Wellness

[qvcaddition]

@PilatesLover 

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@PilatesLover wrote:

I haven't seen arthritis mentioned.  I think absence of arthritis, or only having a mild case of it, contributes to maintaining fitness as we age.  Arthritis can be a great robber of fitness in aging people.

Speaking as someone who's family was cursed with the arthritis genes, both OA and RA.

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Im 87, have arthritis, bone on bone in the neck, which I get headaches, but it doesn't stop me from exercisng. True we are different, but I am going on 65 years of exercising.  Have had to change some of my routines, but get in a couple of hours everyday. It's what keeps me going mentally and phycially.

I wear a neck brace to bed, so I don't wake up with a headache from the neck.  I wear a knee brace when I do the treadmill and bike.  Yesterday, I skipped those, because I had two hours of picking up leaves in the back and front yards and wore a back brace. I refused to give in until, it's impossible to do anymore. 

I found when the back hurts, slow walking on the treadmill, actually gets rid of the pain.  Also, the ice packs on the back when I am watching TV.

We are all different, but just sitting around will not help.

I live alone with my dog who is also old, but we walk 1.5 miles a day outside.

My Dr. said she is amazed what I can do at my age. 

I tell young people, start exercising, because it will help you when you are old.   I did Pilates for years and it's a great one.

Do what you can, but do something.

I feel great this morning and ready to start the day. Three miles treadmill and five miles bike today.  Then errands.

You can do Yoga stretch with a chair.  I do yoga on Sat and Sun.  Peggy Cappy has a great one for the elderly and not so elderly, but geared for those with pain. It;s called, "Yoga for the rest of us".  

[PilatesLover]

@qvcaddition I agree 100% about the need to keep exercising.  I've had to cut back and modify a lot but I make myself get a doable workout most days, which includes flexibility and balance.

I call exercise Vitamin X.  I'd be so much worse off if I didn't strive to do the activities that are still available to me.

[Mmsfoxxie]

@PilatesLover, this is so true!  Arthritis is the great inhibitor of exercising the way you want to and the extent that you want to do.  The biggest mistake I made was becoming almost a couch potato during the shut down in 2020.  Although my orthopedic doctor told me I was overdoing it, I slowed down too much.  Now, although, I'm not disabled, those first steps in the morning are tough.  Turning my neck is more painful than before.  The only part of me that's better are my feet....too much cardio.  The trick with arthritis is to find your 'just enough' level to help rather than hinder your condition.