7 Best Cardio Workouts and Exercises for Bad Knees
Aug 28, 2025 • 8 min read
Published on August 28, 2025 | Updated on August 28, 2025
August 28, 2025
NASM Personal Trainer, NASM Fitness Nutrition Specialist, ACE Sports Conditioning Specialist, NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist
Knee pain is not a free pass to skip cardio. In fact, avoiding it completely might be making your knees worse.
The real problem is not cardio itself. It’s doing the wrong kind.
By shifting to low-impact, joint-friendly movements, you can still build cardiovascular fitness, protect your knees, and even improve their long-term stability.
The key is choosing exercises that challenge your heart without punishing your joints.
Low- and moderate-impact cardio have been shown to improve overall well-being and heart health, even if not as intense as HIIT or similar workouts. The key lies in consistency and selecting the right type of movement.
In fact, regular cardio that’s gentle on the joints can improve not just your fitness, but also improve your knee function over time.
Your knees rely on movement to stay healthy. Regular activity helps circulate synovial fluid, the body’s natural joint lubricant, inside the knee capsule.
This fluid reduces friction, nourishes the cartilage, and allows smoother, pain-free motion.
Without regular movement, knees are more likely to feel stiff, achy, and less mobile.
Cardio workouts that engage the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves help strengthen the muscles that surround and stabilize the knee joint.
Stronger muscles act like shock absorbers, taking pressure off the joint itself and improving alignment during daily activities like walking, climbing stairs, or standing up from a chair.
Every extra pound of body weight can add roughly four pounds of pressure on the knees when walking and even more when running or climbing.
Low-impact cardio supports healthy weight management, which reduces the mechanical stress your knees endure with each step.
Over time, this lighter load can ease discomfort and slow down wear-and-tear on joint structures.
Gentle cardio increases circulation, which means more oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the tissues around the knee.
This improved blood flow can promote healing, reduce inflammation, and help muscles recover faster after both exercise and everyday use.
The best cardio for bad knees is all about keeping your heart rate up while keeping joint stress down.
Low-impact options let you train your cardiovascular system without the pounding or deep bending that can aggravate knee pain.
The following four activities are joint-friendly, effective, and adaptable to almost any fitness level so you can stay active and protect your knees at the same time.
If there’s a gold standard for joint-friendly cardio, it’s water-based workouts.
Due to the buoyancy of water, you can significantly reduce pressure on your joints, especially the knees.
Swimming provides a full-body cardiovascular workout, engaging the upper and lower body, improving both endurance and mobility.
Whether you're doing freestyle laps, breaststroke, or even just water walking, your muscles are constantly working against the water’s natural resistance.
If you’re looking for a fun twist, you can try water aerobics.
These classes often use flotation devices or light resistance tools to guide you through controlled, rhythmic movements that improve both cardio capacity and joint strength.
Cycling, when done right, is another excellent low-impact cardio option.
The key to protecting your knees is ensuring a proper bike setup: your seat should be at a height where your knee maintains a slight bend at the bottom of each pedal stroke.
This positioning avoids over-extension and keeps the joint in a safe range of motion.
Better yet: you don’t need a “proper” bike for your knee-friendly cardio, seeing as stationary bikes, especially recumbent bikes, come with similar benefits:
smooth, circular motion for knee-friendly exercise
adjustable resistance levels
strength training for hamstrings and quads for bad knees
Another great indoor option for your cardio is the elliptical machine. The elliptical is an excellent choice for those who aren’t fans of the treadmill.
Its smooth, gliding motion mimics the movement of walking or running while placing significantly less impact on your joints.
Plus, it works both the upper and lower body at the same time, giving you a full-body cardio workout that’s easy on the knees.
This machine also offers some degree of adjustment. You can experiment with resistance levels and incline settings to customize the intensity to your fitness level, which is similar to working muscles through a stair stepper.
Walking might seem too simple to be effective, but it’s one of the most accessible and beneficial forms of cardio.
As a natural movement pattern, walking has been shown to improve knee pain, strengthen the stabilizing muscles around your knees, and improve joint fluidity.
When starting, make sure to go for flat, even surfaces, and wear cushioned, supportive shoes to protect your knees.
Once you’re comfortable, you can explore slight inclines or speed variations to raise your heart rate without risking injury, whether outdoors or by walking on a treadmill.
You don’t need a gym to get your heart pumping and your body moving.
By choosing exercises that are gentle on your joints, you can protect your knees while still achieving an effective workout.
These at-home cardio options are low-impact, adaptable to any fitness level, and require little to no equipment, making it easy to stay consistent without leaving your living room.
Instructions:
Stand straight, feet hip-width apart.
Raise one knee toward your chest, while lifting the opposite arm.
Alternate sides in a rhythmic, steady motion, just like marching.
Sets & Reps: Start with 3 sets of 30–60 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds between sets.
Safety Notes: Keep movements controlled and your core engaged. Chairs and walls can help with balance.
Progression: Add light hand weights or increase your pace slightly to boost intensity.
Instructions:
Stand with feet together, hands pressed together at chest height.
Step your right foot out to the side, keeping knees soft and toes pointed forward.
Bring it back to the center and keep your upper body straight the whole time.
Switch sides after all sets on one side are done.
Sets & Reps: Do 3 sets of 20–30 alternating steps (10–15 per leg). Rest for 30–45 seconds between sets.
Safety Notes: Step only as far as is comfortable, avoiding sharp or sudden movements. Keep your knees aligned with your toes to reduce strain.
Progression: Speed up the pace slightly or add a light pulse at the bottom of each step to increase challenge without impact.
Instructions:
Stand tall, feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides.
Step one foot back into a gentle lunge while raising both arms overhead.
Move back into the starting position and replicate on the other side.
Keep the movement fluid and your upper body upright.
Sets & Reps: Aim for 3 sets of 10–12 reps per leg. Rest for 30–45 seconds between sets.
Safety Notes: Align your front knee directly over your ankle and do not lean beyond that. Don’t force the depth—take smaller steps if needed.
Progression: Increase your pace slightly for a light cardio challenge or add light hand weights for extra resistance once confident in form.
Instructions:
Stand straight, feet hip-width apart.
Lift one knee toward your chest in a controlled motion, bringing both hands down to lightly tap the top of the knee.
Lower the first leg and repeat on the other side.
Sets & Reps: Perform 3 sets of 20–30 alternating knee drives. Rest for 30 seconds between sets.
Safety Notes: Avoid leaning back and engage your core, keeping the upper body stable.
Progression: Speed up the tempo slightly or hold light dumbbells to increase cardio demand and coordination.
Instructions:
Start in a standing position with feet together and arms by your sides.
Step one foot out to the side while simultaneously swinging both arms overhead in a jumping jack motion.
Bring everything back to center, then switch sides.
This low-impact version avoids jumping but still keeps the energy high.
Sets & Reps: Perform 3 sets of 30–45 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds between sets.
Safety Notes: Move with control and keep knees slightly bent to absorb motion.
Progression: Once confident, increase the tempo or add light wrist weights.
Instructions:
Begin in a high plank position with hands shoulder-width apart and body in a straight line.
Step your right foot forward, placing it flat near your hand.
Return to plank, then alternate by stepping the left foot forward.
Keep movements smooth and controlled—no need to rush.
Sets & Reps: Perform 3 sets of 8–10 lunges per leg. Rest for 30–45 seconds between sets.
Safety Notes: Keep your spine neutral and avoid sagging hips. If full plank is too intense, elevate your hands on a chair or low table.
Progression: Once comfortable, increase pace slightly or add a gentle pulse when in the lunge position for an added burn.
Instructions:
Start in a slight squat with feet hip-width apart. Step or hop laterally to the right, landing on your right foot while reaching your left hand toward your right foot.
Then move to the left side, mirroring the motion.
Continue side to side in a flowing rhythm, keeping your movements low and grounded.
Sets & Reps: Do 3 sets of 20 alternating taps (10 per side). Rest for 45 seconds between sets.
Safety Notes: Focus on control over speed. Keep knees softly bent and land gently. If hopping feels too intense, step instead of jump.
Progression: Once steady, increase pace or add a pause at the bottom of each tap for a deeper burn. You can also hold a light weight at the chest to raise intensity while maintaining form.
Your cardio journey doesn’t end with bad knees. They just mark the beginning of a more mindful approach.
With the right exercises, you can stay active, protect your joints, and still enjoy the wide-ranging benefits of cardiovascular movement including improved heart health, better weight management, and increased mobility.
Just take the time to figure out how many steps really matter to you.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
