Swimming: Water exercises are a fantastic way to keep fit without putting too much strain on your joints and muscles. The buoyancy of the water helps relieve any stress on joints and ligaments, while the water keeps you from overheating and provides light resistance to work your muscles.
Cycling: Riding a bike is a great cardio workout that is easy on your cartilage and ligaments in a way that running may not be. Cycling also has a social aspect, as you can join a club that organizes rides of varying intensity to suit your personal fitness level.
Tai chi: Traditional tai chi is slow and meditative and can help to get your body moving while relieving stress. Recently, a cardio intesive type of tai chi was created by Dr. Chi-Hsiu D. Weng that combines low-impact movements with a faster tempo to get your blood flowing while remaining joint-friendly.
Water aerobics: Like swimming, water aerobics can keep you in shape while reducing the stress on your joints due to the increased buoyancy provided by the water. The increased density of the water adds resistance that is not present when working out outside of the pool as well, which can help you get an even better workout.
Dancing: Most forms of dancing are an aerobic workout that can help you lose weight and build muscle strength without too much stress being placed on the body. However, some forms of dance are more intensive than others, so be sure to choose one that suits your interests as well as your personal fitness level.
While a CrossFit class or boot camp may not be in the cards for you, there are plenty of other low-impact ways to keep fit and prevent injuries. Swimming, cycling, tai chi, water aerobics, and dancing are just five activities that can get your heart pumping while remaining easy on your joints and ligaments. Many of these exercises also have a social aspect, so why not get together with some friends and start your new workout today?
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