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Low-impact exercise is a great way to stay active and improve your health. It’s also gentle on joints, making it ideal for anyone looking to enjoy the benefits of exercise while reducing the risk of injury.
To help you get started, here are seven different low-impact exercise ideas that you can do from the comfort of your home.
What is low-impact exercise?
In a nutshell, low-impact exercise is a type of physical activity that involves keeping one foot on the ground at all times. As it doesn’t involve running or jumping, pressure on joints and bones is reduced.
What are the benefits of low-impact exercise?
There are many benefits to low-impact exercise. We’ll cover some of the most common ones below.
Places less stress on joints
High-intensity exercises like running, jumping, and tennis can cause or worsen joint problems, particularly in the knees, hips, and shins.
Low-impact exercise places less stress on the body and reduces the risk of injury.
Can improve joint and bone health
Research has found that exercise helps improve joint function and flexibility, prevent stiffness, build bone density, and strengthen muscles. So, in many cases, low-impact exercise can improve sore joints and relieve pain.
As a result, health professionals recommend low-impact exercise to help prevent and treat conditions like arthritis and osteoporosis.
It’s just as beneficial as high-impact exercise
While it’s easy to assume that only high-intensity workouts bring results, research shows that all exercise is beneficial.
For example, studies have revealed that low-impact exercise offers all the same health benefits as high-impact exercise. This includes boosting heart health and brain function, reducing anxiety and depression, and promoting weight loss.
May be more sustainable over time
Because low-impact workouts tend to be less tiring, some people find this makes them more sustainable in the long run.
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7 low-impact exercises you can do at home
There are various forms of low-impact exercise to try, and you can do many of them from the comfort of your home.
Below are a few options to consider…
1. Rowing
Rowing provides a full-body workout and can help improve strength and endurance. But, unlike exercises like running, football, and netball, rowing doesn’t involve high-impact movements, nor does it require extreme mobility. This makes it suitable for anyone with joint concerns.
If you’ve experienced back strain from rowing before, working on your form can help avoid this. This article from British Rowing offers tips on improving form.
2. Yoga
Depending on the style and pace, yoga can get your heart pumping with minimal joint strain. Even more intense forms of yoga (such as Vinyasa) remain low-impact.
Not only is yoga good for helping people avoid injury from exercise, but it can also reduce body aches and pains. For example, studies have found yoga can improve symptoms of fibromyalgia (a long-term condition that causes pain across the body) and help slow the progression of rheumatoid arthritis.
Other potential benefits of yoga include its ability to lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, increase strength and flexibility, lower stress, and boost mood.
You can find out more about the benefits of yoga and how to get started in our introduction to yoga.
3. Step aerobics
Step aerobics involves stepping onto and off of a small platform, one leg at a time.
The repeated ‘step-up’ exercises target the legs, core, and upper body and can improve cardiovascular fitness, coordination, balance, and agility.
Step aerobics is recommended as a low-impact exercise for people with osteoporosis or osteopenia to improve bone strength. Experts recommend holding onto the back of a chair or a stable object for added balance and avoiding jumping.
All you need for step aerobics is some kind of step to perform the exercises. You can browse these on Amazon. And, for an idea of what to expect from a step aerobics home workout, check out the video below.
4. Ballroom dancing
Dancing is good for the soul, and not only can dancing help to release stress and boost mood, but it also offers a great workout. In fact, research estimates that 30 minutes of dance burns 200 to 400 calories – roughly what you’d burn cycling or running for the same amount of time.
That said, whether or not dancing remains low-impact depends on the style you decide to perform. Ballroom dancing can be a great choice. Slower dances such as the Waltz, Rumba, and Foxtrot are gentle on joints and considered low-impact. However, if you’re planning to jive or quickstep, their jumping and kicking elements will quickly make it higher-impact.
Ballroom dancing is great fun, whether alone or with a partner – and the good news is that there are many resources to help you get going if you’re just starting.
You can find out more in our introduction to ballroom dancing.
5. Tai Chi
You might not expect a martial art to be low-impact, but Tai Chi is the exception.
Originating in China in the 13th century, Tai Chi was taught as a self-defence martial art, but today it’s practised worldwide as a low-impact sport. It involves a series of slow and focused movements performed alongside deep breathing.
Tai Chi is usually accessible to people suffering from injury or joint pain, and may even help improve symptoms. In this study, participants with rheumatoid arthritis found that after practising Tai Chi for 12 weeks, they had reduced pain, as well as improved mobility and balance.
Another study found that participants with knee osteoarthritis who performed an hour of Tai Chi twice a week experienced reduced pain and improved general wellbeing and quality of life.
To find out more, have a read of our beginner’s guide to Tai Chi.
6. Low-impact strength training
Strength training has become increasingly popular in recent years and, as long as you don’t incorporate too much weight, it’s generally considered low-impact.
Because of its ability to help build muscle mass, strength training has been found to boost longevity, prevent bones from weakening, and reduce the risk of falls.
It can also be done using just your body weight, and movements can be easily modified depending on your experience level. For example, beginners might prefer chair squats or wall push-ups over regular squats and push-ups.
Alternatively, equipment such as light dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands can be useful.
You can find out more in our article: The importance of building strength and balance in your 50s and 60s. Or, to give it a go, why not try one of these strength training exercises from Today?
7. Pilates
Pilates is a full-body exercise that works to improve posture, flexibility, and muscle strength (particularly around the core). The slow, gentle movements involved in Pilates make it highly accessible and suitable for all ages, abilities, and fitness levels.
Pilates is often recommended for people suffering from posture-related back pain, repetitive strain, sports injuries, or stress. This study found that participants who practised Pilates for one hour a day, three days a week, over eight weeks improved their stability, balance, and mobility.
For more information and tips on getting started, check out our introduction to Pilates.
Final thoughts…
Low-impact exercise can help us stay active without putting our bones and joints at risk. It offers many of the same benefits as high-impact exercise, and there are countless types to try.
For more fitness tips and inspiration, head over to our fitness and exercise section. Here, you’ll find information on everything from creative ways to increase your step count to our beginner’s guide to joining the gym.
What’s your favourite form of low-impact exercise? Have any of the examples on this list caught our eye? We’d be interested in hearing from you in the comments below.
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