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Exercise Tips: Go Low Impact with Equipment

There is a great demand for exercise equipment low impact because more and more people are experiencing problems with their joints and bones. It is common for competitive athletes and others to have knee or hip pain due to the gradual deterioration of protective, cushioning cartilage or face the danger of minor bone breaks or stress fractures. Even when the situation is not severe, problems like shin splints can cause people to seek low impact alternatives to the exercise they normally do.

Although many of the activities that have the risk of the highest impact, like running, are good weight-bearing activities that help build bone mass and strengthen bones, the repetition of high-impact activities can have negative side effects. For those people who need to recover from injuries or overuse or who just want to give their bodies a rest from the strain of impact, there are many different exercise equipment low impact options to try.

Options for Exercise Equipment Low Impact

One of the best options for exercise equipment low impact is the elliptical machine. This machine is great because it allows people to get a very intense cardio workout that is still weight-bearing without the impact. Additionally, it replicates a natural running form almost perfectly so it is a great alternative for a runner who is recovering from an injury or just needs a day off. Another good option that is similar to an elliptical machine is called the skywalker. It gives a very challenging workout because both the arms and legs swing back and forth with the opposite arm-leg motion of running. It is completely impact-free but very physically demanding.

Stationary bicycles or regular bicycles are another very popular and common exercise equipment low impact choice. They work muscles that are complimentary to running, so they are also a good choice for runners or walkers who want to vary their workout routines slightly. Stair-stepping machines are not completely impact-free, but they are considerably lower impact than many other activities. They focus on strengthening the quad, hamstring and calf muscles. Although these are not all of the low impact exercise equipment choices, they are some of the best and most common. They all offer the advantage of still giving weight-bearing exercise while dramatically decreasing the impact. For people who are not specifically training for an athletic event, it is a good idea to vary your workout routine, incorporating different machines or activities so that all your muscles get a complete workout and your body and some of its certain parts get a much needed rest.

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