We all know that exercise is good for us. Not only does it help you stay within a healthy weight range; exercise can prevent heart disease and many other health complications. From a chiropractor’s point of view, exercise can also promote healthy joints and keep muscles strong.
Of course, working out too vigorously can have the opposite effect. If you use improper form or simply over-exert yourself, you can injure your joints and muscles. You might even cause damage to your spine. That’s why low-impact cardio can be so helpful, especially to those who are older or don’t exercise regularly.
If you’re just getting started with a regular exercise routine, or if you need lighter activities to perform on “rest days”, try these low impact cardio exercises.
Walking. The great thing about walking is that we all know how to do it, and you don’t need a gym or any special equipment other than shoes. So lace them up and get going. Set your own pace, but walk for at least twenty minutes in order to get a good workout.
Biking. There’s just something about biking that feels so free and enjoyable. You might forget that you’re even doing it for exercise. You can ride a bike to work instead of driving, or just get out on the weekends and enjoy your neighborhood. Biking can be laid-back and relaxing, or you can get competitive. It’s fun and effective either way.
Swimming. Swimming is terrific calorie-burning exercise, but it’s low impact because of the buoyancy provided by water. There is basically no strain on your joints, but do swim with a partner for safety.
Stretching. Stretching provides a healing and soothing complement to the rest of your exercise routine. And if you practice yoga, it can serve as a bit of a cardio workout too. Look for a yoga or general stretch class on YouTube, or simply invent your own regimen. Remember to go slowly and breathe into stretches. Don’t push yourself too far, too soon.
If you’re performing low impact exercises like the ones listed above, and you’re still experiencing pain, give us a call. We should evaluate you for injuries or chronic alignment problems, so that we can prescribe the right chiropractic treatments to help you address the underlying problem.