Low-impact exercises are a great way to improve your health without placing excessive stress on your joints. Unlike high-impact activities such as running or jumping, low-impact workouts keep at least one foot on the ground or use water or equipment to reduce the force placed on your body.
That doesn’t mean they’re less effective. In fact, low-impact exercise can improve cardiovascular fitness, build strength, support mental health, and lower your risk of injury, making it a good option for people of nearly every age and fitness level.
The benefits of low-impact exercises include stronger muscles, healthier joints, improved heart health, better balance, greater flexibility, improved mood, and a lower risk of exercise-related injuries.
What are low-impact exercises?
Low-impact exercises are physical activities that place less stress on your joints while still providing meaningful health benefits.
They’re often recommended for:
- Beginners
- Older adults
- People returning after an injury
- People with arthritis or joint pain
- Individuals living with chronic health conditions
- Anyone looking for a sustainable way to stay active
The World Health Organization recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, and low-impact exercise is one effective way to meet that goal.
What are the benefits of low-impact exercises?
They are easier on your joints
One of the biggest advantages of low-impact exercise is that it reduces stress on your knees, hips, ankles, and spine.
This makes activities such as walking, swimming, cycling, and elliptical training good options for people with arthritis, previous injuries, or chronic joint pain.
Lower-impact movement can also help people stay active consistently because it often causes less discomfort during and after exercise.
They improve heart health
Many low-impact exercises raise your heart rate enough to strengthen your cardiovascular system.
Activities like brisk walking, swimming, rowing, and cycling can help:
- Improve circulation
- Lower blood pressure
- Improve endurance
- Reduce the risk of heart disease
You don’t have to perform high-intensity workouts to improve cardiovascular fitness.
They build strength
Strength isn’t only built through heavy lifting.
Bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, rowing, yoga, and strength training with lighter weights can all improve muscle strength while placing less strain on your joints.
Maintaining muscle mass also supports balance, mobility, and healthy aging.
They improve balance and flexibility
Many low-impact activities encourage better body awareness and coordination.
Yoga, tai chi, dynamic stretching, and certain strength exercises improve flexibility while helping reduce the risk of falls and injuries.
Maintaining flexibility also makes everyday activities such as climbing stairs, carrying groceries, and getting out of a chair easier.
They support mental health
Exercise benefits more than your body.
Regular physical activity has been shown to help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression while improving mood, sleep, and overall quality of life.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that physical activity can improve brain health, reduce anxiety, and lower the risk of depression.
They may reduce injury risk
Low-impact exercise doesn’t eliminate the possibility of injury, but it generally places less repetitive stress on bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments than higher-impact activities.
For many people, this makes it easier to exercise consistently while reducing recovery time between workouts.
Which low-impact exercises are most effective?
The best low-impact exercise is the one you’ll continue doing consistently.
Here are nine excellent options.
1. Walking
Walking is one of the easiest ways to become more active.
Regular walking can improve cardiovascular health, strengthen muscles, support weight management, and improve mood.
2. Cycling
Cycling improves cardiovascular fitness while strengthening the legs and placing less stress on the joints than running.
Whether you ride outdoors or use a stationary bike, cycling provides an excellent aerobic workout.
3. Swimming and water aerobics
Water supports your body weight, making swimming and water aerobics especially helpful for people with arthritis, chronic pain, or limited mobility.
These activities improve strength, flexibility, endurance, and balance while reducing joint stress.
4. Rowing
Rowing combines cardiovascular exercise with strength training by engaging the legs, back, core, and arms.
Proper rowing technique provides a full-body workout while remaining relatively gentle on the joints.
5. Yoga
Yoga improves flexibility, balance, strength, and body awareness.
Many people also find yoga helpful for managing stress and improving sleep quality.
6. Strength training
Strength training doesn’t have to involve lifting heavy weights.
Using lighter weights, resistance bands, or bodyweight exercises can improve muscle strength, bone health, and overall function.
If you’re new to strength training, start gradually and focus on proper technique before increasing resistance.
7. Dynamic stretching
Dynamic stretching uses controlled movement to prepare your muscles and joints for activity.
Unlike static stretching, which involves holding a position, dynamic stretching helps improve mobility while warming up the body.
8. Elliptical training
Elliptical machines provide many of the cardiovascular benefits of running while reducing impact on the knees and hips.
Many models also allow you to engage both your upper and lower body during the workout.
9. Circuit training
Circuit training can be adapted to almost any fitness level.
By combining low-impact strength and cardio exercises, you can improve endurance, muscle strength, and cardiovascular fitness in a single workout.
Choose exercises that match your fitness level and modify movements as needed.
Who should choose low-impact exercise?
Low-impact exercise can benefit almost anyone, but it may be especially helpful if you:
- Are new to exercise
- Have joint pain or arthritis
- Are recovering from an injury
- Live with osteoporosis
- Are pregnant (with guidance from your healthcare provider)
- Want to reduce injury risk
- Need an exercise routine you can maintain long term
If you have a chronic medical condition or haven’t exercised recently, talk with your healthcare provider before starting a new fitness program.
How often should you do low-impact exercise?
The World Health Organization recommends that adults aim for at least:
- 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, or
- 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity each week
Strength training at least twice a week is also recommended.
Remember that movement doesn’t have to happen all at once. Even short periods of activity throughout the day contribute to your overall health.
The bottom line
Low-impact exercises offer many of the same health benefits as higher-impact workouts while placing less stress on your joints.
Whether you choose walking, swimming, cycling, yoga, rowing, or another activity, the most important goal is finding movement that feels enjoyable and sustainable.
If pain, an injury, or a chronic health condition is limiting your ability to exercise, talk with a healthcare provider or physical therapist about which activities are safest for you.
Need help getting started? Zocdoc makes it easy to find primary care providers, sports medicine specialists, orthopedic doctors, and physical therapists who can help you create an exercise plan that fits your health needs.
Skip the phone tag
Book care on the go
Frequently asked questions
What are the benefits of low-impact exercises?
Low-impact exercises improve cardiovascular health, muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and mental well-being while placing less stress on the joints.
Are low-impact workouts effective for weight loss?
Yes. Low-impact exercise can support weight loss when combined with a balanced diet and regular physical activity. Walking, cycling, swimming, and rowing all burn calories while improving overall fitness.
Who should do low-impact exercise?
Low-impact exercise is suitable for most people, especially beginners, older adults, individuals recovering from injuries, and those with joint pain or chronic conditions.
What is the best low-impact exercise?
The best low-impact exercise is the one you enjoy enough to do consistently. Walking, swimming, cycling, yoga, and strength training are all excellent options.
Can low-impact exercise build muscle?
Yes. Strength training, rowing, yoga, and resistance exercises can all help build and maintain muscle while minimizing stress on the joints.
The information in this article is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be relied on as medical advice. It is not intended as, and Zocdoc does not provide, medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Zocdoc does not recommend any specific provider. Find one you’ll love on Zocdoc today.