Knee pain is a common issue that can impede your life in every aspect of daily life. In the health and fitness world, it’s easy to see a mix of diverse opinions on nearly every topic, and ellipticals are no exception. Do they cause knee pain or treat it? As it is with many health questions, the truth is a little more complicated.
How Ellipticals Affect the Joints
There’s no doubt that exercise is important for knee health. In fact, a 2015 study found that low-impact activity relieved knee pain to a similar degree as ibuprofen, so it’s even possible for the activity to dampen knee pain in the moment.
As for long-term healing, elliptical machines simulate walking, running, and stair climbing through their motions, all with less impact on joints. Frequent use will help grow muscles and improve blood flow to nourish connective tissue, which is especially beneficial for older patients with arthritis. The repeated, light activity can help alleviate knee issues while strengthening the body.
Ellipticals have similar fat-burning efficacy at high-intensity as running on a treadmill, but that doesn’t mean it’s any gentler on your joints when you push too hard. The key to any exercise for pain relief is safety.
How to Use an Elliptical Safely
Compared to treadmills, ellipticals have more rotation. Because of this, it’s important not to overstress the joints through intense activity if you are trying to heal knee pain. For proper use, swing your legs naturally while maintaining correct posture. A trainer or one of our healthcare professionals can help you find the proper posture for your height.
If you have an elliptical or use one at a gym, adjust the machine’s settings and speed. You want the exercise to be challenging, but you don’t want it to cause any discomfort. If you feel pain in your knee, stop and try to lower settings and speed next time. Be sure to also properly grip and use the stabilizing handles as you move on the elliptical. Although the machine is mostly for your lower body and cardio, proper stabilization will keep you from putting too much stress on your lower body and reduce the risk of falling over.
Chronic joint pain can be difficult to heal due to how much weight and activity the knees have to handle. Synergy Health Naples offers a range of low-intensity healing treatments to tackle knee pain from several different directions. We believe in healing our patients in Naples through non-surgical joint pain relief. County employees can even use insurance coverage on our services, from massage therapy to bone strengthening. Contact Synergy Health today and discover a non-invasive healing plan for your knee pain.
