I'm too tired to exercise...oh and my back hurts, too

[Alan H]

pishtosh.

See how polite I'm becoming?

---Start Exercise Rant---

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miumxGLk1_8

Oh, "age" isn't your problem?
Oh, OK.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb0DeyX3oAA

Don't like weightlifting...icky sweaty old gross gyms, bleeecccch!

Oh. OK. How about rowing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zML2DlAebxg

Don't like being wet, scared and cold? You're much more "refined" than that.

Oh. OK.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KRWM0cUsKQ


Use it or lose it. Want to be able to go hiking with your grandkids when you're 80? Then you'd better start moving your body NOW....in your 40's and 50's and 60's and keep it up. Like Winifred says, if you feel a little ache and you settle down in that chair, you might not ever get out of it again.

What's the #1 indicator for confinement in an age (not disease-related recovery) nursing home? What's THE single thing that is shared by folks in those places? Is it cardiovascular...like their blood pressure is too high? No. It's leg strength. They can't stand up and walk. Mobility is everything. So what are you going to do about it, to do everything you can to make sure that is not YOU?

No Excuses.

...End Exercise Rant...

[Alan H]

Interested in the British Servicemen rowing across the Atlantic? Here's an update. Note who is sponsoring the event...a team-row across the Atlantic. Talisker whisky!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-soldiers.html

[Tobus]

What's the #1 indicator for confinement in an age (not disease-related recovery) nursing home? What's THE single thing that is shared by folks in those places? Is it cardiovascular...like their blood pressure is too high? No. It's leg strength. They can't stand up and walk. Mobility is everything. So what are you going to do about it, to do everything you can to make sure that is not YOU?

Word.

My 87-year old grandmother is in a nursing home. When we brought her there only 4 months ago, she was moving around just fine with her walker. But after a couple of minor falls (only bruising, thank goodness), the medical staff decided to put an alarm on her that goes off if she tries to get out of her chair. So now she has to call the nurse any time she wants to get up.

And you know what? Now she's having a hard time getting up, standing, or walking. All because she's starting to atrophy from being told not to get up on her own.

My hiking/camping activities have gone down in the last few months due to work and family responsibilities, and I can sure tell that I'm losing strength and agility. It's going to take me weeks or even months to get back to where I was before, once I start doing it again. It's amazing how quickly the body can build strength when it's used, but it's equally amazing how quickly it can lose it when it's not!

[LitTrog]

Thank you, you *******. A dram and a book was sounding good tonight after my knee was talking to me on the way downstairs this morning. Killjoy.

[Alan H]

Word.

My 87-year old grandmother is in a nursing home. When we brought her there only 4 months ago, she was moving around just fine with her walker. But after a couple of minor falls (only bruising, thank goodness), the medical staff decided to put an alarm on her that goes off if she tries to get out of her chair. So now she has to call the nurse any time she wants to get up.

And you know what? Now she's having a hard time getting up, standing, or walking. All because she's starting to atrophy from being told not to get up on her own.

My hiking/camping activities have gone down in the last few months due to work and family responsibilities, and I can sure tell that I'm losing strength and agility. It's going to take me weeks or even months to get back to where I was before, once I start doing it again. It's amazing how quickly the body can build strength when it's used, but it's equally amazing how quickly it can lose it when it's not!

That will kill her, you know? It's insane, those caregivers should know better. If they don't want her walking on her own, then they can get in there 3x a day and supervise her while she walks down the hall and out the door and four times around the patio before returning to her room.

Just my not-so-humble opinion. If you CAN'T walk, then OK. Fine. But to take someone who CAN...and then tell them NOT TO.....is nuts. *NUTS*

[LitTrog]

It seems like a self-affirming situation: bone density suffers terribly from inactivity so when the oldster gets up and moves, chances are good that something goes snap.

"See? Walking is bad idea"

The sick, cynical part of me suspects sedentarism isn't discouraged because it's much easier to keep track of a body if it's not wandering off.

[Brett]

That will kill her, you know? It's insane, those caregivers should know better. If they don't want her walking on her own, then they can get in there 3x a day and supervise her while she walks down the hall and out the door and four times around the patio before returning to her room.

Just my not-so-humble opinion. If you CAN'T walk, then OK. Fine. But to take someone who CAN...and then tell them NOT TO.....is nuts. *NUTS*

Yup

once you stop moving and oxygenating the body, your organs start to slow down and eventually stop working well. It's a very simple issue of the body saying "if you're not going to use me there's no point in keeping all this stuff working".

My mother is 71, suffers from MS and is forced to get around with a walker......and get around she does. She intuitively understands that when she stops moving she "as good as dead". (her words) She walks, gardens and gets to the gym 3 times a week to keep her upper body strong so that when the day comes that she needs a wheelchair she can keep moving.

I also give her very low dose testosterone injections, which is another huge, huge issue for older folks. For older folks suffering osteoporosis, all the calcium supplements in the world will do zip and even strength training helps bone density only so much.

[Livingston]

<snip> Use it or lose it. Want to be able to go hiking with your grandkids when you're 80? Then you'd better start moving your body NOW....in your 40's and 50's and 60's and keep it up. Like Winifred says, if you feel a little ache and you settle down in that chair, you might not ever get out of it again.</snip>

So true. My father went hiking this summer. He started at approximatly 11,000 ft and went up from there to approximatly 12,500 ft with my sister. He's 85. When my children and grandchildren visit he regularly goes out hiking with us. In the past, Mom has joined in but with her other medical issues, primarily Alzheimers and being on O2, she no long can. She will be 87 next month and is in otherwise good health. They both exercised regularly when younger and keep somewhat active now.

[gary meakin]

[QUOTE=Alan H]
Use it or lose it. Want to be able to go hiking with your grandkids when you're 80? Then you'd better start moving your body NOW....in your 40's and 50's and 60's and keep it up. Like Winifred says, if you feel a little ache and you settle down in that chair, you might not ever get out of it again.
QUOTE]

You know it's unfortunate that when young, most people feel indestructble, so they don't think about what they're going to be like when they get old.
I am only 53 years old. I was diagnosed with Spinocerabellar Ataxia Type 1 six years ago. SCA1 is a neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to control motor functions. Learning to function in a wheelchair seems to be the goal of alot of SCA sufferers. Had I known when I was youger that this would happen to me, I would have stayed in much better shape. Now I'm excercising regularly and have taken up hiking. My goal is not to learn to function in a wheelchair, my goal is to not need one. Your rant Alan, is one that should be heard and heeded. Everyone gets old and just about everyone ends up with something wrong with them. So while we can we need to take steps to insure a healthier life ahead of us.