15 Cardio Exercises For Bad Knees That Strengthen Leg Muscles

A combination of medical treatment and physical therapy can offer quick relief from knee pain (6), (7). In this article, we have listed 15 cardio exercises that can help relieve your knee pain and strengthen your leg muscles. Scroll down to check them out.

15 Safe And Effective Cardio Exercises To Relieve Knee Pain

Before you start with these joint-friendly exercises, you must warm-up for at least 10 minutes.

Warm-Up

Warming up is important to elevate body temperature, metabolic rate, and oxygen uptake (8). You can look at the following warm-up routine:

Use a warm towel to gently rub your knee in a circular motion. Take a hot water shower. Ask your physical therapist to gently massage your knee before exercising.

After the warm-up, you can start doing the following low-impact, seated exercises for relieving knee pain.

Sitting/Lying Cardio For Knee Pain

1. Sitting Quad Clench

Target – Quads How To Do Sets And Reps 3 sets of 12 reps. Do this 4-5 times a day.

2. Sitting March

Target – Quadriceps, and hamstrings. How To Do

3 sets of 10 reps.

3. Lying Leg Curls

Target – Hamstrings, quads, and glutes. How To Do Sets And Reps 2 sets of 12 reps. Do this 3 times a day.

4. Straight Leg Raises

Target – Hamstrings, quads, glutes, and lower abs. How To Do Sets And Reps 3 sets of 5 reps. If you prefer sitting or lying exercises like the one above then you can try yoga for knee pain or even start practicing low-impact exercises like Pilates for knee pain. Pilates exercises emphasize core strength, flexibility, and controlled movements, all of which contribute to better knee health. A study analyzed the impact of pilates exercises in addressing knee osteoarthritis in women. Over 8 weeks, female patients were divided into two groups. While one group performed Pilates exercises the other performed isometric exercises. The group engaged in Pilates exercises demonstrated greater advancements in pain reduction and physical function compared to the other group (9). So, alongside performing cardio exercises at home, Pilates can be a great option for individuals seeking non-invasive and impactful approaches to alleviate knee pain and enhance joint function.

Standing Cardio For Knee Pain

5. Wall Sit Squats

Target – Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. How To Do Sets And Reps 3 sets of 10 seconds before you hold. Increase the duration of the hold as you progress and become more comfortable with this exercise.

6. Assisted Calf Raises

Target – Calves and hamstrings. How To Do Sets And Reps 3 sets of 12 reps. Do this 4-5 times a day.

7. Assisted Stair Climbing

Target – Knee extensors, hamstrings, quads, and calves. How To Do Sets And Reps 1 set of 10 climb-ups and 10 climb-downs. Increase the sets as you become more comfortable with the stair exercise.

8. Stationary Biking

Target – Quadriceps, hamstrings, knee extensors, glutes, and calves. How To Do Sets And Reps 3 sets of 30 – 50 reps In addition to these exercises, you can try standing leg lifts, resistance bad left lifts, seated leg lifts, or the seated row machine to strengthen your leg muscles.

Aqua Cardio Exercises For Knees

9. Walking In The Swimming Pool

Target – Quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, and knee extensors. Pool Condition – Warm water pool How To Do Sets And Reps Do 2-3 sets of 15 reps of forwarding and back steps each. Practice this once per day under the supervision of your physical therapist.

10. Side Walking In Swimming Pool

Target – Knee extensors and all the tendons and ligaments in the knees. How To Do Sets And Reps 2 sets of 1 lap. You may decrease or increase the distance covered or sets, respectively, according to your comfort level.

11. Underwater Treadmill

Target – Quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. How To Do Sets And Reps 10 minutes.

12. Aqua One-Leg Jogging

Targets- Quadriceps, Hamstrings. How To Do

5 minutes

13. Aqua Squats

Targets – Quadriceps How To Do Sets And Reps 2 minutes

14. Step Up In The Swimming Pool

Target – Quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. How To Do Sets And Reps Initially, do 2 sets of 10 step ups and step downs. Take a break of 30 seconds (or more) between the two sets. Move on to doing more number of steps and reps as you progress. Do this once a day. You can also try different step-ups with modifications under the supervision of your physical therapist to spice up your workout routine.

15. Side Leg Raises In The Swimming Pool

Target – Abductors and glutes. How To Do Sets And Reps 3 sets of 10 reps. These simple knee-friendly exercises can help strengthen your legs. If done right, they may also relieve your knee pain. In addition to these cardio exercises, you can try isometric exercises, Nordic walking, stretches including hip stretches, calf stretches, hamstring stretches, knee-to-chest stretches, and quadricep stretches to strengthen your leg muscles. Practicing these regularly is a great way to reduce knee pains and prevent further complications, especially in older people, as it is a common issue among them. According to a cross-sectional study conducted on 4292 participants aged between 60–69 years, 1758 (40.9%) reported knee pain, and 570 (13.3%) reported self-reported knee osteoarthritis. As per the data, the prevalence of knee OA is between 6.4% and 7.4% in ages between 60 and 69. However, it is important you take the necessary precautions.

Precautions

Do not go past the safe range of motion. Do not sit by folding your good leg over the affected leg. Avoid hyperextension of the knee. Do not perform high-intensity exercises. Avoid running, jogging, and dancing on solid ground. Avoid using additional medications to mask the pain.

The following tips can help promote faster healing. Do run these by your healthcare provider and trainer.

Tips To Follow

Follow a balanced diet. Take your time and be gentle while doing the exercises. Always warm-up before exercising. Ice your knee when you feel it’s appropriate. In case of increased pain, talk to your doctor and rest your knee.

Can you do squats if you have painful knees? Regular squats are not recommended with painful knees. However, you may try aqua squats as they exert low pressure on your knees. Ensure you speak to your doctor before you start the exercise regimen. How can I increase cartilage in my knees? Cartilage in knees can be increased by including healthy and protein-rich foods in your diet. Take the right supplements after discussing with your doctor, practice regular exercise, and aim to lose weight. Is swimming good for the knees? Yes, swimming is a low-impact activity that strengthens the muscles around your knees, which may help strengthen the knees and reduce pain (10). In addition, the buoyancy of the water supports the body weight during swimming, putting less strain on joints and easing knee pain. Is elliptical good for knees? Yes, elliptical workouts are low-impact, easy on the knees, and wonderful for the elderly and those recovering after a knee injury, osteoporosis, ankle damage, and knee arthritis (11).