How to Not Hurt Knees on an Elliptical
- 1). If you have knee pain, talk with your doctor. For a knee condition or injury, rest may be a better option than working out on the elliptical. If your doctor does clear you for training, he might recommend anti-inflammatory medications to reduce pain, orthotics for your shoes or physical therapy to help alleviate or avoid pain.
- 2). Choose the right elliptical model. If you experience knee pain while using an elliptical at a fitness center, try a different model that doesn't stress your knees. On some ellipticals the distance between the pedals, or hip width, may not be ideal for you. A hip width too large or too small will cause stress to your knees, hips and back. If you can adjust the incline on the elliptical, varying the intensity may change the stress on the knee.
- 3). Try varying your heel position. If you experience pain when you keep the heel fixed to the pedal, raising the heel slightly will cause you to pivot on the ball of the foot and may decrease stress on the knee. Conversely, if you have knee pain with the heel raised, keeping the heel fixed may help by changing body mechanics and knee alignment.
- 4). Avoid straightening your legs completely. This rule applies to exercise bikes and stair climbers as well as elliptical trainers. Your legs should never lock.
- 5). Avoid consecutive days. If you're prone to repetitive stress injuries such as iliotibial band syndrome or hip bursitis, take at least one day off between elliptical workouts. This should help you avoid nagging injuries. If you're a runner, you may want to avoid running and using the elliptical machine on consecutive days as well.
- 6). Listen to your body the day after a workout. If you're new to the elliptical or are using a different model, you may experience some knee aches the next day. These should be temporary. But if they persist, this is not normal, and you should consult with your doctor about making changes.
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