Walking Suggestion For Us Old Crippled Up Seniors...

delilah47
delilah47 Posts: 1,658
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm not in good enough shape, due to my back injury, to go out walking for blocks away from home. So, what I did was measure from the furthest place in my living room to the furthest other point in the house. I live in a smallish duplex, so that measurement is 52 feet. Round trip is 104 feet. So, divide 104 feet into 5280 feet (number of feet in a mile) which equals approximately 51. I have to walk 51 round trips to walk a mile. I divided that into 1/2 mile (~26 round trips) and 1/4 mile (13 round trips).

Walking this way probably isn't really that great for cardio, but if you live a very sedentary lifestyle and are overweight, it will help keep from getting blood clots in your legs and is still a good form of exercise for those who are limited in what they can do for physical exercise. And, you don't have to walk it all at once. I usually do 3-4 laps at a time and keep track for my final number. The exercise database has all speeds of walking to choose from for logging this as exercise..

So, get out your ball of twine and tie one end to a piece of furniture in your living room (or whichever place you want to start) and stretch it to the furthest point, then measure it and do the math and get to walking!

Replies

  • hebehrens
    hebehrens Posts: 55
    Good suggestion! I do think people (especially older adults) get in the mindset that they are "too old" to do many activities. Or that if they aren't able to get out of the house, then there's no way they can be active. You are absolutely right that there is always a way!

    I'm a physical therapy student and during my internships I've worked with several older adults with that mindset. Many think they are simply unable to perform an exercise I ask them to do. Once they try though, they surprise themselves and realize they're not "too old", "too fat", "have too much knee pain", etc. etc. to be active.
  • nashsheri33
    nashsheri33 Posts: 225 Member
    that is a great idea! you are very determined, i can tell.

    another option, if you have a computer (and of course you do, if you are on mfp), is to look up 'chair exercises' on youtube. you'd be surprised at what you can do for exercise while sitting in a chair!

    depending on what kind of insurance you have, you may be eligible to join the ymca for free. some insurance companies offer the SilverSneaker program as a benefit. call your local ymca,or your insurance company, and see about that!

    i am a certified SilverSneakers instructor, and it is a fabulous program primarily for seniors (or persons who are recovering from surgery, or the permanently disabled) of differing levels of physical fitness who would like to become/stay active. we concentrate on strength and range of movement, and most exercises are done sitting in a chair.

    it's worth having a look!

    p.s. your kitty is adorable!
  • Jemmuno
    Jemmuno Posts: 413 Member
    Great plan!! You could also get a pedometer. I bout mine at walmart for 4 bucks. That way you don't have to keep track of laps and you can keep track of all the walking you do. I go up and down my stairs a lot during the day and that really adds up on my pedometer just from walking around my house or when I'm cooking and walking around my kitcken.
  • StaceySuperfly
    StaceySuperfly Posts: 101 Member
    I am pretty crippled myself and I can only walk about 10 minutes before I can't take the pain.Just had my low back fused and waiting on surgery for a frozen hip. I simply walk in place! Youtube has Leslie Sansone 1 mile indoor walking video (also 3 and 4 miles) and so does Jane Fonda They incorporate little knee lifts and side to side steps and upper body movement too. We can do a lot more than we think and I am proud of you for finding a way to get your exercise without leaving the house!
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
    that is a great idea! you are very determined, i can tell.

    another option, if you have a computer (and of course you do, if you are on mfp), is to look up 'chair exercises' on youtube. you'd be surprised at what you can do for exercise while sitting in a chair!

    depending on what kind of insurance you have, you may be eligible to join the ymca for free. some insurance companies offer the SilverSneaker program as a benefit. call your local ymca,or your insurance company, and see about that!

    i am a certified SilverSneakers instructor, and it is a fabulous program primarily for seniors (or persons who are recovering from surgery, or the permanently disabled) of differing levels of physical fitness who would like to become/stay active. we concentrate on strength and range of movement, and most exercises are done sitting in a chair.

    it's worth having a look!

    p.s. your kitty is adorable!

    Yep, I have 2 chair aerobic DVDs, which I do use occasionally. Sometimes when lifting legs when seated can cause more back pain, but I do them when I can. Thanks for the suggestions.

    PS Punkin appreciates the compliment, but he already knows he's cute!
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
    I am pretty crippled myself and I can only walk about 10 minutes before I can't take the pain.Just had my low back fused and waiting on surgery for a frozen hip. I simply walk in place! Youtube has Leslie Sansone 1 mile indoor walking video (also 3 and 4 miles) and so does Jane Fonda They incorporate little knee lifts and side to side steps and upper body movement too. We can do a lot more than we think and I am proud of you for finding a way to get your exercise without leaving the house!

    Good luck to you! I also tried walking in place, but for some reason if I am walking forward, it is less painful and I can do that longer than walking in place... go figure.

    Thanks to you, and others, there are some very good suggestions coming out. I hope others can benefit from them as well as myself.
  • rtrcarrie
    rtrcarrie Posts: 50 Member
    FANTASTIC advice! Always proud for those who find away no matter what life has handed them. I work at a VA hospital and see this every day. There are many, many, many patients there who have had serious injuries, health issues, and surgeries that have left them without the ability to do what they once did for exercise. Way too many of them have done just what you have, found a way around the problem. I know it's hard, but I am so happy for you and I know that you feel better physically and emotionally for having figured this out in your home and going forward every way you can!
  • fresh_start59
    fresh_start59 Posts: 590 Member
    I am quite out of shape for my age (12 years younger than you) and this is exactly how I started out.

    I wear a pedometer (a cheapie $25 Omron pedometer, not a fancy Fitbit) and track my steps. The first week, I did not push myself. I wore the pedometer to get a base reading: 600-1,000 steps per day. Pitiful for someone my age!

    I increased my walking in the house and then I'd go to Target and wander around. Later, I gave up Target and started walking at Walmart. (Walmart is one of those places where nobody looks oddly at you for walking up and down the aisles without stopping to look at anything.)

    It has taken me three or four months, but I am now up to a goal of 6,000 steps a day. Some days it's really hard to get in that many steps, especially if I don't leave the house. So now, instead of doing weekly grocery shopping, I buy only a few things so I have an excuse to go back to Walmart two or three times a week.

    Another thing I found that helps: resistance bands (tubes)
    I can't lift weights because I am too weak and I'm afraid I'll drop a weight on my foot. But I can slowly build up my strength with a resistance band.
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
    I am quite out of shape for my age (12 years younger than you) and this is exactly how I started out.

    I wear a pedometer (a cheapie $25 Omron pedometer, not a fancy Fitbit) and track my steps. The first week, I did not push myself. I wore the pedometer to get a base reading: 600-1,000 steps per day. Pitiful for someone my age!

    I increased my walking in the house and then I'd go to Target and wander around. Later, I gave up Target and started walking at Walmart. (Walmart is one of those places where nobody looks oddly at you for walking up and down the aisles without stopping to look at anything.)

    It has taken me three or four months, but I am now up to a goal of 6,000 steps a day. Some days it's really hard to get in that many steps, especially if I don't leave the house. So now, instead of doing weekly grocery shopping, I buy only a few things so I have an excuse to go back to Walmart two or three times a week.

    Another thing I found that helps: resistance bands (tubes)
    I can't lift weights because I am too weak and I'm afraid I'll drop a weight on my foot. But I can slowly build up my strength with a resistance band.

    You go girl!

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