11 knee-friendly weight loss exercises you can try

Losing weight is not a piece of cake. Add knee pain to it, and you will find it more challenging to drop pounds. You can watch your diet by focusing on healthy foods, and giving importance to portion control. But you also need to sweat it out to maintain a healthy weight. Your knee pain will probably hold you back from working out. Whether the pain is due to an injury, arthritis or ageing, you need to keep moving. The good news is that there are knee-friendly weight loss exercises. These exercises can help to lose weight and also reduce knee pain.

Why exercise with bad knees?

If you have knee pain, and don’t engage in physical activity, and lead a sedentary lifestyle, you will gain weight, especially in the abdomen area, over time. Excessive abdominal weight can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and type 2 diabetes, as per research published in Frontiers in 2021. Not exercising can even make the pain in your knees worse. Exercising can not only help to lose weight, but also improve knee pain.

A 2002 study published in The BMJ showed that participants who worked out had an average reduction in knee pain of 12 percent. Another study, published in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy in 2018, showed that physical activity for arthritic knee pain often leads to better outcomes than using medications, injections, and undergoing surgery.

11 weight loss exercises if you have bad knees

There are low impact knee-friendly weight loss exercises that you can do. “These knee-friendly weight loss exercises can also strengthen the muscles around the knees without causing too much strain,” says physiotherapist and fitness expert Dr Aijaz Ashai.

1. Swimming

• Begin with kicking your legs slightly while maintaining your body horizontal in the water, which should be warm considering the winter season.
• Now use your arms to swim forward while keeping movements smooth and controlled.
• Breathe in a steady rhythm, exhaling underwater and inhaling above water.
• Concentrate on maintaining a steady rhythm with your arms and legs to get the full-body workout.

2. Water aerobics

• Find a pool with shallow and warm water where you can stand.
• Do leg lifts in water by standing or holding onto the side of the pool for balance.
• Lift each leg in front of you.
• As part of water aerobics, you can also do water jogging. Lift your knees and alternate legs while lightly jogging in place.

3. Cycling on a stationary bike

• Get on the stationary bike and place your feet on the pedals.
• Adjust the height of the cycle’s seat so that your knees are slightly bent when the pedals reach their lowest point.
• Pedal at a moderate pace with your back straight and your core engaged.
• Use a comfortable resistance level so that your muscles work without straining your knees.
• Pedal at a constant rate for a specific duration, targeting 20 to 30 minutes of pedaling.

4. Elliptical trainer workout

• Stand on the elliptical trainer and hold the handrails so that you don’t lose balance.
• Preadjust the machine to low resistance.
• Begin with smooth, gliding steps on the foot pedals while moving the handles back and forth.
• Maintain an upright posture and keep your core engaged doing the elliptical trainer workout.
• Adjust the pace and resistance as needed, ensuring minimal impact on your joints.

5. Walking on flat surfaces

• Start walking briskly on a flat surface, outdoors or inside your home.
• Maintain upright posture, look forward with your shoulders back and relaxed.
• Swing your arms in sync with legs to add intensity and support gait.

6. Leg lifts using a chair

• Sit comfortably in a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor and back erect.
• Extend one leg at a time.
• Hold it up for several seconds before bringing the leg back down.

7. Side-lying leg lifts

• Lie on your side with your legs straight, and support your head by placing it on your arm.
• Raise your top leg up while keeping it straight without jerking.
• Wait a brief moment and then slowly lower the leg back down to the starting position.

8. Bridge exercise

• Lie flat on your back with your knees bent, feet pointing to the ground, and hip-width spacing apart.
• Clench your core as you engage your glutes while pressing your hips toward the ceiling so that a straight line would appear from your shoulders to your knees.
• Maintain the position for several seconds and then slowly bring your hips back down to the floor.

9. Step-ups

• Stand in front of a low platform such as a step or sturdy box.
• Step up with one leg followed by the other, while bringing both feet on the platform.
• Step back down with one foot then the other, going back into the starting position.

10. Leg press with a resistance band

• Sit on the floor with your feet positioned under a resistance band.
• Push forward on the band with your legs stretched, keeping your knees slightly bent but not too much.
• Slowly go back to the first step with tension on the band.

11. Lateral walks with resistance band

• To do this resistance band exercise, wrap the band around your thighs, just above your knees.
• Bend your knees a little bit and set your feet hip-width apart.
• Step sideways in small steps, keeping tension on the band.
• Walk for a distance or time and then change direction.

“These knee-friendly weight loss exercises can also reduce stress on knee joints, and strengthen the surrounding muscles and stabilise the knees,” says the expert.

Take precautions while doing knee-friendly weight loss exercises

• Work along with a physiotherapist or fitness trainer before doing knee-friendly weight loss exercises.
• Prepare your body with stretches or light movements for the muscles.
• Avoid excessive stress, and stop immediately upon feeling discomfort.
• Maintain ideal form to prevent injury while doing these knee-friendly weight loss exercises.
• Wear supportive shoes, as they can reduce stress on the joints.
• Stay hydrated to prevent muscle fatigue and support recovery after doing knee-friendly weight loss exercises.

Do these knee-friendly weight loss exercises at least three to five times per week for about 20 to 30 minutes,” says Dr Ashai.

Knee pain can make simple activities, such as exercising, hard. However, exercise is essential to maintain general health, manage weight, and build muscle. Do knee-friendly weight loss exercises without hurting your knees.