Ask a Trainer: Senior Sneakers

Q: I have an old knee injury that doesn’t allow me to do high impact leg workouts. I know that I need to exercise my legs, especially as I get older, so I can maintain my mobility. What are some exercises that I can do to workout my legs but don’t require a great deal of impact?” – Betty R.

A: Great question, Betty! You’re not alone in this situation. Knee pain affects millions of Americans each year.

Our legs are easily one of the most important parts of our body, since they allow us to walk around as well as swim with the grandkids! Maintaining a healthy set of legs with low impact exercises is surprisingly easy and will allow you to remain mobile for years to come.

The key to begin any workout is a solid warm-up to allow blood to flow to all the joints and muscles. Typically warm-ups will be 5 to10 minutes in length to allow proper blood flow throughout the body, reducing risk of pulled muscles or strained tendons. With your knee injury, the elliptical would be an excellent choice to get the blood flowing all while having little to no impact of your legs.

Exercising the muscles around the knee will decrease the likeliness of injuring it again because the strengthened muscles will reduce stress and workload on the knee itself. Here are a couple great exercises that will strengthen those muscles:

o Step-ups — Start by standing in front of a step bench if available, or in a pinch, a staircase will work as well. Place your left foot firmly on the ground with your right foot flat on the step, ensure that your right knee is directly above your ankle for proper form. Putting your weight on your right foot, drive with the heel as you bring the left foot onto the step then lower the left foot. Repeat this same movement with your left foot for one rep.

While I would not recommend doing full range squats, partial range squats are actually one of the best exercises for strengthening the knee.

o Partial Squat — Start with your legs spaced shoulder-width apart with your toes pointed forward. Flex your abs and begin lowering your upper body as low as comfortable, much like how you would sit in a chair. Return to the starting position to complete the rep. As previously mentioned, this exercise is great for alleviating strain on your knees as you sit down or rise from a chair.

Performing these exercises at least twice a week will give a great workout and also allow you to remain mobile well into your golden years. Another great idea to help knee pain is to add Omega-3 fatty acids into your diet. The fatty acids may help reduce the wear and tear on your joints. To add this wonderful supplement to your diet eat fish like tuna or salmon, if you don’t like eating fish there is a pill form available as well.

But, as always, Betty, consult your physician before doing any physical activity or changing your diet. I hope these tips help!

Eric Ludwig is a personal trainer candidate with the National Academy of Sports Medicine ( www.nasm.org ). His focus of study is on several demographics and lifestyles including mature adults, sports specific training and general weight loss and strength training. He can be reached at 321-972-5833 for personal training. Have a health and fitness question? Email us at [email protected] and get a free personal training session.