Are you a keen sports person or love to get the blood pumping and heart racing but your joints just can’t take the impact? Do the aches and pains that you experience in your joints put you off exercise? If you are experiencing stiffness and pain but want to stay active and fit, here are some of the best low-impact sports that don’t harm your joints.
Low-impact sports help keep you fit and provide you with all the mental and physical health benefits of exercise, without causing undue harm to your joints. They are great options If you suffer from stiffness, soreness, or problems with your joints.
Swimming
Swimming is Perhaps the most obvious choice when it comes down to the best low-impact sports that don’t harm your joints. Swimming is a full-body exercise that gets your heartbeat up. It stimulates your arms, legs, back, shoulders, chest, and core. It is a great cardiovascular and strengthening exercise that has no impact on your joints. If you are looking for maximum effect with minimal impact then swimming is the exercise for you.
Golf
Golf is a great sport for getting you out in the fresh air and amongst nature. However, you will only benefit from the exercise that golf has to offer if you leave the golf buggy behind and walk the course. Carrying your golf bag and clubs will also help to step up your energy output. To make carrying your bag easier check out the golf bag blog for the best and lightest bags.
Another amazing benefit to golf is that it can be a very social sport. It stimulates your endorphin production not only from the level of activity involved but the feel-good effect of spending time with friends.
Rowing
Rowing is another great low-impact sport that doesn’t harm your joints. This sport should not be underestimated. The Olympic rowers you see gracing your TV screens might make it look easy but you might be surprised at the level of strength and fitness required to row for a prolonged period of time. Rowing helps strengthen all of the major muscle groups and improve your cardiovascular health.
Rowing can be a very intense workout that leads to a higher calorie burn than cycling or running. It is a full-body workout that can help you break a sweat in no time. If you don’t have access to locations where you can get out on the water and start rowing then you can get all the same benefits from the rowing machine at your local gym, so there really is no excuse.
Cycling
Cycling is a great option for anyone looking to reduce the impact on their knees, hips, ankles, or back. Cycling is incredibly easy on the joints and requires very little impact. It is a fantastic option despite your level of fitness, beginners, as well as pros, can benefit.
If you like to challenge yourself, you can push yourself by going up hills or racing against the clock. Alternatively, if you are looking for something a little more gentle, then you can adjust your route and pace accordingly. Additionally, cycling outdoors allows you to make the most of the fresh air and scenic spots around you. Getting out, being in nature, and receiving sunlight have a wonderful feel-good effect. These added benefits allow cycling to improve your mental health and immune system just as much as your physical health.
Sport Walking or Power Walking
Walking is another way to get your blood pumping without hurting your joints. You may not think about it as a sport because we just do it all the time. However, if you increase the speed and distance of your walk, you are power walking. It helps you to increase your heart rate and lose body fat. Power walking is very flexible. Walking speed can vary between 3 and 6mph. Plus, you can work for 20 minutes or for hours. It’s up to you.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you should be incorporating anti-inflammatory foods and supplements. Organic muscle has its Gold Blend, containing turmeric, cordyceps mushroom, spirulina, ashwagandha, and other superfoods that help reduce inflammation, manage stress due to its calming effects, and provide your body with tons of antioxidants to help fight free radicals.
As you can see, there is no excuse for inactivity. If you experience stiffness and/or pain, you can stay active and healthy by engaging in some of the best low-impact sports that don’t harm your joints. Besides keeping you fit, practicing these sports outdoors can provide added benefits by helping your immune system and mental health tremendously.
To a Fitter Healthier You,
The Fitness Wellness Mentor
