Let’s Go Walking! Join me for a virtual walking support group

Posted by Becky, Volunteer Mentor @becsbuddy, Feb 19, 2020

Many of you living with cancer or an autoimmune disease, like me, deal with daily fatigue. You know that exercise is so important to your health, but it’s so hard. There’s always an excuse: it’s too cold or hot, it’s going to rain or it’s raining, or it’s snowy and icy, or I just don’t want to. I, too, have all these excuses, but I have a new rescue dog who wants to go out and who doesn’t care about my excuses! And I’ve got traction devices for my boots.Now I just need a walking group who will keep me accountable. People who say, ‘let’s go for a walk.'

And I thought: What about my virtual friends on MayoClinicConnect?

Mayo Clinic has an easy 12-week walking program to get us started! Here’s the link:
- Get walking with this 12-week walking schedule https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/get-walking-with-this-12-week-walking-schedule/

So let’s form a virtual walking group. We can agree to walk every day and encourage each other through Connect. We can walk outdoors, in a mall, or in the red center, or in the hallways of our apartment building.

Who’s in? Who’s going to join me?

Come on, Let’s Go Walking!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

@jude07

I love Poe’s character, what a sweet bird!

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😆 🤣 😂 😹 Sweet bird. Yeah!

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@fiesty76

@jakedduck1 and @artist01, This remains the most outstanding medical mystery of my life so far and neither my thoracic surgeon sil nor two orthopedic surgeons can explain it other than that the medically unsupervised home pt I did may have made the difference.

Before my youngest gs's birth, I was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff and all three surgeons recommended surgery. Even I could see the tear on the scan. I put it off until after our newest arrival. Due to extensive pt after earlier fractures, I still had some of the "stretching" items and worked them. I am certainly not suggesting that this would work for any other person but it was an unbelievable experience to regain use of that arm without pain eventually. Some things are just weirder than weird, yes?

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@feisty1, good story. I did a lot of home p.t. after my shoulder surgery too, in addition to p.t. at hospital. The main apparatus was a pull attached to my kitchen door frame. Hurt like h--- at first but really limbered up the joint eventually. Ouch, it even hurts to remember. I will say though, that if any of you are recommended to have shoulder surgery, DO IT. The pain you are now suffering will go away. Promise. Warm and healthy wishes. Laurie

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@artist01

Lori, thankyou for encouraging my wanderlust. Soon, soon.
I think there's going to be several of us parrot and pet lovers booted off this site for being off topic! Maybe we could start up an African Grey site? Lol.
Just one more sentence pleeeese...my two Greys were ornery, cantankerous and all that too, but mixed with the kissiest, sweetest, cuddliest moments. No telling which mood it would be. Lol.
But I loved them anyway!

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@artist01 I would never boot you off the site! Heavens, I get a kick out of all the stories, too! I do agree, though, you might want to take your fun to the Just Want to Talk discussion. You may find some other parrot ladies (and gents) and a lot more people could enjoy the stories! Just saying...

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@loribmt

@jude07 Poe was a character for sure and anything but sweet natured! He outlived 3 dogs and tortured each by calling or whistling to them as if it were me or my husband. When the dog would come into the room, Poe would yell (in MY voice) “No, go lie down”, he’d steal chew toys, he’d bite me when feeding unless he wanted his head scratched. Then he’d say, “Scratch my head!” Cantankerous and curmudgeonly...two words for that old crow. Giggle.

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🤣🤣😦😦😂

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@becsbuddy

@artist01 I would never boot you off the site! Heavens, I get a kick out of all the stories, too! I do agree, though, you might want to take your fun to the Just Want to Talk discussion. You may find some other parrot ladies (and gents) and a lot more people could enjoy the stories! Just saying...

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@becsbuddy. Oh oh, I've done it, haven't I? Lol. Far too many parrot stories and far too much fun! Honestly, it happened in all innocence with a tiny parrot 🦜 moment that one of our dear members cited. That triggered a whole raft of posts. My fault though, for falling for the trigger. Lol. I'll aim to stay on topic. 😥. Lol. Laurie

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@artist01

@becsbuddy. Oh oh, I've done it, haven't I? Lol. Far too many parrot stories and far too much fun! Honestly, it happened in all innocence with a tiny parrot 🦜 moment that one of our dear members cited. That triggered a whole raft of posts. My fault though, for falling for the trigger. Lol. I'll aim to stay on topic. 😥. Lol. Laurie

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@artist01 LOL. You’re not alone straying from the path, Laurie dear! Some of us are so ‘easily called away’. I think we march to the clank of a distant plumber... “Back off Bucko” as Poe would say. Giggle.

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I'm trying to restart my walking after vegetating in my recliner since covid, and my legs are very weak. I tend to be drawn to lean forward as I walk, to the point of feeling unstable, and have to fight this tendency continuously. I have a doctor appointment next month, but would appreciate hearing comments from anyone who has experienced similar problems. Age = 82, but usually very active physically.

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@tomberry

I'm trying to restart my walking after vegetating in my recliner since covid, and my legs are very weak. I tend to be drawn to lean forward as I walk, to the point of feeling unstable, and have to fight this tendency continuously. I have a doctor appointment next month, but would appreciate hearing comments from anyone who has experienced similar problems. Age = 82, but usually very active physically.

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@tomberry Hi and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Wow, first congratulations on beating the virus! How was your experience? Did you have a more mild case? Or did I misunderstand and you’re just vegging because of not being able to get out? Anyway, let’s get you back up and walking. We’re not medical professionals on Connect so we can’t make a diagnosis. But we can rely on our experiences to help.

Though I didn’t have covid, I did have a period of time where I was bedridden for 5 weeks. It’s amazing how quickly our muscles atrophy. Especially legs and our core muscles that support the stomach and back.
My legs were really weak too. Doing smaller walks daily helped as did walking up and down a couple stair steps each day, adding more daily when I felt strong enough. But just like you, my balance was unstable and felt like I leaned forward. My oncologist recommended a physical therapist. That was most beneficial. She pointed out that my core muscles had atrophied and needed to bring those back to life to regain stability.

Your symptoms sound very familiar so a suggestion is to try some easy exercises at home. There are several sites online for gentle core exercises for us seniors, and for restoring balance. Some are done in the chair without having to get on the floor. I do most of mine before getting out of bed in the morning with some simple pelvic exercises and leg lifts. One piece of advice I received from the PT was that seniors should never to do crunches. It can be detrimental to our spinal areas.

Definitely talk with your doctor if you don’t see any improvement with your walking. Have you done any strengthening exercises recently? Here a few web sites to get you started. But be very cautious just starting out not to do anything too strenuous or too quickly. Slow and steady wins the race. Wishing you good health! Lori

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/core-exercises/art-20044751#:~:text=Some%20examples%20of%20core%20exercises%20include%20planks%2C%20situps,Avoid%20tilting%20your%20hips.%20Tighten%20your%20abdominal%20muscles.https://www.silversneakers.com/blog/core-exercises-seniors/
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@loribmt

@artist01 LOL. You’re not alone straying from the path, Laurie dear! Some of us are so ‘easily called away’. I think we march to the clank of a distant plumber... “Back off Bucko” as Poe would say. Giggle.

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Well, Lori, that sure brought a GOL (Giggle Out Loud). I just coined a new phrase. GOL. Love your plumber phrase!! And thankyou for your forgiveness of my straying off topic. It's so easy to do sometimes. Hugs.

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@artist01

@feisty1, good story. I did a lot of home p.t. after my shoulder surgery too, in addition to p.t. at hospital. The main apparatus was a pull attached to my kitchen door frame. Hurt like h--- at first but really limbered up the joint eventually. Ouch, it even hurts to remember. I will say though, that if any of you are recommended to have shoulder surgery, DO IT. The pain you are now suffering will go away. Promise. Warm and healthy wishes. Laurie

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Yes, @artist01, My experience was just weirder than weird and I 150% agree that following docs' recommendations is the way to go. I'd planned on the surgery but just wanted to defer it until I had some "new baby cuddle time". What transpired for me still has me wondering how that healing occurred.

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