Activities That Could Strain Your Knees After 60

Avoiding certain exercises can reduce unnecessary stress on your knees.

Your knees have endured a lot over the years. With age, it’s natural to see a decline in cartilage and lubrication in the joints. Combine that with age-related muscle loss and past injuries, and you might find your knees need some extra care. Doug Bertram, M.S., L.Ac., MTCM, who leads an orthopedic wellness brand, shared five exercises to reconsider after 60, along with alternative options.

“No exercise is strictly bad, but some movements can exacerbate knee pain if they push beyond an individual’s current strength or mobility,” Bertram notes. “For people over 60, it’s better to focus on building resilience rather than just coping with stress. Effective exercise programs should target overall movement quality, which can decrease knee stress and help maintain an active, independent lifestyle for years.”

Knee Extensions

The knee extension machine exerts a lot of pressure on the front of your knees, particularly the patellofemoral joint, and it engages the quads in ways that don’t reflect typical daily activities. Instead, Bertram suggests the sit-to-stand exercise from a chair, which strengthens the quadriceps while incorporating the hips and core, resulting in improved daily function.

To perform the sit-to-stand:

1. Start seated at the edge of a sturdy chair, feet flat on the floor under your knees.
2. Slightly lean forward.
3. Stand up without using your hands or support.
4. Slowly sit back down under control.

High-Impact Running

Running on hard surfaces, especially as mobility and strength diminish, can lead to significant issues. Bertram recommends brisk uphill walking or incline treadmill workouts as a great way to get cardiovascular benefits with less joint impact.

Deep Squats

While deep squats can be a great lower-body exercise, they can also put a heavy strain on knees after 60. “They aren’t inherently harmful,” Bertram explains, “but limited ankle and hip flexibility can cause undue stress on the knees.” As an alternative, try box squats, which encourage correct hip loading and promote better movement mechanics.

Here’s how to do box squats:

1. Stand in front of a plyometric box with feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Engage your core and keep your chest up.
3. Bend your knees and lower into a squat, as if sitting down.
4. Just barely touch the box with your glutes.
5. Press through your heels to stand back up.

Walking Lunges

Walking lunges can create excessive shear forces on the knees when not executed with proper control. Bertram suggests step-ups as a safer option that also brings similar strength benefits while ensuring better knee alignment.

To do step-ups:

1. Stand in front of a sturdy surface, like a bench, and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Step up with your left foot, keeping your core tight.
3. Press through your left heel to lift yourself onto the surface until your leg is straight.
4. Lower back down with control.
5. Repeat with the other leg.

Box Jumps

Explosive movements like box jumps can be tough on aging joints, which might not handle high-impact landings well. Bertram suggests opting for controlled power and balance drills instead, like step-and-hold movements or lateral stepping exercises. These can enhance coordination and power without the risk of harsh impacts from jumping.