Best Exercise Equipment for Bad Knees

Best Exercise Equipment for Bad Knees

Knee pain can turn leg day into a nightmare. Whether it’s from old injuries, arthritis, or just years of wear and tear, the wrong exercises can make things worse. But that doesn’t mean we are giving you a pass to ditch leg training altogether. 

You can build strong legs without wrecking your knees but with the right approach—and the right equipment.

So, if you’re tired of limping out of the gym, let’s talk about how you can fix this problem.

Your Knees Hate Certain Exercises

First things first—your knees aren’t the problem. It’s the stress you're putting on them that’s the issue. Exercises like deep barbell squats, lunges, and leg extensions can overload your joints, especially if you’ve got pre-existing knee pain.

Common culprits?

  • Osteoarthritis: The cartilage in your knees wears down over time, leaving you with bone-on-bone friction (ouch).

  • Runner’s Knee: Too much repetitive movement (like running or jumping) irritates the kneecap.

  • ACL or Meniscus Injuries: Past injuries can make your knees less stable and more prone to pain.

But that doesn’t mean you should avoid leg workouts. In fact, strength training is one of the best things you can do for knee health—if you do it right.

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So. what makes an exercise knee-friendly? If you’ve got cranky knees, you need exercises that:

  • Reduce direct impact (no pounding on hard surfaces)

  • Support your range of motion (so your knees aren’t taking all the load)

  • Distribute stress properly (shifting some of it to your hips and glutes)

This is where most gym-goers mess up. They stick to machines that don’t align properly with how their body moves, or they push through pain instead of working around it.

Best Machine for Leg Gains Without Knee Pain

Forget leg presses and hack squats—the True Fitness PLS1400 Pendulum Squat is what you need if you want to strengthen your legs without wrecking your knees.

Why We Vouch for It?

  • Pendulum-style movement: Unlike barbell squats, this machine guides your motion, keeping your knees in a safe position while still letting you get deep into the movement.

  • Back-loaded weight plates: This setup allows you to load resistance in a way that doesn’t jam pressure directly into your knees. By shifting the resistance toward your hip hinge mechanics, the movement feels more like a natural squat rather than forcing unnecessary compression on the knees.

  • Oversized, non-slip foot platform: Foot placements play a crucial role in squats. With the PLS1400 Squat machine,  you can adjust your stance to target different muscles without risking joint strain.

  • Dual safety catch and range of motion limiter: Whether you want full mobility or need to limit depth, you can customize the movement to what feels best for your knees. And in case you fail a rep, the dual safety catch ensures you’re not trapped under the weight, reducing the risk of injury.

If you’ve been avoiding squats because of knee pain, this machine lets you get all the benefits—quad and glute growth, improved mobility, and better athletic performance without the drawbacks.

Other Knee-Friendly Exercises

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If you want a full-leg workout while protecting your knees, try these alongside the pendulum squat:

  • Reverse Sled Drags: It’s a killer way to build quads without putting stress on your knees. Just strap in and start pulling.

  • Glute Bridges or Hip Thrusts: This one strengthens your posterior chain, taking pressure off your knees in the long run.

  • Seated Calf Raises: Strengthens your lower legs without jamming weight into your knees like standing calf raises do.

What NOT to Do If You Have Knee Pain

Some exercises aren’t worth the risk if you’ve got bad knees. Here’s what to skip:

  • Leg Extensions: These isolate your quads but put way too much stress directly on your knee joint.

  • Walking Lunges: Even if you’re doing them with only body weight, the constant pressure on your knees can be brutal.

  • Deep Back Squats: Unless your knees are 100% healthy, squatting heavy with a barbell can do more harm than good.

Knee pain doesn’t mean you have to sit out leg day. You just need to work with your body, not against it. Machines like the PLS1400 Pendulum Squat make it possible to build serious leg strength while keeping your knees almost pain-free.

So, instead of skipping leg day (or suffering through it), train smarter. Your knees will thank you in the long run.

 

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