We all know how important exercise is for healthy and longevity, we are reminded of it constantly. Exercise can do so many positive things for us, it can help keep our weight in check, help reduce stress, help us sleep better, help us become stronger and simply help us feel better overall. Many people feel younger when they exercise regularly and that in itself is a wonderful feeling as we age.
As if there aren't already enough reasons to encourage us to keep up with our exercise routines I feel like I learn about even more good reasons on a regular basis. In some cases though the benefit is from specific exercises or workouts. The most recent study I read talked specifically about knee strength.
The Importance Of Knee Strength
In this study researchers looked at people who were 70 and older and found that those who had strong knees and a strong hand grip had a lower risk of being hospitalized. Yo may wonder what they mean by strong knees. When they refer to strong knees they mean the muscles that support the knees. The study noted that the seniors who had strong knee support muscles dropped their risk of hospitalization by 70 percent. Wow! Having a good hand grip cut the risk by over 50 percent.
Don't worry, they weren't studying bodybuilding seniors. Muscle size isn't the most important factor; the most important factor is muscle strength. When the muscles supporting your knees are strong you have a much lower risk of falling and becoming injured. Weaker muscles increase the risk of falls and potentially fractures increasing hospital time.
Elliptical Machine Or Stationary Bike For Strength
Both the elliptical machine and a stationary bike will help strengthen these muscles that support the knee when used regularly. The nice thing is that both the stationary bike and elliptical machine provide low impact workouts that are easy on the joints so they are good options for seniors.
If you have the room in your home and you have the budget for an exercise machine it really is a good idea to have one of these. Working out at home is convenient and for many convenience is essential to keep the routine regular. Elliptical machines provide a full body workout, but if you prefer a stationary bike you could get a set of dumbbells to easily add an upper body workout.
While the study mentioned here refers to seniors, having muscle strength can help reduce falls and injury in any age.
Finding the Right exercise machine can be intimidating. To compare a variety of ellipticals in one easy place visit our Elliptical Machine Guide to see if this is the right choice for you. Or visit Stationary Bikes for comprehensive information on this low impact form of exercise.
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