Try walking in place, inside on a padded carpet.

Then try bicycling and see how your knees feel.

My gym has a regular exercise bike with a standard seat, and one that is recumbant. I find the recumbant bike much more comfortable and I can endure much longer on it.

Once you've lost a few pounds, you can try walking on a treadmill with no incline set, and good quality shoes.

Then alternate each day. They both have good benefits. It sounds like due to the isolation of your trail that walking may not be available to you. (and I sympathize - my DH refuses to walk with me and I don't like to go alone). If you look into bikes, try them out in the store before you buy.

I walked for years at a local lake. till I fell . so I have treadmill. I also have that great bike I love it.No theres no where to walk. Roads are narrow dangerous.Like I said the other one is isolated. No hubby doesnt need any excersise he cant it his butt what he has of one down.Hes a workaholic.

Bulldinkie,
Ive heard that the bike is good for working off calories, but that walking is good for keeping your bones strong.
Hayjud

well I was to the dr yesterday as usual they weigh you I lost a few pounds and went down 1 pants size in 3 weeks so its helping that way.I do feel good.Little more energy.

bulldinkie,
That is wonderful! Keep it up!
Hayjud

I was ill for years, lost a lot of weight and a lot of muscle mass. At one point, my knees were so weak that I had to crawl up the stairs.

I found some gentle knee exercises that I did to strengthen my knees (actually, my thigh muscles) before I ever started working out. This website is about what I did.

Now that my knees are stronger, I do both the treadmill and the recumbant bike, plus the Nautilus circuit. All of them seem to be working, because I can now easily go up and down stairs.

Thanks, and good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Gentle knee exercises

I've got one bad knee, and two bad ankles...and biking is the only aerobic exercise I get- swimming's always a lazy thing for me, but biking really gives me the need for speed-

the exercises that joanne's website shows are great, I'm one of the many who swear by the chondriton/glucosamine and Magnesium/calcium supplements...

I may never play rubgy again- but I can not only sit cross-legged again, I can STAND UP from that position without using me hands...

and that's something, indeed,

Yes the bike I have you kind of lay back,You are so comfortable on there compared to a regular bike.I walked many many miles every day tilkl I fell down stairs damaged knees.Walking is great.

I'm with chinacat, too - I swear by glucosamine/chondroitin. There are actually some small peer-reviewed studies out there that show a benefit to it.