low impact excercise?

A question about : low impact excercise?

Hi hoping someone can help me really. I've been going gym for last 6 mnths in effort to tone up and lose weight after having my son (8mnths old) doing at least twice a week bike and treadmill. This week I've just been diagnosed with osteoarthritis and been told I should try more low impact activities. I know that as Ive been doing gym last 6 mnths I can still do what I do now as I pace myself to how i feel i am on the day but still get a good workout.
I guess i was wondering if anyone could suggest something i can do at the gym thats less impactive ? dr suggested swimming but i go really early morning to fit in with kids and hubby so not really an option with schedule at minute, will also take longer and im time restricted. Any help appreciated thanks

Best answers:

• Elliptical trainer?
  
• Depending on how much you have to give up bikes, you could get a mini exercise bike - the magnetic kind though, as they are the only things that give decent resistance, but still not as much as a full on exercise bike.
  I actually find riding a 'real' bike lower impact on my joints than gym type exercise bikes. Much more fun too.
  What about rowing of some kind? Walking? I love hiking up hills. Lots of walking (several miles a day) is about the only thing I can think of if time restricted - it's free as well. Not full on speed walking, but pushing past your normal walking pace. By the time it takes to drive to the gym, park the car, work out, drive back, maybe take a shower, I could probably get 7+ miles in and see some really cool-interesting stuff. I take my strap on rate heart monitor and pedometer/GPS, so I can keep my heart rate in its target zone and measure how far I'm going. I tried doing it on a treadmill, but I got really bored. It's nice to get out and experience the world, rather than rush through it getting from A to B. Not only do I get exercise but it give me 'me' time as well.
  Maybe a stepper? I used a stepper to 'run' when I had an issue with my back, as it took stress off of my back and joints.
• Bike in a gym is zero impact.
• do you get osteoarthritis in all your body or just parts of it?
• If you have a 'exercise by referral' or similar in your area that might be right for you.
  They have specially trained instructors who will design a programme suitable for your health condition (I don't know if osteoarthritis is included, I know back pain and weight loss are, at least in most local authorities).
  There is no such thing as 'no impact'. Bikes and trainers are not even low impact.
  For example neither myself or my gym buddy can use an elliptical trainer because we get pain somewhere or another (not muscle workout pain, joint pain).
  Also my gym as recumbent bikes exactly because the standard bikes are not suitable for everyone (e.g. back problems).
  Aqua Aerobics/Fitness and similar exercises are the lowest impact as far as I know, because the water takes some of the weight off your joints) it was recommended to myself and my gym buddy, who both have some kind of back/joint problems.
  You need to make sure you get some proper advice, from someone who is not an inexperienced instructor who is used to working with fit people with no medical issues.
  Exercise has done me a lot of good, you'll see the benefits too.
  PS sometimes you don't realise the impact of something, there have been times when I was using a machine that seemed rather innocuous and my instructor had to come and tell me to stop.