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Finding the right cardio workout to ease knee pain

September 30, 2013

Knee pain is a common issue for many people. Whether it’s the result of an injury sustained playing sports or in an accident due to overuse and overtraining, knee pain must be treated. Ignoring signs can create more problems, and could lead to the need for intensive interventions down the road, such as surgery.

Whether an old injury flares up sometimes or you suddenly find yourself with less leg mobility, it’s important to take the necessary steps to ease knee pain and stay active.

Take a break
If you begin to notice knee pain while running on your home treadmill, like a True M30 Home Treadmill, don’t ignore it, especially if it’s accompanied by swelling or discoloration. Instead, take a break from strenuous exercise. Give yourself a couple of days off your feet. Make sure to ice one or both knees. You can also wear an ACE bandage or knee braces if it helps ease pain or pressure.

Opt for low-impact cardio
Different cardio machines can put more impact on joints, including your knees. Running and cycling are great, but they can put a lot of stress on the body. After suffering from knee pain, you’ll want to ease back into physical activity, so try machines that are low impact such as a home elliptical machine like a True M50 Home Elliptical Trainer, or a recumbent bike like the True PS50 Home Recumbent Bike.

Ellipticals are a great option because the motion mimics cross-country skiing. You glide through the movements rather than strike the ground, so there’s much less pressure put on your knees. You can still work up a sweat and burn a sufficient amount of calories in each workout without risking further damage to your joints.

Additionally, even though you’re still pedaling a recumbent bike, you’re sitting down at level with the pedals instead of on top of them. This takes the pressure off your lower body while still providing you with a challenging cycling workout.

If the treadmill is your machine of preference, try walking instead of running while you’re recovering from knee pain. Walking is less strenuous on the body overall and especially on lower body joints like knees and ankles. Walking is still a quality exercise option and has been proven to provide a variety of health benefits both mentally and physically.