How to Prevent Knee Injuries While Doing Step Aerobics

I love and have been doing step aerobics for over 20 years. In fact, I still have and use the original Step Reebok step board, which is black and grey. One important thing I learned throughout the past 20 years was how to guard against knee injuries while doing step aerobics. One wrong turn or twist on a step board can inflect the most painful of knee injuries, so proper form and care are needed when performing step aerobics.

New Workout Tape or DVD

If you are going to work out to a new step board DVD, view the entire routine first, not just the instructional part. Pay particular attention to any steps or moves that you are not familiar with and practice them first. When you are ready to perform the workout, skip the arm routines until you are familiar with the stepping part.

Placement of Feet

When stepping up onto the step board, be sure to put your feet down flat on it. Do not step up onto your toes or heels. It is ok to use your toes on the foot that is still on the floor that you are using to push-off with, as this is your weight-bearing foot, until your other foot reaches the step board. It is sometimes hard to follow a video and watch where your feet are going, but it is important to know that your feet are in the proper location on a step board. Glance down every so often to insure you are placing your foot in the middle of the step board. Placing your foot to close to the edge could result in your foot slipping off the side and causing knee, leg, ankle, or another type of bodily injury. Being too close to the step board on the floor can also be a problem. Make sure the distance between your feet and the step board is comfortable so as not to put any added strain on your feet, legs, or knees when stepping up.

Performing Turns on the Step Board

One thing I was doing wrong, when I first started doing step aerobics, was I would slightly twist my leg when doing turns instead of lifting my leg. I quickly learned that this type of movement caused knee injury as my knee became sore and slightly swollen, causing me to stop step aerobics for a time.

Performing Jumps on the Step Board