Recumbent Exercise Bicycles

which is better (less impact) on an injured knee: ellipictical trainer, treadmill, or recumbent bike?

i don't know what i did to my knee but an old acl injury seems to be cropping up. there is swelling which i have been icing several times a day. it feels sore and unstable. but i feel i still need to do mild exercise. which is better (less impact) on an injured knee: ellipictical trainer, treadmill, or recumbent bike? thanks

Public Comments

1. Recumbent bike...the less weight it has to bear while it gets stronger, the better.
2. Recumbent bike, then elliptical. Elliptical is more likely to wear the knee out other than provide high-impact, but biking (or swimming, if that's possible) is always the better option.
3. They all have their perks: Eliptical trainers allow people to get an excellent workout with very little impact. You do, however, have to pick the right one for you. They vary in height of the movement as well as the stride length. Treadmills offer an easy exercise method, though doesn't reduce impact. You can use it slowly, and most now offer ways to walk sideways and backwards, which train the muscles in your legs differently. A recumbant bike is going to offer no impact to your knee, but has it's main downside--it is a one task wonder. Lots of people get bored on them, and then they don't use them at all. Best answer--get your knee looked at by an orthopedic doc or a physical therapist before getting any new equipment. Make sure nothing new has happened to your knee.
4. Im sorry to tell you this, but a Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury does not fix itself... Meaning, if you tear the ligament, then your knee joint will continue to be unstable until you have surgery to replace it.... Also, the longer you continue to go without fixing it, the more damage you will incur on the joint itself... As far as the types of exercises you can do... That depends on the extent of the injury. If it feels unstable, then chances are that any consistent movement will create another potential condition for further injury... You can building up the muscle in your leg with a hope of helping with the stability, but my experience has been that this is not very successful long term. In short, please see your doctor and get referred to an orthopedic surgeon as soon as you can.... Also, please leave the exercise for another day.. Good Luck and I Hope this Helps....