Knee soreness affects 25% of adults and up to 60% of older age groups. It’s painful and prevalent, but there is an exercise that might be able to keep it at bay: cycling.
“Of all the sports I recommend to patients with knee pain, cycling is paramount,” Dr. Karen Sutton told Stamford Health. “Unlike high-impact activities, like running, cycling spares and may even strengthen your knees.”
The sports medicine surgeon cited a 2024 observational study on people who bicycled for a lifetime. Of the 2,607 participants, those who biked regularly were 17% less likely to develop knee pain and 21% less likely to have osteoarthritis.
“The natural history of osteoarthritis is very long, making it difficult to track the different exercises you’ll do throughout your life as well as their impact on joint health,” study author Dr. Grace Lo told Baylor College of Medicine. “The big takeaway from this observational study is that if people are concerned about knee pain, ROA (radiographic osteoarthritis) and SOA (symptomatic osteoarthritis) later in life, biking may serve as a way to prevent this and that the more often they do it throughout their lives, the higher the probability of better knee health.”
It’s good news for many in need of a low-impact way to work out.
“This is especially good news for middle-aged and older adults who believe they must limit or stop exercising for fear of aggravating knee pain due to conditions such as osteoarthritis,” Sutton said. “The fact is, immobility tends to worsen knee stiffness and pain, and eventually weakens the knee, which is why I tell my patients with arthritis to keep moving and urge them to try cycling.”
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