Step Up Your Fitness: Low-Impact Cardio Options for Black Women with Joint Pain
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Low impact, amazing results.
I was 12 years old when I had a near-crippling bout of septic arthritis in my ankles and elbow. To repair my affected joints, I had to get an arthrotomy and undergo weeks of physical therapy. Now, I am 22 years old, and while I try my hardest to remain physically active, residual joint pain from my time with arthritis has been a problem in my journey to fitness. Like me, several Black women also have issues staying physically active, no thanks to joint pain.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, both women and people of colour, especially non-Hispanic Black people, are more likely to experience arthritis-related joint pain than any other subgroup. But arthritis isn't the only culprit in fitness-hindering joint pain.
A few studies have highlighted the correlation between increasing age and decreasing levels of physical activity as Black women get older. And it's no coincidence that research has also noted the rising incidence of joint pain, obesity, and depression among Black women in recent years.
Physical activity is incredibly important for a healthy life. But how exactly does one keep fit with joints that make fitness almost unbearable? Well, low-impact cardio just might be the thing.
To help you truly understand how it works and what benefits it offers, we spoke to the expert Alahna Dunbar, a lead fitness instructor at Third Space in London.
The Expert
Alahna Dunbar is a lead fitness trainer at Third Space in London, United Kingdom. At Third Space, she teaches a combination of cardio and weights classes such as Just Ride, Force, The Method and Pulse.
Alahna has a number of years experience as a fitness instructor and wellbeing coach. She is a N1 Athletics HIIT Instructor, NASM Certified (Level 3 Personal Training & Level 2 Gym Instructor) and AFAA Certified (Group Fitness Instructor, Fitness Nutrition Coach, Women's Fitness Specialist and Behavioural Change Specialist).
Keep Reading: Sweat & Eats: A Fitness Trainer's Guide to Wellness with Alahna Dunbar
Don't Let Joint Pain Stop You: Benefits of Low-Impact Cardio
If you've never heard of low-impact cardio, the name gives you a good idea of what it's all about. According to Peloton, low-impact cardio workouts limit the force you put on your joints. These workouts include walking, swimming, elliptical training, or hiking and are great for everyone, especially Black women with reduced joint mobility. There are many reasons why you should adopt low-impact cardio today, and Dunbar explains a few.
Improved Cardiovascular Health and Weight Management
Obesity has been linked to several other conditions, but one of the most threatening is heart disease. Joint pain typically results in reduced physical activity, which can increase the chances of developing obesity and other metabolic conditions and, in turn, lead to heart disease. With low-impact cardio, however, you can stay physically active while protecting your joints and staying pain-free.
"In general, this type of activity can improve cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of many diseases and injuries, including obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer", Dunbar states.
By staying active with joint-friendly, low-impact workouts, you can also reduce the chances of overweight-related medical conditions like hypertension and dyslipidemia.
"It is particularly great because it helps reduce the risk of injury while still receiving the benefits of cardio. These benefits are especially important for Black women, who tend to suffer from joint pain, CV disease, obesity, certain cancers and other physical and mental health ailments at higher rates than other groups", she adds.
Reduced Stress and Improved Mood
In addition to improving your cardiovascular and metabolic health, low-impact cardio can also help as an outlet for stress and improve your mood.
"[Low-impact cardio] can improve mental wellbeing, including mood and sleep, and generally makes you feel really good in your body and mind," Dunbar says.
“Above all, be kind to yourself. Fitness is a journey of highs, lows and everything in between. So give yourself a break, give yourself credit for showing up, learn to laugh at your mistakes and, even when it’s challenging, try to enjoy the ride.”
Finding Your Perfect Low-Impact Fit
Like regular exercises, low-impact cardio comes in various forms. You just need to find one that works for your tastes, lifestyle, and, of course, your joints.
But joints are not the only things stopping Black women from achieving their fitness goals; accessibility and fear for safety are serious concerns, too.
"Common concerns I encounter are cost and access to facilities, feeling socially excluded, feeling excluded by accessibility like with wheelchair users, neurodivergent participants or the visually/hearing impaired. There's also sometimes feeling unsafe in certain spaces, not knowing where to start or what activities to do, and feeling a level of shame in being a beginner. As a Black woman, I absolutely have felt most of these concerns and more, so I can relate," Dunbar explains.
These concerns can make fitness for Black women difficult. But no matter your station, location, or concern, there is always a low-impact cardio activity for you to indulge in.
"Activity with joint pain is possible with the following considerations: proper kit, equipment setup, environment, and proper movement technique," Dunbar explains.
Swimming and Water Aerobics
Your perfect low-impact fit might be swimming, and it's not just because it's excellent for your joints. Swimming is a full-body exercise that thoroughly works your core, back and limbs. As such, it is incredible as a cardio-focused workout and for healthy weight loss and body composition.
Swimming classes are also a great place to bond with other Black women while achieving the full-body benefits of the low-impact cardio workout.
Elliptical Training
For Black women who love being in the gym but have joint pain, an elliptical machine may be a great low-impact cardio workout. The elliptical machine, which functions similarly to a bike, simulates running workouts with less stress on your knees and ankles. And if you can't go to the gym, elliptical machines can also be used at home.
Walking and Hiking
Sometimes, a walk is all you need, and Dunbar agrees.
"I'm a HUGE fan of walking and hiking. I think simply going for a long, brisk walk indoors or outdoors is so underrated as an activity! A long, brisk walk (45 minutes+, at a steady state that gets your HR up) carries all the benefits of other steady-state cardio. Plus, it's low impact; you can do it almost anywhere, and it's low-cost. You just need comfortable, stable walking shoes and comfortable clothes," Dunbar explains.
For Black women with disabilities or limited mobility, walking is also an accessible option for a full-body, joint-friendly workout.
"For those who use a wheelchair, you can also find paved paths in parks for steady state movement that gets you outdoors and many gyms are now equipped with indoor accessible cardio machines. If you are visually or hearing-impaired, see if you can bring your guide, friend or family member along for your activity or notify your instructor or personal trainer of any considerations/modifications you may need", she adds.
Other Low-Impact Options
Sometimes, going on walks and hikes might not be possible, especially for women who live in unsafe areas or who work from home. Where walks are not an option, online dance fitness classes can also be a great low-impact cardio outlet and can be done from the comfort of your home. If you're also one for a group activity and would love to bond with other women while working out, in-person classes are also a fantastic option.
"Other popular, low-impact strength exercises include resistance band training, strength endurance training with light weights and high repetitions, and group exercise classes like barre classes, mat Pilates, Body Pump, and more," Dunbar adds.
Making Low-Impact Cardio Work for You
Bad knees aren't the only thing you need to watch out for during your low-impact cardio workouts. It's also important to do cardio correctly to get the full benefits. The last thing you want is angry, overworked joints.
Start Slow
With all the hype around the ‘summer body’, it is understandable to want to jump right in and try some joint-friendly exercises. But, like everything else in life, it's always better to start slow.
"The key to starting is… just start. Just show up. Try to approach each activity with curiosity and no pressure to achieve anything specific. If you like to do solo activities (walking, hiking, dancing, swimming, gym sessions etc.), try to find the joy in your body moving and get curious about how your body feels," Dunbar says.
It's also okay for Black women who are just starting to be clueless about what to do and when to stop. That's where communication comes in.
"If you are trying a personal training session or class for the first time, communicate your experience level with your trainer or instructor before the session so they can address any concerns, fears or issues and try to find beginner-friendly classes. If you are differently-abled in any way, you have an equal right to fitness, so just communicate any considerations to your PT or instructor to provide appropriate modifications", Dunbar advises.
Listen to Your Body
Your body is always talking to you. It tells you what's going on with it through pain, body fluids, and even through the workouts you enjoy. And when it tells you to take breaks, it's really important to take heed.
"Show up, see what it's all about, listen to your body, do what you can and take breaks when necessary. If you get frustrated at any point during your activity, remember that during those moments of struggle, your brain and body are adjusting, getting stronger and fitter and figuring out how to adapt to this new activity," Dunbar adds.
Warm Up and Cool Down Properly
Even with low-impact cardio, warm-ups and stretches are still essential.
"If you suffer from joint pain, a proper warm-up is key before engaging in activities to help prevent injury and improve movement during the activity. Warm-up activities can include foam rolling muscles to relieve tension, light movement, and mobility exercises to lubricate joints and activate muscles for further activity. Your doctor/physio can give you specific warm-up movements, or you can find a variety of warm-up exercises through the NHS website", Dunbar states. The American Council on Exercise also has some great warm-up exercises.
"It is equally important to spend a few minutes cooling down after your activity. This includes spending a minute or two doing some light movement to bring the heart rate and blood pressure down gently to a steady state. Once you've recovered, it's a good idea to do some static stretching of the muscles worked during your activity, holding each stretch for 30 to 60 seconds to develop flexibility," Dunbar adds.
Talk to Your Doctor
Joint pain can result from obesity, osteoarthritis, or a badly placed limb, but it could also be a sign that something else is wrong. This is why Dunbar recommends seeing your doctor or physio about your pain.
"Always consult your doctor or physiotherapist on any joint pain you're experiencing. They can help identify the cause of the pain, provide any recommended treatments, and suggest activities to engage in/ avoid," she says.
Adding Light Weights for Extra Challenge
Weights can be intimidating and may not seem so joint-friendly, but they make superb additions to any low-impact cardio workout.
"Incorporating light weights into a cardio routine is a great way to start to build muscular strength and endurance, which can have additional benefits to your cardiovascular fitness, bone density, hormonal health and other benefits crucial to Black women's health," Dunbar explains.
But just like any other workout, starting slow and listening to your body is essential.
"Start light, and focus on maintaining proper technique when executing the movements. Remember to breathe smoothly through the movement with full inhales and exhales. Whether you are using resistance bands, small hand weights, or ankle weights, focus on your movement technique to prevent injury and muscular imbalances. If you're unsure what proper technique looks or feels like, try to book a consultation session with a personal trainer or physio to take you through proper form," Dunbar adds.
If you have limited access to a trainer or are visually impaired, Dunbar recommends training videos that are tailored to your needs.
"If these aren't available to you, you can watch personal training videos online that take you through proper functional movements with weights and practise your form in the mirror. If you are visually impaired, try to find coaching sources that verbally cue you through proper movement setup and how the movement should feel".
So, no matter what joints are hurting or what lifestyle you lead, there is always a healthy, joint-friendly exercise option out there for you. Whether it's swimming, elliptical training, or a dance class with your best friends, your perfect low-impact cardio workout is just waiting for you to try it out and love it.
How to Stay Motivated
It’s never easy to get out of bed and get your steps up. And so, it can be difficult to keep at it with the same level of motivation you started off with. If you’re slipping, Dunbar has some words of advice for you.
“Above all, be kind to yourself. Fitness is a journey of highs, lows and everything in between. So give yourself a break, give yourself credit for showing up, learn to laugh at your mistakes and, even when it’s challenging, try to enjoy the ride.”
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Hales, C. M., Carroll, M. D., Fryar, C. D., & Ogden, C. L. (2017). Prevalence of Obesity Among Adults and Youth: United States, 2015-2016. NCHS data brief, (288), 1–8.
Li, H., George, D. M., Jaarsma, R. L., & Mao, X. (2016). Metabolic syndrome and components exacerbate osteoarthritis symptoms of pain, depression and reduced knee function. Annals of translational medicine, 4(7), 133.
