Q: I have been doing aerobics and jogging for the past 30 years. I now have permanent pain in my right foot, sometimes worse than others, so I have to give up aerobics and jogging. I sometimes take walks, short and long. If I take a long walk, I put my foot on ice afterward. After I put ice on my foot, it goes back to normal. The orthopaedic specialist showed me on the Xray that a couple of my bones are slightly separated. He doesn't know what caused it, a fracture I had when I was 21 (I am now 57) which wasn't put in a cast. What is the best aerobic machine I can buy to continue doing aerobic exercise? I want to keep my weight down and I just feel better psychologically when I do aerobic exercise. The treadmill is out, of course, and I find rowing so boring - I know I wouldn't do it. What about a stair machine?

A:For you, the best bet would be an elliptical trainer/walker, which is even better than a stair climber. This is a machine which has minimum impact on the feet and if done correctly, on the knees as well. It is an expensive machine, found in most stores and now in a lot of fitness centres. As you know, you can also do some muscle endurance work and yoga to complement your workout.