Cardio Exercises for Bad Knees

6 step-by-step cardio exercises for bad knees, plus 4 more low-impact ideas  by hannon Beineke & Vanessa Sofia

Cardiovascular exercises are essential to any fitness regimen, but they can be painful for bad knees. Only certain knee workouts are safe and effective for bad knees. Your capabilities will depend on your injury, but the following knee exercises can often be done with ease, even with bad knees. Check with your doctor or physical therapist before beginning any "bad-knee" workout.

Step-ups

Works: Gluteus, hamstrings, quads

• Standing in front of a staircase, place one foot flat on the bottom step. (You also can use a step bench.)

• Make sure your entire foot is on the step and your knee is directly above your ankle.     

• Putting your weight on the heel of your elevated foot, step onto the foot, lift the opposite foot and tap the step and the floor.

• Switch when you've completed at least 10 reps.

To make this bad-knee workout even more effective, do curls with light weights each time you step up.

Partial squats

Works: Knees, quads

Although full squats are among the worst bad-knee exercises, partial squats are actually one of the best.

• Start by positioning your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed forward.

• Flex your abs while lowering your upper body as low as comfort will allow. Your knees should remain behind your toes throughout the exercise.

Find a good knee support product before attempting this exercise, and never workout alone.

Calf raises

Works: Lower-leg muscles

Also known as "toe raises."

• Stand up straight with the front of your feet on a flat surface.

• Keep your ankles, hips and shoulders in perfect alignment, toes pointed forward.

• Lift your heels very slowly, then lower them at the same speed.

The slower you raise and lower your body, the better the workout. Start with 25 reps.

Scissor kick

Works: Abs, hip flexors, thighs

• Lie flat on your back with your legs together and arms by your sides.

• With your forearms on the ground, lift your legs six inches and your shoulders one inch.

• Holding that position, spread your legs apart, bring them back toward each other, then cross one leg over the other.

This is one rep. Start by doing sets of 50 reps. Don't let your legs or shoulders rest on the floor during the set.

Swimming

Works: Upper, mid and lower body muscles

Swimming is one of the best exercises for people with bad knees. It's low-impact and versatile, and it burns calories fast. Proper form is crucial, especially in kicking.

The knees should not be tensed. Techniques that put stress on the knees (e.g., the frog kick) should be avoided. Also, avoid the traditional pre-lap push off the wall.

Speed walking

Works: Upper, mid and lower body muscles

Running and jogging put stress on bad knees, but speed walking is low-impact and great exercise for the whole body. Beginners should stick to flat, smooth surfaces. After your walking muscles are strengthened, you may even be able to take low-impact hikes.

Cardio exercise for bad knees doesn't have to cause even more knee pain.

Low-impact cardio ideas

While cardio is important to achieve your fitness goals, it can be hard on your body. Over time, high-impact cardio, like running, can give way to muscle and joint injuries. To minimize the risk of injuring yourself, try different methods of low-impact cardio. Here are five low-impact cardio activities that will give you the results you want, while taking it easy on your body.

Take a dance class

Whether it is ballet, tap, salsa or modern, dance classes are wonderful low-impact cardio activities that keep your heart rate up for long periods of time. By requiring you to warm up first and stretch your muscles throughout the class, dance classes are also good for your body.

Use the elliptical instead of the treadmill

You will burn roughly the same amount of calories using an elliptical trainer as you would in the same amount of time on a treadmill. Plus, your feet never leave the pedals, so there is less chance of injuring your knees, back, neck or hips. This is an exercise that your body will thank you for, as it is essentially running on air.

Dust off your bike

Grab your bike out of the garage or storage and go for a bike ride. If you don’t have one, you can use the stationary bike at your gym. Bicycling will build your endurance and, depending on how fast you go, will burn between 250-500 calories in 30 minutes. If you are bicycling indoors, using the traditional stationary bike instead of the sitting stationary bike will burn more calories, as it engages more of your muscles in the exercise.

Walk it out

Going for a good, old-fashioned walk has numerous health benefits and is a classic form of low-impact cardio. Make sure to stretch first, wear supportive footwear and keep your pace brisk to get the maximum results from this low-impact exercise.

Finding the right kind of cardio for you is important. You can be challenged and stimulated without hurting yourself or taking your body beyond the point it can handle. Try switching back and forth between these low-impact cardio exercises throughout the week to keep your muscles engaged and your workout routine challenging.

Comments:

It is important to not bend the knees fully with weight but to bend the knees fully without weight. The small movement with resistance will assist with retaining strength around the knee muscles. The large movement without resistance will stretch the ligaments, tendons and muscles that support the knee as well as improve circulation to assist with healing. Both weighted slight movement and large range motion will cause pressure changes in the knee joint that will cause healing to occur.