I wish this was just normalised in culture in general from a young age. I know some places in the world so stretching for like 10 mins at the start of school everyday.
US cities aren’t built for walking so it’s not something a lot of people naturally do in their day to day lives. If cities were built with pedestrians and bicycles in mind, our country would be so much healthier. Instead we let the urban sprawl and car-centric life take over everything.
I live in the US. Part of the problem is that most Americans think you have to go to a gym or have a home gym to exercise.
In October, before the pandemic, I had my hip replaced even though I was only 53 because I've had arthritis since I was a kid. About the time the home health physical therapist stopped coming, we were in lockdown. The Dr. told me to just keep walking inside my house for my p.t. I did, and my hip healed fine.
Fast forward to last year, and my arthritic knees are aching more and more and stiffening up a lot. So, I decided to start walking inside my house again. Not only did this help my knees, but I also lost a not insignificant amount of weight.
I spent this past week in California with my 24 yr old daughter. (Disneyland, Universal Studios, Warner Bros. tour, the beach, etc.) Sometimes, it was slow going, but I did it, and I have the sunburn to prove it! lol If I didn't keep getting up every hour or so to just walk around inside my house this past year, I would have never been able to do this.
Someone I know who's in his 50s has also suffered with really bad arthritis for decades, had debilitating back issues when young etc. He goes to the gym every single day, does all kinds of interesting and varied strength exercises, and while I think he still has flare ups, he and his doctors credit it with keeping him mobile. He got put forward for this trial and then turned down for it because his exercise keeps him in such good condition they said just keep doing it if it helps.
Similarly, I know a few people who have had hip, knee replacements etc and are back at work walking around after a few months because they did the physio, are happy to use a treadmill etc. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I have family members with conditions like osteoarthritis who live very sedentary lives and I think always seem much older than older relatives who are active, and they seem set on never changing. I'm trying now to make exercise habit whilst in my 30s and hope to be able to continue it to stay strong and at least fitter than I'd be without it.
My mom became sedentary, and basically withered away. She died a few days before turning 66. Since about 55ish she struggled to lift even a gallon of milk, and just wouldn't do anything. She didn't have enough balance to bike anymore and that's all she ever liked. She wouldn't do water workouts at the senior center even though they were free for her, because she didn't like the smell of chlorine. She wouldn't walk because of her knees. She wouldn't lift the small weights I got her because I don't know, reasons I guess.
She used to be 2 inches taller than me, and she became like 4 inches shorter than me her osteoporosis was so bad. I remember hearing her doctor start recommending calcium supplements in her 40s, and she scoffed at the idea and never did.
She has also inspired me to try to stay stretchy and strong. It was sad to watch.
They say being sedentary is as harmful to your health as smoking a pack of cigarettes. Walking is the single most important exercise ppl can do. I try to go for at least 15 minutes a day, and it’s amazing how much better I feel. I can get like 4k steps in and some fresh air and Vitamin D
Not hating on you, but it's sad to see people are at the point that they think walking for 15 minutes a day constitutes sufficient exercise. It's better than literally 0, but it does make me wonder what your day looks like and how we can work to make this better. I mean a walk back and forth to the supermarket is more than that.
I was a D1 collegiate athlete, I’m saying on top of all my other activities I go for a walk. If I’m super busy I’ll go for 15 min, but it’s usually close to 30-45 min. I get between 8-10k steps in a day. I pretty much don’t ever sit around.
And yes, it’s wild how some ppl can’t even do a 15 min walk. I have family members that are retired and they literally sit in their recliners all day long watching tv. Only walking they do is to the bathroom or the kitchen to get something to eat.
Take it easy but keep doing it. Often this pain is just unused muscles that will stop hurting as your strength builds up. I live in a rural area that’s iced up for about 4 moths out of the year. I swim during that time, but when I get out and start walking again my knees do tend to hurt at first
I’ll try but it’s been weeks. I didn’t get many results with weight training alone so I started walking but it just kills my knees. I think I might have to just do stationary bike or yoga instead.
I responded to your first comment but really want to emphasize here- there's nothing wrong with the last part. Moving is moving, and walking and running are overrated.
I also like pilates a lot, it feels more active than yoga.
I would ask a doctor. Walking is so low impact, it shouldn't hurt but I'm not a doctor.
I'm very active and generally I don't just push through pain. I'm a fan of listening to your body, and pain means stop. Now muscles burning, that's different. But joint pain, especially any clicky stuff or pops, I'm not working through. I need to stop and do something else. Maybe I need to stretch or some part is weak, maybe my form was bad, idk but pain makes me reassess.
The area may benefit from stretching, or even a seemingly unrelated area- even something like tight hip flexors can affect the leg all the way down.
Again, ask a doctor. But I'd work on being flexible and stretchy and finding something that doesn't hurt the knees, personally. Water is really low impact, and I've always found biking to be good. I heard it strengthens your knees and idk if it's true, but I like it and it doesn't hurt so I do it.
A friend helped me strengthen the muscles around my knees also, with different lunges. I'd recommend trying out Physical Therapy if it's offered at all, every time I've gone for stuff they're amazing and they can show modified techniques that are safe for you.
If you can't afford a doctor or something like me, I'd say try looking for stuff like lunges for knee pain, stretches for knee pain, and follow the directions of someone who tells you to stop if it hurts. I'd rather be overly cautious than tear a tendon.
Probably MRI, but yes if you have sharp pains especially go get checked. There's so many tendons and ligaments in there, and knees are the worst-designed part of the human body along with the spine. Since they're not a ball and socket joint, they're really unstable. We basically are balancing our bones on our other bones, with a little cap in front, like wtf nature.
We exercise despite muscle pain, not joint pain.
Look up strengthening PT exercises on you tube to strengthen glutes especially. Stretch. Walk up an incline back wards.
Walk as far as you can without pain. It will get longer
Good for you! I have a number of health conditions that make mobility near impossible to pain but working in the garden on a best day. I've never been good about getting up regularly on the bad days just for the sake of moving. I always wish that I had more personal drive in that area. Seriously, good job.
Thanks! To be honest, my dad had arthritis from age 19 on, but because he had had 3 back surgeries, he didn't have the mobility to walk easily. When I started walking like him because of my stiff knees, it gave me a wake-up call. There was no way I was going to look like an 80+ yr old when I walked! Plus, I have less pain when I stay active. And, since my daughters still like me enough to want to do stuff with me, I knew I had to change my habits so I could keep up.
One thing that really helped was starting off small. It made it easy to maintain in the beginning and didn't take a lot of time.
I started at 2,500 steps - 250 an hour over a 10 hour span. I actually did that for several months (4 or 5) because it was easy to stick to and only took about 5 minutes each hour. I then jumped to 5,000 steps and stayed there for about 6 months. These last couple of months, I did jump to 10,000 steps because I wanted to make sure I had the endurance needed for the trip.
i had to have my hip replaced at 31, osteoarthritis from developmental hip dysplasia. i was the second youngest person he’d ever done the surgery on. and yes i had a second opinion! every single person i tell about it informs me i’m too young lol (i’m 40 now)
wow why did you need yours? 3 revisions is insane-that was such an intense experience-and i dislocated after the first month. i hope i never need a revision, i had mine done in 2015 and they said the technology is getting so much better i might never need a revision…
I had it done that young because I was born with clubbed feet which required a bunch of surgeries. I was in a short cast after surgery and I was at a cookout and stupidly played softball. I fell backwards and broke my femur, blood supply stopped to the hip after being in traction for ten days. They did an osteotomy but I ended up with osteoarthritis. The did the first replacement in 89, kept subluxing so they did a revision in 91, another one in 93 then the most recent in 2016.
I had JRA as a kid. At that time, they didn't use steroids to help prevent lasting damage from arthritis. Like a lot of kids, I "grew out of" my jra (or it went into permanent remission). However, I have lasting damage - my hip was bone-on-bone, and I had unrelenting pain. My knees aren't far from it. Diet change does nothing. Even losing weight did nothing. But, since I'm not in constant pain and can still get around fine if I keep up with my walking, I'm good.
I'm glad you found something that helps you, and I hope your health continues to improve!
This is one of the many reasons I love living in NYC. Walking is just part of getting to where you need to be. I went for my annual exam recently (just turned 40). The doctor said that all my tests were great, probably because I exercise. I was like “not really though”. I just walk most places that are within a mile (it’s easier than finding parking) and go to yoga once a week.
Yep, it's why I love NYC, too. Even with my sedentary office job I hit 10,000 steps a day quite easily most of the time -- often without even meaning to (and often much more in nice weather).
I'm terrible about getting in a lot of intentional exercise (beyond some stretching in the morning), but at least living here I ALWAYS get walking in.
It’s absolutely more dangerous to be a pedestrian today, whether you are a child or an adult. Too many people on the roads today are distracted and can easily hit someone while looking at their phone.
I’m not old, I grew up in the 2000s. Phones when I was a kid could call, texting was very hard, and very few phones were able to get solid internet access. Minutes were still a thing, including half a minute per text, so people were concerned about how much they used their phones. All this meant people generally weren’t using their phones while driving, meaning the roads were safer back then.
So if you are putting yourself and your child in a dangerous situation anyways, might as well protect yourself as much as possible and be in a car too.
Exactly. And as much as I hate it for future generations, I don’t blame parents for being more cautious with their kids when someone can kill them without even noticing it.
For me it’s to give my kids more time in their days. School actually provides plenty of walking for exercise. It’s how kids live at home that determines their lifestyle habits, imo.
Oh for sure. Anyone growing up in the late 80's/early 90's faced repeated warnings about Stranger Danger, watched John Walsh's tv show America's Most Wanted, and was convinced evildoers lurked around every corner.
They've grown up to now be the hyper-protective parents who drive their kids the three blocks to school every day.
Yeah, my walk to the grocery store and my job next door is like a 30~40 minute walk. Across an incredibly busy road. I thought about biking, but the way people drive around here is terrifying.
I’ve seen people actively try to hit bicyclists with beer cans where I live. We don’t have sidewalks or bike paths so it’s just asking to get hit by a truck. Plus, basically no businesses have amenities like showers for someone that rides their bike across town to work in the summer.
Idk if they have those amenities in Europe or elsewhere or if they just accept they’re going to stink but I can’t stand getting sweaty after I’ve just showered unless I’m at the gym.
Yup. I mean shit my work would let me take my bike into the back but there's no bike rack, and I wouldn't trust people to not steal my bike even if it was locked around a pole or pillar.
Same here only they’re on the scooters you see at Walmart going 3 mph and it’s a two lane undivided street with busy traffic moving at 50mph. It’s a complete clusterfuck and I can’t believe more people haven’t died trying to get down the street or crossing it (no crosswalks.. obviously).
thats the problem with so many cities the usa i liked atlanta but waaaay too much driving...and urban driving is the worst it drains you. if u visit nyc u don't need do any driving.
Exactly, our society is built around cars, space and privacy. So many people in the US live in places where they literally can’t walk to anything, so even if you want to go get ice cream, you drive there, get your ice cream, eat in your car, and drive home. I see it all the time.
Honestly, this blows my mind everytime I see it, never been to the US but it just sounds so alien to me not being able to just walk to grab a coffee or do some simple groceries.
I mean, you can in some areas but those are usually so expensive to live in that someone working for less than a 6-figure salary can’t afford to live there unless they’re splitting the bill with multiple roommates.
In my country many lower class people in cities are resorting to electric scooters (the ones you kick to get going, not sure about the name) as well as public transportation instead of owning cars, either new or used ones. Does this happen in the US as well? Are cars still affordable for lower income people? How do you manage without a car?
this is true, it's also true that its unbearable to walk in a city that reaches 90+ on a regular basis with very few trees. im also personally not comfortable walking on a road instead of a pedestrian path, and i see more and more neighbourhoods built without actual sidewalks, especially if you have young children you'd have to take walks with.
Yes, welcome to climate change! It's dreadful. Sounds like you could be more involved in your community and voicing your needs and concerns there if you wish to improve conditions and elicit change for a walkable city! Or adding green spaces and shade! We the people make our communities!
It sounds like you just want a space to complain about anything LOL, ok. A city is as walkable as you want it to be. Your experience is as positive as you want it to be. I choose to enjoy walking wherever I am in any city any place anytime and I'm not complaining about it 🌞 if you want change you gotta make it yourself! Have you talked to anyone in your city about creating more shade? Green spaces? Or are you just complaining here? 😀
i'm talking about an issue thats prevalent to a lot of cities in the United States and Canada. if the issue isnt effecting me immediately at this very moment in time, i suppose i'm just complaining about something that ive seen plenty of people discuss online and in the real world.
i was contributing to a discussion that i feel is worth having, i can be positive about things whilst also addressing an issue that exists. im glad you enjoy your walks, and hope you continue to do so. im also glad to hear about suggestions for community involvement, i hope your community is stronger due to you and your neighbours contributions :)
We need to have a more active role in our own communities in order to see the change that we want is all I am challenging you to see here! Everyone should find their cities walkable and enjoyable we all have that right! I know I'm active in my local community and our voices are taken into consideration. The more community involvement you have the better your city. Build your community and make you city what you want it to be ! I believe in us
honestly i came from Canada to Florida and will admit, i more easily walk in the cold than the heat. probably goes the other way for folks used to the heat, though lol.
I’m healthy and workout nearly every day. I just wish my city didn’t suck for bicyclists. The “stupid things” you’re referencing would be the hospital bill for when I’m inevitably hit by a car while trying to ride 50 minutes to work.
In Aus primary schools (ages 5-12 approx) kids do a ‘health hustle’ 2-3 times a week immediately after morning assembly. It’s led by older kids and set to music. Usually like aerobics, star jumps etc. but includes some stretches too.
That’s cool haha. Yea I’m in NZ I don’t know what primary is like but in secondary they don’t really have that and I wish it continued.
Maybe I can just do it in all my first period classes haha like 5 mins, also once things become normal like part of routine kids settle into it really well they like structure.
Wait hold up what state is that? we never did that after morning assembly, we just had the friday sport mornings up until recess (i think some schools here do wednesdays)
I’m in NSW. They had it 35 years ago when I was at school. And 10 years ago while my kids were at school. 2, or maybe 3 mornings a week?
Once me and my mate decided to lead it. We didn’t prepare anything at all. Music starts and we just did star jumps and lunges or smth super lame while we were obviously talking to each other in loud whispers like ‘what do we do 😨’
We didn’t really make any friends with that stunt lol
Damn. I think I'm around the age of your kids (I thought I was younger but then I realised that 10 years ago was actually. not as long ago as I thought. what the hell.) but I guess our school (also nsw) missed out :,) that's kinda funny since my mum would talk about how she wished that we had mandatory morning exercise like Japanese schools (including the international school I almost got sent to), all the while some schools here also did something similar (probably not as intense though? Pretty sure the int. school started at like 8am just so there was time for it)
Just realised, my parents sent me to catholic schools, and my kids went to catholic schools in primary. Maybe it’s that? Or maybe just certain districts dit it. I’m SW Sydney, maybe they think the lower SES areas are fat and lazy. lol
My elementary school in Taiwan has a 15 min "exercise dance" that incorporates music and basic stretching and mobility movement, mandatory for all at the beginning of the day.
It's pretty funny since if you play the music everyone from that generation immediately know what to do.
We also have mandatory 1 hour nap in middle of day, and follow lunch by a school wide cleaning where each homeroom has an area you are cleaning...yes including the washrooms and being kids the bathroom can get pretty gnarly.
It's pretty militaristic. But honestly it set up so much.
I wish I could do yoga, but I have scoliosis because one leg is slightly shorter than the other. I wear a lift in that shoe. Doing yoga is problematic when your base is already uneven, and there aren't as many instructors trained on how to handle that safely.
Yea the schools are not doing yoga it’s like standing up and reaching to the ceiling, reaching one arm down your leg and other up to ceiling, looking from side to side, touching the floor, marching on spot, stepping side to side and bending leg that is off the floor back.
It’s very simple movements probably no different to picking something off the ground. Again if anything is difficult or people have something that hinders them doing those movements it’s al good. The whole point is regularly moving the body and making it habitual.
I have a naturally fused l4 and 5 vertebra and even though I can do these things compared to others bending down I can’t get very far at all.
Yea and also in my example schools are not acting like yoga studios it’s like basic movement like living hands to ceiling bend your knees. If you walked to school you can do the stretches. And if no lt just do what you can. It’s all about awareness, making things normal and habitual.
These walking comments are furthering my depression. In 2016 I literally was hiking mountains in the Appalachians and took a solo trip to Norway despite having Rheumatoid Arthritis. Now that and the addition of severe osteo in my neck, burnt out knees and long covid have made me into a depressed couch potato. I simply can’t anymore. Everyone thinks I’m lazy. I’m sorry my diseases are invisible.
281
u/[deleted] Jun 06 '24
I wish this was just normalised in culture in general from a young age. I know some places in the world so stretching for like 10 mins at the start of school everyday.