Cardio exercises for bad knees

Knees and exercises

Despite the fact that cardio exercises are vital for just about any fitness regimen, they may be harmful for people with bad knees. They can be painful and unpleasant for the person’s already harmed knees. Of course, the main determining factor when it comes to the range of exercises one can do, will be the severity of the injury itself. However, there are specific exercises that can be performed on a regular basis, without much strenuous effort, for the people who have bad knees. Word of caution – prior to taking up any exercise programme or just opting for a specific exercise, one should always consult his/her physician, as well as a workout trainer, in order to protect oneself from any potential injuries that could only make the entire knee related condition worse.

Exercises revealed

Step-ups – are known to work the person’s gluteus, quads and also hamstrings. What one should do is stand in front of a staircase placing one of the feet (flat) on the first step – one can also employ a step bench. Next is to step on the foot, putting the weight on the hill of the elevated foot beforehand and lifting the opposite foot, tapping the step and the floor. Once ten repetitions are done away with, leg-switch can occur. Partial squats – are extremely favorable when it comes to working out the person’s knees and quads. Despite the fact that complete squats are not at all favorable for bad knees, those partial ones are regarded as the most effective and beneficial. Calf raises – especially favorable and effective for lower-leg muscles. Another name they are also quite familiar for is the “toe raises”. One thing to always keep in mind with this specific exercise is that the slower a person raises and lowers his/her body, more effective the exercise will be. One should begin with 25 repetitions. Scissor kick – regarded to be most beneficial for working out the abs, thighs and hip flexors. Extremely important is not to allow neither the legs nor the shoulders to come in contact with the floor during the exercise session, which should be comprised from sets of 50 repetitions at least.

Other extremely beneficial exercises are swimming (for upper, mid and lower body muscles), speed walking (for the same muscle groups as the previous one) and alike.