Low-Impact Cardio: The Benefits for Your Body and Joints

Low-impact cardio is often recommended for people with joint pain, injuries, or other musculoskeletal (MSK) issues. But whether you’re in pain or not, anyone can benefit from this type of aerobic exercise.

“Low-impact cardio can be a good introduction to exercise for people who are just starting out or coming back to exercise after injury,” says Vanessa Matos, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Hinge Health. “It can feel more manageable for seniors. For athletes, it’s an effective way to cross-train while minimizing risk of overuse injuries. Low-impact cardio is a versatile and accessible option for anyone because it can be ramped up or down.”

Read on to learn what low-impact cardio exercise is, the benefits it offers, and which low-impact cardio exercises Hinge Health physical therapists recommend.

What Is Low-Impact Cardio?

Any type of cardiovascular (heart and lungs) exercise, from brisk walking to running to pickleball, increases your heart rate and breathing. This in turn increases how much oxygen the body consumes. Cardio exercise generally uses large muscle groups in a repetitive and rhythmic way to strengthen the heart and lungs, improving the efficiency of the body's cardiovascular system (hence the name).

“Low-impact cardio is a type of cardiovascular exercise that minimizes stress on the joints, particularly the ankles, knees, hips, and spine,” says Dr. Matos. “There's usually no jumping.”

For example, when you’re walking, one foot is always on the ground making it low impact compared to running, in which both feet leave the ground. Jumping jacks are high-impact, but side-to-side steps are low-impact. Other low-impact cardio exercises include cycling, using the elliptical machine, swimming, tai chi, and rowing.

Low-Impact Exercise vs. Low-Intensity Exercise

But don’t let the name fool you — just because an activity is low impact doesn’t mean it’s less effective or easier. Low-impact cardio exercises can range from low to high intensity, depending on how you perform the moves.

Many people mistake low impact for low intensity, but “they are separate concepts,” says Dr. Matos. “Low intensity refers to the amount of effort exerted and has nothing to do with the activity’s impact on joints.”

You can vary the intensity of low-impact exercise (or any exercise!), often by the speed at which you move, allowing you to adjust exercises to your ability level. 

• If you can sing while doing cardio, you’re working at a low intensity. 

• If you can talk, you’re at a moderate intensity. 

• If you can’t say more than a few words without taking a breath, you’re exercising at a vigorous or high intensity. 

“There's a time and a place for all intensities of movement, so play with the intensity to find what’s right for you,” says Dr. Matos.

Examples of Low-Impact Cardio

Not sure what counts as “low-impact” cardio? Here, a list of examples of low-impact cardio. All the activities on this list go easy on your joints.

• Walking

• Swimming

• Cycling

• Elliptical

• Yoga

• Pilates

• Rowing

• Tai chi

Why Should You Do Low-Impact Cardio?

All forms of cardio come with full-body benefits, like the ones below. Low-impact cardio, in particular, can come in handy when you’re new to an exercise or are ramping back up after an injury and want to give your body (including your joints) time to adjust. The benefits you may see when you make this type of exercise a regular part of your routine, include:

• Decreased disease risk. Like all types of exercise, low-impact cardio improves your health, reducing your risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.

• Better mental health. Low-impact cardio exercise boosts your mood, eases stress and anxiety, makes you more alert, and may even slow cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.

• Improved joint function. Along with enhancing your cardiovascular fitness, low-impact cardio exercise strengthens the muscles around joints for better range of motion, mobility, and flexibility.

• Less pain. Low-impact cardio exercise helps to decrease MSK pain by strengthening the muscles that support achy joints, increasing joint lubrication and releasing feel-good hormones.

• Better weight management. Cardio exercise burns calories, so “it’s a good tool in your toolbox for weight management, which also helps decrease extra stress on joints,” says Dr. Matos. And low-impact cardio can be just as effective as high-impact cardio for weight loss. In one study, men and women lost weight whether they jogged or walked for exercise.

• Low risk of injury. The risk of injury from low-impact activities is relatively low, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. For instance, walking typically presents a lower risk of injury compared to running. However, this doesn't mean that high-impact activities need to be avoided — even if you have arthritis or joint pain. If you've been steering clear of these because of injury concerns, it might be worth reconsidering how you can slowly work higher-impact activities into your routine. With proper preparation, and by adapting activities to what your body can handle, you can prepare your body to handle a variety of exercises safely. 

"There are also less tangible, but equally important, benefits to low-impact cardio, such as its ability to help improve quality of life and daily function," says Dr. Matos. “Exercise ensures that people are able to do the things that matter most to them.” Think: golfing, hiking, traveling, or playing with kids or grandkids.

You may be surprised to see some of the above exercises listed as cardio. For example, squats are usually thought of as a strength exercise, but you can also get low-impact cardio benefits from them and other strength exercises by increasing your speed and taking fewer or shorter breaks without increasing range of motion or excessive force on your joints. 

“To turn some moves into more of a low-impact cardio workout, you won’t stop for a long rest between reps,” says Dr. Matos. And if you’re looking for an added challenge, moves like mountain climbers and shoulder taps, which can be vigorous without aggravating any MSK pain you may have. 

Aim to do each exercise below for 30 to 45 seconds, rest for 15 seconds, and then move on to the next exercise. After you complete all eight exercises, you can repeat them, creating a circuit-style workout. As you pick up the pace, ensure you can still do each move safely with good form. Doing three to five minutes of light activity to warm up may make you feel more comfortable, but it’s not required.

The information contained in these videos is intended to be used for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or treatment for any specific condition. Hinge Health is not your healthcare provider and is not responsible for any injury sustained or exacerbated by your use of or participation in these exercises. Please consult with your healthcare provider with any questions you may have about your medical condition or treatment.

PT Tip: Make It Fun

Turn on some upbeat music. Listen to a podcast or audiobook that you can’t put down. Watch a favorite TV series. Work out with a friend. Buy some new exercise clothes. “There are so many ways to make exercise fun, and it’s different for everyone,” says Dr. Matos. “I go out of my way to work out in a beautiful location. Tap into ways to make exercise something you look forward to instead of an obligation, and you’ll be more likely to do it.”

How Hinge Health Can Help You

If you have joint or muscle pain that makes it hard to move, you can get the relief you’ve been looking for with Hinge Health’s online exercise therapy program.

The best part: You don’t have to leave your home because our program is digital. That means you can easily get the care you need through our app when and where it works for you.

Through our program, you’ll have access to therapeutic exercises and stretches for your condition. Additionally, you’ll have a personal care team to guide, support, and tailor our program to you.

See if you qualify for Hinge Health and confirm free coverage through your employer or benefit plan here.

This article and its contents are provided for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or professional services specific to you or your medical condition.

References 

1. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans 2nd edition. (2018). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (pp. 1–118). https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf 

2. Donnelly, J. E., Honas, J. J., Smith, B. K., Mayo, M. S., Gibson, C. A., Sullivan, D. K., Lee, J., Herrmann, S. D., Lambourne, K., & Washburn, R. A. (2013). Aerobic exercise alone results in clinically significant weight loss for men and women: Midwest exercise trial 2. Obesity, 21(3), E219–E228. doi:10.1002/oby.20145