6 Exercise Modifications to Lower Injury Risk (Easy & Effective)

Exercising is important for good health, but if you’re overweight, some exercises may be tough on your body. Extra stress on your joints, muscles, and bones can increase the risk of injury. Don’t worry — you don’t have to stop exercising. You can still get great results while exercising safely.

This means that even if certain exercises feel hard on your body, you can change how you do them and still build strength.

In this guide, you’ll learn six easy exercise modifications you can use in any workout. These tips are easy and can help you feel safer whether you are just beginning or want to make your workouts easier.

6 Simple Exercise Modifications to Lower Your Injury Risk

Before we begin, remember these tips:

• If you are a beginner, do not rush when exercising.
• Gradually increase your reps.
• Feeling sore in your muscles is normal, but if you feel sharp pain or discomfort in your joints, stop for the day.
• Focus on doing each exercise correctly rather than on how many sets you do.
• It’s better to do fewer sets with proper form than to do more with poor form.

1. Jumping Jack — Step Jack for Lower Impact

Jumping jacks increase heart rate and provide excellent cardiovascular exercise, but if you are overweight, they put pressure on joints. Every jump puts pressure on your spine, hips, knees, as well as ankles, increasing the chances of a strain or sprain.

Modification: Step Jack

The step jack is a great, low-impact alternative. It keeps your joints safe while still providing a solid warm-up.

Here’s how to do it:

• Start with your feet shoulder-width apart your hands at your sides and your back straight.
• Slide your right foot out to the side while swinging your left arm up overhead and your right arm up to the side.
• Bend your arms as you return your right leg back into position before your left leg.
• Repeat on the left side — step your left leg out and raise your arms.
• Place both of your hands down as you take your left leg back in.

Tips for proper form:

• Strengthen your abdominal muscles in order to help your lower back muscles.
• Keep movements slow and rhythmic. Avoid rushing.
• If your back arches or shoulders round, stop and reset posture.

Reps and Sets: Start with 2 sets of 10 reps. As you progress through the levels of endurance, aim at 3 sets of 12.

Progression Tip: When you feel you are strong enough, increase the level of difficulty by moving your feet faster or by increasing the number of repetitions.

Benefits of Step Jack vs. Jumping Jack:

• Low Impact: It takes the pressure off the joints, perfect for people with excess weight.
• Easy to Adjust: If your fitness level is low then you should change the speed and the intensity of the exercise.
• Heart Rate Booster: Provides cardio advantage without impact.

2. Squat — Sit-to-Stand for Less Stress on Knees

Squats are one of the best exercises targeting the lower body, but they greatly stress the knees and ankles, even more so if you’re overweight. The extra stress can cause pain or even an injury if done wrong. Also, moving your balance to the side can increase your chances of slipping or falling.

Modification: Sit-to-Stand

The sit-to-stand exercise is similar to squats but reduces the impact on your knees and the muscles worked are the same. It also means that using a bench or chair allows you to decrease the pressure on your knees, but still develop muscles.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Sit on a sturdy chair or bench with feet flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart, and knees just behind your toes.
2. Keep your back straight and lean slightly forward from the hips.
3. Push through your heels, using your legs to stand up fully, extending both knees and hips.
4. Slowly lower yourself back down to the chair, keeping the movement controlled.

Tips for proper form:

• Lower down with the knees over the feet; do not let the knees buckle in.
• Stand erect—do not hunch, keep your back straight, your shoulders back and your spine in alignment.
• See that the chair or bench you choose is sturdy and has a fixed firm ground that does not shake.

Reps and Sets: Start by two sets of 10 followed by three sets of 12 in case you are able to handle the challenge.

Progression Tip: After building strength try to lower yourself without touching the chair at all. Lastly, if possible, progress to a full squat if possible.

Benefits of the Sit-to-Stand vs. Traditional Squat

• Less Pressure on Joints: Sit-to-stand reduces pressure on the knees, hip, and the lower back, thus preserving your joints.
• Better Balance: Control is in fact effective in building balance and coordination and thus the risks of falling are minimized.
• Strength Gains Without the Risk: That’s strengthening quads, hamstrings, and glutes with safer and controlled movement than the traditional movements.

3. Plank — Wall Plank for Less Wrist Strain

Planks are excellent for building core strength, but they can put a lot of pressure on your wrists, especially if you have excess weight. This pressure can lead to wrist discomfort or even injury. Plus, getting onto and off the floor may be challenging for some, especially for those who are new to exercise.

Modification: Wall Plank

Instead of getting on the floor, try doing a wall plank. It offers all the core-strengthening benefits of the traditional plank but with less strain on your wrists.

Here’s how to do it:

• Stand facing a wall with your feet hip-width apart and your hands placed flat against the wall at shoulder height.
• Step your feet back until your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders.
• Tighten your core like someone is about to punch you in the stomach, keeping your body straight and your glutes engaged.
• Hold this position for as long as you can, aiming for 15-30 seconds.

Tips for proper form:

• Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels. Avoid letting your hips sag or your back arch.
• Don’t overextend your arms or lean too far forward. Your hands should be directly beneath your shoulders.
• If you feel wrist strain, try doing the wall plank with your forearms on the wall instead of your hands.

Reps and Sets: Hold for 15-30 seconds, gradually increasing the time as you get stronger.

Progression tip: Once the wall plank becomes easy, you can try the modified plank on an elevated surface like a bench or a table to add more challenge.

Benefits of the Wall Plank vs. Floor Plank:

• Less wrist strain: The wall plank takes the pressure off your wrists, making it safer for those with joint concerns.
• Easy to modify: You can adjust the intensity of the wall plank by changing the angle of your body (the more horizontal you are, the harder it gets).
• Improves core stability: It still activates your core muscles, improving strength and balance without the discomfort of the floor plank.

4. Push-Up — Wall Push-Up for Shoulder and Wrist Relief

Push-ups are an excellent exercise to develop upper body muscles but they are not friendly to the shoulder, wrist and lower back region if you are overweight. For most people, the challenge lies in getting the form right and this added pressure can lead to an injury.

Modification: Wall Push-Up

If this becomes too much, then you can try the wall push-up. This version is just great; as you can see it targets your chest, arms and shoulders equally well without posing a risk to your wrists and shoulders as the previous movement might do.

Here’s how to do it:

• Start with your back to a wall, with your distance of about the length of your arm from the wall and your feet shoulder width apart.
• Stand with your hands on the wall, palms down, and with your fingers pointing upward and your arms extended.
• Move your feet back a little so your body is parallel to the ground, but your head, shoulders, hips and heels are in a straight line.
• Slowly bring your chest closer to the wall by flexing at the elbow.
• The last and final movement is pushing back upward to the standing position.

Tips for proper form:

• Throughout the exercise, the body should be straight from the head to the heels.
• Do not allow your lower back to sink or your shoulders to rise towards the ears.
• Pay special attention to your elbows and make sure they do not gesticulate wide to the sides.

Reps and Sets: Perform the exercise using 2 sets of 10 repetition and than gradually increase the intensity to 3 sets of 12 repetitions.

Progression tip: To make the wall push-up more challenging, you can try the next step – perform the exercise on the lower surface, for example, on the table or a bench.

Benefits of the Wall Push-Up vs. Traditional Push-Up:

• Reduced strain: The wall push-up decreases stress on your shoulders, wrists, and lower back, making it more accessible for those with joint issues.
• Great for beginners: It’s an easier version of the traditional push-up, so you can build strength gradually.
• Full upper-body workout: You’ll still work your chest, arms, and shoulders, just with less intensity.

5. Lunges — Reverse Lunges for Joint Protection

Lunges are fantastic for strengthening your legs and improving balance, but they can be tough on your knees and hips — especially for beginners or anyone with a history of knee problems. The forward lunge, in particular, can sometimes cause the knee to extend too far over the toes, leading to unnecessary strain.

Modification: Reverse Lunges

Switching to reverse lunges helps take the pressure off your knee joints, making the movement more accessible and safer, especially for people with mobility issues or knee pain. It’s just as effective for working your quads, hamstrings, and glutes without the extra strain.

Here’s how to do it:

• Start standing with your feet hip-width apart.
• Take a step backward with your right foot, lowering your body until both knees are bent at 90 degrees.
• Keep your left knee behind your toes, and your right knee should be nearly touching the floor.
• Push through your left heel to return to the starting position, then switch legs.

Tips for proper form:

• Keep your upper body straight and avoid leaning forward as you step back.
• Focus on keeping your knees aligned with your toes as you lower yourself.
• Engage your core to help maintain balance throughout the movement.

Reps and Sets: Start with 2 sets of 8-10 reps on each leg, gradually increasing to 3 sets of 12 reps per leg.

Progression tip: Once you feel comfortable, you can add dumbbells or a barbell to increase resistance, making the reverse lunge a more challenging move. However, always focus on form before adding weight.

Benefits of Reverse Lunges vs. Forward Lunges:

• Less knee stress: The reverse lunge puts less stress on your knee joint because it minimizes the forward movement and keeps the knee from going over the toes.
• Improved balance and coordination: The reverse lunge challenges your balance more than a forward lunge, which helps improve coordination and strengthens stabilizing muscles.
• Less pressure on the lower back: Reverse lunges tend to put less pressure on the lower back, especially when compared to the forward lunge.

6. Deadlifts — Romanian Deadlift for Back and Hamstring Health

Traditional deadlifts are a powerhouse exercise for building strength in the lower back, hamstrings, and glutes, but they can be risky if performed with poor form or if you have back issues. The movement requires a strong and stable core to prevent strain on the lower back, and if you’re not cautious, you can end up injuring yourself.

Modification: Romanian Deadlift

The Romanian deadlift (RDL) is a safer variation that still targets the same muscles but with less strain on the lower back. By focusing on a more controlled movement, the RDL minimizes the risk of injury, especially for those with tight hamstrings or lower back pain.

Here’s how to do it:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell or barbell in front of your thighs with your palms facing your body.
• With a slight bend in your knees, hinge at the hips to lower the weights down the front of your legs while keeping your back straight and chest up.
• Lower the weights until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings (usually just below the knee).
• Engage your glutes and hamstrings to pull yourself back up to the starting position.

Tips for proper form:

• Keep your back flat and your core engaged throughout the movement. Avoid rounding your lower back.
• Focus on pushing your hips back rather than just bending at the waist.
• Ensure the dumbbells or barbell stay close to your body as you lower them.

Reps and Sets: Start with two sets of 8-10 repetitions. As you gain strength, increase the weight. Over time, work up to three sets of 12 repetitions. 

Progression tip: Once the movement feels comfortable, gradually increase the weight you’re using, but make sure you can maintain proper form before doing so.

Benefits of Romanian Deadlifts vs. Traditional Deadlifts:

• Less strain on the back: The Romanian deadlift emphasizes hip movement, reducing the strain on your lower back.
• Great hamstring activation: The RDL focuses more on the hamstrings, making it an excellent option for those looking to improve posterior chain strength.
• Easier to control: It’s easier to control the Romanian deadlift, which means it’s safer for people with less experience or those prone to injury.

Last Words

With these modifications, you can save your joints and prevent straining even if you are a beginner, or you have some extra pounds. Changing to step jacks, sit-to-stands, wall planks, and reverse lunges are small changes but they make a huge impact on comfort and safety.

Always keep this in mind: progress is steady, maintain proper form, and if you experience a sharp pain, then pause. These changes enable you to develop strength and fitness without straining yourself.