Treadmill

reesegrace1

My husband is 72 yrs old, and he has started walking on my treadmill. He cannot walk with out holding onto something, because his balance is not good. He is scared he will fall. He finds that if he holds onto the side rails, he is leaning forward & walks hunched over, causing him back pain. He likes to walk holding onto the crosswalk bars in front )the ones where you swing back & forth for upper body workout). Will he be able to keep better posture holding onto those bars? I told him to keep his posture while walking & keep his head up looking straight ahead will help.

slade51

You tend to lean forward when running or going uphill. So the first thing is to not set it to an incline. When using the bars, in addition to facing forward, pulling back from the shoulder blades while slightly turning his body from side to side should help keep erect.

I2k4

I'm the same age, without the mobility limits and I've never liked treadmills because they want to keep running without me, perfectly willing to dump me off the back. I've had a couple of (to me) comical episodes, but the thought of using one with any serious mobility problem is scary. At the gym if wanting cardio I'll use a rower, stepper or bike instead. The impact of walking is bone healthy and home equipment is convenient, but I'd caution about the robotic automated aspect.

snowflake954

I think it takes a while to get used to a treadmill and get balanced. I think it's great that your husband is willing to try. If after a couple of weeks he's still having trouble, maybe a stationary bike would be better for him. Good luck to both of you!

spiriteagle99

I don't have the cross-bar you are talking about on my TM, but it seems to me that if it moves, it might not be that useful in preventing falls. He would do better to slow down until he gets used to the motion and can do it without holding on, or at most, just resting one hand on one of the side bars as an extra point of reference.

I agree generally with the suggestion that if falling is an issue, a stationary bike or rower might be a better option. FWIW, my husband has Parkinson's. He will use a bike and rower and he goes for walks and rarely falls. But he won't get on the TM.

Beautyofdreams

I have neuropathy(only feel pressure) and nerve damage from the hip down in my right leg and from the knee down in the left. I hold either the front bar or brace my arms against the side rails when walk on the treadmill. If I walk too slowly, my balance is worse. If I walk too fast then have too tight of a grip and can feel it in my back. Holding on with one hand leaves me unbalanced and I weave off the side of the treadmill.

The truth is the only way to remain able to walk is to walk. Encourage him to use the treadmill to maintain mobility and balance. Suggest that he vary his pace while on it to find a comfortable pace that he can maintain for as long as he chooses to walk on it. Encourage him to experiment with what feels secure and comfortable until he finds a comfort level where he can remain upright.