Incredible medicine for aging well: Walking!

Walking is the go to fitness as we age! In light of walking's benefits to overall health, from personal experiences I would like to remind individuals with back issues, sciatica, neuropathy, or balance problems to take care to monitor your footsteps closely during walking reducing your risk of falls.

😂 Beautiful Husband has had to scrape me off the pavement several times due to forgetting to pay attention to foot placement during walks.

I learned my walking strategy following the My Poor Tooshie Weeps After Tumbles Method! 😭😂 Thank God for helping me heal from injured ankles sprains, broken toes and foot; helping my husband survive being a caretaker to grumpy patient. 🙏
Ahhh, the wonders of aging gracefully.😂

Hopes this reminder helps those who are at risk for falls.

Remember: SLOW and DELIBERATE steps prevent falls.

Keep living, loving, and laughing on your life journey!

You can never say too many times about fall risks. Even for young people. For older people falls often can radically change your life for the worse in an instant. Put this in your subconscious "Never Fall!".

Also, regular walkers have far less back problems and many other health issues, including mental health issues. If the majority of people in the US walked for an hour a day I believe the health care situation would be totally different. In fact I was looking at all the cars in the large parking lot of a hospital and I had an interesting thought: "Are all the cars there because all the cars are there?" Does anyone else know what I mean by that?

Hi....... I was reading an article about Dementia the other day and they mentioned 3 things that are incredibly
important to do.
1. Do puzzles etc
2. Play card games and other games with your grandchildren
3. WALK .......... the most important of all, for at least 3/4 of an hour 5 times a week - outside in nature if
possible.
As far as your remark about the cars is concerned..........here in SA when visiting hours are over the
hospital parking lots are empty. The distances to hospitals are great and taxis and public transport
practically non-existent!

Agreed!!! I have to do the treadmill due to Minnesota winter but I listen to lots of music so the time goes by. Also since I am on oxygen and have pulmonary hyertension I need to control the warm up speed so that works. My doctors always ask me how much I exercise. I think they would add "world peace" to your list!

For those who enjoy walking, and not talking (you're more likely to be unaccompanied) you might enjoy listening to podcasts. Some websites have free, some are paid/subscription, and you can listen to them with over-the-ear wireless headphones, or use sports quality ear buds, also wireless ideally. Bose, JBL, Sony, Skullcandy, and Apple ear buds are all really good, and most have settings in the app on your phone that controls them for noise reduction, often adjustable for hearing some or much of what is happening around you. The point is, maybe music does it for you, and I won't say I haven't enjoyed it myself, but I prefer to have my mind actively considering, or formulating arguments for/against, what I hear said to me as I walk. Sites like Quillette (which I state up front tends to be right wing politically) and others have podcasts that you can listen to. In some cases, I get more exercise gesticulating at nobody and snorting in derision than I do walking because what the podcaster suggests to me is ridiculous or offensive to me, or just doesn't follow from what preceded the irritating point.

You can do this on a treadmill or out in the open where passers by who see you glowering, flailing at the air, and shouting that buddy is an idiot will give you wide berth down the path. It's as good as having a pit bull. 😀

Sure. I get it. Excellent advice. I have been walking daily since my cervical cord surgery 5 years ago. My spine surgeon said that is my life-long PT and it has worked.

gloaming,
I loved your post!
However, I do walk with a pitbull who is afraid of her shadow. She and I prefer a more zen walking experience.

It’s not only a simple warmup. It’s a “full body” strength building exercise. I do at least 10 sets (in/out of bed=set) every morning and evening. That’s all I need to keep going at 84 years old. Aside from hugging my grandkids 😍.

I will be 83 on January 1 and have enjoyed walking, skiing, hiking and exercising most of my life. Your list of benefits are quite motivating and sent me out walking until the sun set and the Christmas lights turned on in our neighborhood! I am a participant in the MC Diet program and today I walked 30 minutes straight with a sore back and a knee which will require a replacement all because of your motivational contribution. Thank you. 60 minutes, here I come!! PS I don't look my age now but after losing weight I probably will!!

I use poles when I go for walks to help me with balance as I usually walk on my own. It gives me at feeling of confidence and I seem to be able to walk a little further too!!