If you suffer from bad knee pain due to injury or age, then you might be looking for the best form of exercise that will allow you to exercise but not cause pain in your knees during or after.
Cross trainers are one of the best exercise machines on the market to use if you suffer from joint pain. These machines (as long as they are used correctly), can provide some great cardio without being too impactful on your knees as your feet never leave the pedals of the machine, unlike running which requires you to jump up and down with your joints.
To understand how we can use a cross-trainer correctly, why they are good for our knees and why we get knee pain from exercise, we have composed a short information guide below that will give you everything you need to know.
Knee pain is a common result of exercise, some exercises that involve running or jumping can put a huge amount of stress on your joints over time and cause some serious issues if not looked after.
For example, younger people can develop something called 'runners knee' which causes pain around the soft tissue of the knee cap, meaning you will need to rest your knee or stabilise it with physical therapy.
On the other end of the spectrum, older people who have been running there whole life could develop osteoarthritis, this means you will need to stay away from high impact exercises, try physical therapy or use machines like a cross-trainer which is easier on the joints.
Cross trainers are the ideal exercise machine for people with bad knees as they reduce the harsh impact during exercise that jumping or running gives.
The motion of these trainers is softer and more of a circular motion which is beneficial for most users.
We have listed out some further benefits of using a cross trainer below.
However, if you think your cross trainer might be the reason for your knee pain, then you could be suffering from one of the common causes below.
It is possible you could be suffering from an overuse injury on your kneecap called quadriceps tendinitis. This injury may develop if you have gone into intense exercise too quickly as a beginner, causing inflammation in your kneecap.
A way to help this issue is by resting and making sure you don't go to intense the next time you use the cross-trainer.
Believe it or not, cross trainers are the better options for your knees over a treadmill as they are low impact, however, this low impact does not mean no impact at all and can still cause knee discomfort for some users.
For example, high resistance walking on a cross-trainer can put a lot of stress on your ligaments and knee joint resulting in pain.
Patella tendinitis is the tendon that helps your muscles lower your lower leg, this is used when pushing pedals on a cross-trainer, most people feel a sharp pain either during or after their workout when this is occurring. You will need to rest and get checked with your doctor, as continuing to exercise with this can make the problem much worse.
Working out with a cross-trainer uses an unnatural motion that can put stress on your hips and joints like your knees. Using a cross trainer which is too wide for you can contribute to this pain.
Both cross trainers and bikes are typically recommended as the best exercises for people with knee pain, as they are low-impact and don't cause as much strain as running.
So as we can figure which type of machine is better for your knees, we have compared the two below with their pros and cons so as you can figure out which one is right for you.
If you suffer from very bad knee pain, an exercise bike can be a better option as it offers you the chance to sit down, reducing the tension on your knees. The seat of an upright bike can also be adjusted to reduce impact and recumbent exercise bikes take any pressure off your knees completely.
However, exercise bikes are much less effective for fat burn than cross trainers because of this, so might not offer a very effective workout.
Cross trainers on the other hand are also considered low impact for your joints and provide a better workout for your body as they involve your top half as well as your lower body, unlike a bike.
Even though a cross-trainer should be easy on your knees if used correctly, it can still cause damage due to the fact it is weight-bearing and the gliding motion may put extra stress on joints in comparison to a recumbent bike.
To conclude, if your knee pain is very serious, then you should always opt for a lighter workout on a recumbent bike rather than using a weight-bearing cross-trainer. However, if you have minor knee pain and want to burn more calories, then a cross-trainer might be more ideal, you should always check with your doctor either way before working out with a knee issue.
One of the best ways to stop knee pain from happening when using your cross trainer is by using it correctly. You should also be taking some extra precautions when using your trainer if you have a bad knee, we have listed a few tips out below.
Is it better to use a bike or a cross trainer if I suffer from knee pain?
This depends on the severity of your knee injury, if you have a very bad injury and want to keep weight off your knee, go for a recumbent bike, however, a cross-trainer will be better at keeping you fit and helping you recover plus gain strength.
Why are cross trainers good for the knees?
They can strengthen the muscles around your knees, give less impact and be effective in helping you recover from a knee injury.
What are the most common knee problems that happen from exercise?
Fractures, ligaments or tendon tears are very common for people who are active and are caused by overusing or overextending from your knee during sport.
To conclude, you should always listen to your body when it comes to your knee pain and amend your workouts accordingly or rest till your knee feels better, never strain yourself too much, as you can end up causing more damage to your knee in the long run.
Stick to exercising on machines such as a recumbent bike or cross trainer as these will be easier on your joints.
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