Is The Elliptical Good For Knees?

Is The Elliptical Good For Knees?

There is no age or condition where working out is totally banned.

For seniors, pregnant women, people with injuries, and even for those with arthritic knees/joints, and even those who have gone knee replacement surgery, exercising and staying active is still encouraged.

Choosing low impact or non impact workout machines are important and ellipticals is one of the few machines that can do that.

People who suffer with knee problems should know that using an elliptical is good for knees.

You can also consider it as the best exercise machine to strengthen knees.

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The Best Elliptical for Bad Knees

How does an elliptical trainer benefit bad knees? Can the elliptical cause knee pain?

According to Healthline, moderate exercises like using ellipticals can help 27 million Americans who have arthritis.

This helps a person stay fit without risking more symptoms or causing the arthritic problems to worsen.

How a low impact workout in an elliptical can help you:

  • Helps with weight loss, so there are less weight to be supported by the knees
  • Better blood and nutrient flow to cartilages around the body especially the knees
  • Supporting the better formation of muscles around the knees and this helps to lessen the stress from wear and tear in the knees

Check out the Octane Q37x Standing Elliptical for a knee-friendly machine.

Best Exercise Machine To Strengthen Knees: Elliptical vs Treadmill

The treadmill and the elliptical are two of the popular exercise equipment out there.

Both equipment can help users experience walking and running movements in the gym or at home.

Treadmills vs. Ellipticals

  • A treadmill helps you to run or walk as a belt moves under your feet while an elliptical trainer works as you move your feet in an oval motion as you have each foot on a platform.
  • A treadmill can be more user friendly for beginners to use but as you increase intensity, it can put more pressure on the knees. Yes, it can lead to better bone density but it can lead to pain and irritation in the knee joint.

Here are more ways to determine if a treadmill or elliptical is best for you: Treadmill or Elliptical? Which One is Best for Home Gyms?

If you are looking for a non impact workout that also helps you target multiple muscle groups at once, an elliptical is for you.

You can also increase your workout intensity without worrying about your joint pains.

best exercise machine to strengthen knees - Fitness Expo

Workout While Recovering: The Best Elliptical For Knees

Once your doctor or physical therapist gives you the green light to start exercising while healing from an injury, an elliptical can be your new best friend.

It would still depend on your physical health, injury, and recovery stage but an elliptical is good for recovery of knee injuries.

It is still important that you listen to your body as you work out on an elliptical so you can make necessary changes to your routine.

When in doubt, consult your doctor, physical therapist, or chiropractor for better medical advice.

Tips on Using The Best Elliptical

Practice these safety tips so you can make the most out of working out on an elliptical.

  • Warm up before working out. This can help prevent your muscles from getting stiff and will put you in the right condition.
  • Wear the right clothing and footwear. Whether you will be using the elliptical at home or at the gym, make sure you are dressed for the occasion. Wear light, stretchable clothing and choose sneakers that can give you arch support to keep the hips and knees in the right alignment as you work out.
  • Maintaining a proper posture makes a big difference. This also helps prevent any more accidents or injuries from happening. Keep your spine straight and never slouch once you feel tired. Keep your head upright and your shoulders should also be back.
  • The handle bars are there for a reason so use them. They can assist in keeping your balance so you don’t fall over and hurt yourself as you go through the motions. Just make sure you don’t lean on the handlebars so much as this can lessen the benefits of the work out and can strain your upper body, hands, and wrist.
  • Set a good pace for your work out. Most intensive workouts on the elliptical can last for at least twenty minutes but you can begin with five to ten minutes first.
    During this time you can observe and pay attention to your body as you work out.
    Feel what your knees are feeling and make changes as you become more comfortable with the elliptical. You can advance to twenty to thirty minutes but don’t push yourself if you cannot.

The Best Exercise Machine To Strengthen Knees

Getting the best elliptical machine that will keep your knees in strength. You don’t have to immediately buy the latest model or get a known brand, especially if you’re still starting out.

Let our crew at Fitness Expo help you choose the best elliptical for you. Give us a call today!