There Are Surprisingly Affordable Recumbent Exercise Bikes on Amazon

A recumbent bike offers many of the same low-impact health benefits as walking, according to White. “Like walking, recumbent bikes provide an individual with enhanced cardiovascular endurance without added stress to hip and knee joints,” explains Ojeda.

But when it comes to deciding which form of exercise is best for you, that depends on the individual. “If they have pain when walking or running on the treadmill then a recumbent bike will be better than a treadmill,” he says. “On the other hand, if they are able to walk or run on the treadmill without pain, then they should do so ,as it engages more muscle groups and is a harder exercise.”

If you want to get technical with it, Kennedy recommends using a heart rate monitor. “If you are able to sustain your heart rate in certain zones using a recumbent bike, then yes, it can be just as beneficial as walking,” he says. “It is typically easier for an individual to elevate their heart rate on a treadmill because you are fully upright and there are more muscles involved. However, you can increase the resistance and work very hard on a recumbent bike.”

At the end of the day, “whatever exercise they can stick to consistently pain free is the most effective way for anyone to see results,” says White.