Portable Pedal Exerciser

As you know, I have osteoarthritis, which prevents me from standing and walking as much as I would like. You won’t see me hiking in the woods or walking on the beach, not in my condition, no way.

However, I felt the need to exercise my limbs in the easiest possible way. So, David bought me a Portable Pedal Exerciser for $36 from Amazon.

I use it primarily for my arthritic knees and hips. But it could be used for my arthritic shoulders, too. This device is quite versatile and easy to use. I like it a lot. It doesn’t take up too much space and can fold for easy storage.

However, there are several caveats, as listed in the owner’s manual:

(1) The device can overheat with long-term high intensity exercise. So just use it for short-term light exercise.

(2) The monitor is supposed to gauge my cycles per minute, the duration, and the calories burned, but it is unreliable. I don’t pay attention to it. I just cycle for a few minutes in short bursts of speed, anyway. Then, I return after a few minutes for more exercise. I do this, because I don’t have much stamina.

(3) If you use it on a smooth floor, then you should use the nylon strap to anchor the device to your chair so it will not slide on the floor. I use mine on carpet, which is not a problem.

Other than these caveats, it works okay. What do you expect for $36?

If you prefer long-term high intensity exercise, then you really should use a stationary or recumbent bike instead of this Portable Pedal Exerciser. I don’t use the bike, because I can’t swing my short leg over it. It’s too high for me. However, David uses the bike with no problem.

This is David, demonstrating the Portable Pedal Exerciser:

So, for $36, this device is not a bad way for an old lady like me to get some exercise, even though it’s of limited duration and intensity. Further, it’s good aerobic exercise for me.