1 articles · Updated · Eat This, Not That · Jun 25
Summary
Doug Bertram identified five exercises that can aggravate knees after 60—knee extensions, high-impact running, deep squats, walking lunges and box jumps—and said older adults should prioritize resilience over simply tolerating stress.
Age-related cartilage and lubrication loss, declining muscle, and past injuries can leave the knee absorbing more force than the body can control, especially when strength, mobility, balance or recovery capacity are limited.
Bertram’s substitutes aim to keep strength and cardio benefits while reducing joint load: sit-to-stands for knee extensions, incline walking for running, box squats for deep squats, and step-ups for walking lunges.
For explosive moves like box jumps, he recommends controlled power and balance drills such as step-and-hold patterns, lateral stepping or medicine-ball work to build coordination without heavy landing forces.
His broader message is that exercise after 60 should improve whole-body movement quality, which can lower knee stress and help people stay active and independent longer.