We all know that vigorous physical activity is great for our health, but what if we have arthritis or some other joint condition?  Thankfully, there are a host of joint-friendly ways to get your heart rate up to reap all the benefits of aerobic exercise while sparing your joints both stress and pain.

• Take a brisk walk on a treadmill – treadmills offer a gentler and more forgiving surface than city streets and allow for convenient control of both speed and incline.

• Jump on the elliptical – the smooth, flowing, and circular motion of the elliptical trainer provides virtually no impact to your joints.  Because it engages both the upper and lower muscles of the body it provides a fantastic cardio workout.

• Swim some laps – or take a water aerobics class – you can easily get your heart rate up moving around in water without the weight of your body pounding your joints with each and every move.

• Take a ride on an exercise bike – both standard and recumbent exercise bikes provide an excellent cardio workout that is both low impact and truly comfortable for the knees, ankles, hips, and lower back.

Also check out, How Much Exercise do I Really Need?