stationary bike vs. treadmill

Mariposa187

It is getting cold outside and me and my arthritic knee can only take so much. soooooooooooo bike or treadmill? I really love the bike i had but it did wear on my knees but i loved being able to watch tv and big my heart out. I have recently started walking on a track or trail and i love it but i dont know if i would love walking indoors.

What do y'all think ? which one do you like betteR? is there a way to make walking indoors more enjoyable?

thx in advance MFPs! God bless!

Lisa_222

I think the best thing to do is switch off so that you work different muscles and don't keep stressing the same spots over and over. I know that walking sometimes is harder on the knees than biking because of the weight bearing. Biking is supposed to be great for osteoarthritis because of the range of motion without the weight, but I don't know what kind of arthritis you have. That would probably affect your choices in exercise. Having had a bout of inflammatory arthritis myself, I know there's absolutely nothing you can do but rest when that is acting up. But osteo is different. Activity is good for that. If its osteo, I would think the biking would be the best of the ones you mentioned.

Marig0ld

You might want to try Walk Away the Pounds DVDs from Leslie Sansone...I love them! It's just walking with a few simple moves thrown in. Pretty much anyone can do them and they're pretty effective.

Shrekkk

I love the treadmill but only with a tv in front of my face and the MP3 blasting in my ears. I can do the tradmill with a friend and just chat, but i like by myself and the noise better. I sing along in my head.

Kelly

Edithrenee

Why not both..that way you have something different to over come getting bored and you will be able to not over stress one thing for long.

thoma74

I LOVE Walk Away The Pounds! It works out alot of different areas and the time goes by really quick. I love the treadmill but it's hard on my feet at times.

JRMcCaghren

The bike is my favorite, but it's really a personal choice. As far as making it more enjoyable: set it up in front of the TV. Exercise while you're watching your favorite show, and you'll be amazed how much more endurance you have, because you're having more fun.

grassette

I have both, and find that both exercise different parts of the body. I like my treadmill. It has different programs on it that push me. It really strengthens my back. Because I have teenagers, I had to buy a good one.

My exercycle is cheap, quiet enough for TV, but I need it because of the work it does on my knees. My kneecaps have a tendency to fall out of joint, and the bike works those muscles on either side of the cap that keep it in place, so it is pretty important for that reason alone. I am thinking of putting an upgrade on my Christmas Santa list.

If you have an arthritic knee, you would need to determine the best kind of exercise to keep the arthritis from developing further. Maybe, like me, you will need one machine in order to build up enough strength to work on the other.

I like my treadmill inside in the winter. Our winters are cold, and there is a lot of ice outside---to the point where winter boots have to have crampons on them. I am safe from falling on my treadmill inside. And, it helps me to build the muscles I need to strap on those cross-country skis!

daydream58

A recumbent exercise bike might be nice for your knee... and of course making sure the seat adjustment is right for your leg length is probably even more important than usual, although it's always important to have that set so your leg doesn't fully extend and hurt your knee. I wear a nice warming leg brace on my knees if they're feeling painful to keep them comfortable and it just gives them a little warmth and moral support.

Walking fast on a good quality shock-absorbing treadmill might also be okay, with good quality shoes on too, but if it was my knee, I probably would not run or jog. Walking fast should do the trick... it's pretty hard to walk 4.0 mph and you are working pretty good - well it depends on your leg length but you get the idea.

If a bike hurts you more than a treadmill does, I'd say check the seat adjustment and make sure it's not set for someone taller (or shorter!) and think about a recumbent. I have both machines and I love them both on different days. I read books on the bike and watch movies on my treadmill, so not too bored on either one, but I only go 10-15 mph on the bike due to distraction from the book and the treadmill has a set speed that I have to keep up with - so when I'm pushing it hard, I need that... OR I could put the book down on the bike and dig in... just haven't really got to that point yet.

Take care of your knees!

maura5880

I try and switch up my cardio as much as I can, but my favorite is still & prob. always will be walking. My gym has tv's on all the cardio machines, so sometimes I'll watch TV. If I'm doing a long, but fairly slow walk sometimes I'll read a book. If I'm doing the elliptical, I usually listen to music instead.