be relatively less painful on the knees.

If you have had a serious knee injury in the past, or are recovering from some form of knee surgery, you must learn about cardio workouts for bad knees and include them in your exercise programs. Doing so can considerably lessen the amount of pain that you feel, and also chase away the risk of injury, and aggravating the bad knee. Any form of cardio exercises for bad knees that involves some form of impact being received on the knee, can only be harmful for you, not to mention painful. As a result, it is crucial to learn and practice some of the best exercises for bad knees.

Cardio Exercises for Bad Knees

It is important for you to remember that you must not bend your knees excessively, even while performing these knee exercises. If your knees are being bent at an angle that they are blocking the line of sight to your toes, this means that they are being bent excessively. This puts a lot of extra pressure on the kneecap, and any injury or surgery that you have had on that knee cap is bound to get aggravated. Here are some of the best exercises for bad knees that you can carry out to ensure that your knees stay injury free.

Stepups
To perform this exercise you must use a step bench or a staircase. What you need to do is place your left foot on top of the step, and use your calf muscles to push your body up. Slightly touch the step with your right foot, and then place the right foot back down immediately. Repeat this exercise with your right foot now. Remember to keep your knee straight and to keep it in line with your ankle.

Side Lying Leg Lifts
This is widely known as one of the most effective cardio exercises for bad knees. You need to lie on your left side, with your head resting in your left arm. Now slowly raise your right leg (which is parallel to the ground) up in the air, and then slowly lower it as well. Repeat this exercise for both legs as many times as you want.

Partial Squats
To perform this exercise you must stand a few feet away from a chair or a bed. Keep your feet shoulder width apart, and keep your knees straight. Now bend forward using your waist and hip until your forehead touches the chair or the bed. Use your hands to push you back to your original stance. Remember to keep your knees straight at all times, or else these cardio workouts for bad knees will be rendered ineffective.

Calf Raises
This is an exercise that is very popular for building up the calf muscles, but it is an extremely useful exercise for bad knees as well. Stand with your feet hip width apart, and slowly raise both your heels off the ground simultaneously, so that you are now standing on your toes. Do not bend your knees, and carry out as many repetitions as you are comfortable with. You can also use a wall or a chair for balance.

Straight Leg Raises
This is also one of the very popular cardio exercises for bad knees. Sit with your back against a wall or any other flat surface. Bend your right knee but keep your right foot firmly on the ground. Now slowly lift your left leg as high up off the ground as you can. Hold it there for a few seconds and then gently lower it back to the ground. Repeat this exercise for your right leg as well.

Hamstring Stretch
Lie flat on the ground on your back. Keep your left leg flat on the ground and stretch it as straight as possible. Now loop a towel under your right thigh or your right knee, and pull the leg towards you as far as you possibly can. Hold the leg in place for a few seconds before you release the towel, and then repeat this exercise with your other leg. It is widely accepted that this is one of the best cardio exercises for bad knees, and helps in strengthening the hamstring as well.

Short Arc Knee Extensions
The posture for this exercise is similar to that of the straight leg raises. Sit with your back against a wall or any other flat surface. Place a basketball under your left knee, and slowly lift it in the air while simultaneously straightening it. Lift as high as possible and then gently lower it to the same position as before. Now repeat this exercise with the right knee.

Exercise Bike
Most people who wish to carry out cardio exercises for bad knees prefer the exercise bike. This is one of the best cardiovascular exercises, and the impact on the knees of a person is absolutely minimal. There is no risk of an accident or falling down as well, and it burns many calories. This is one of the most favorite tools for somebody with bad knees or joint problems.

Swimming
Like cycling, swimming too burns calories, builds calories, strengthens muscles and provides low impact to the knee. It is a great form of cardiovascular exercises, and it provides many varied benefits at the same time. For someone suffering from bad knees, this is a great mode of exercise.

So as you can see, the best cardio exercises for bad knees are those that put the least strain on the knee joints and the knee cap, thus resulting in the least amount of knee pain. Any form of exercise or physical activity that puts strain on the knees will only be harmful in the long run, and great caution must be taken in order to avoid aggravating a bad knee further.
 
Rahul Thadani
 

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