Look After Your Legs

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I wonder if the woman meant skin on the legs rather than merely joints/mobility. If you don’t moisturise regularly the skin can be thin and prone to cracking and then infection. This is more likely to be on the legs which is the one area where bandages can really affect movement and quality of life.
Just a thought.

There was an article about this in the Times a few weeks ago - you get extra points if you can do it without using your elbows or knees

I read somewhere to practice getting down and up from the floor every day, so that you don't lose that ability. During my period of injuries, I lost that ability and actually forgot how to do it. There is a video here called "Barry Get-Up" that shows in slow-mo how to get down and up off the floor.

Outlive Videos - Peter Attia (peterattiamd.com)

Built muscle on your legs. Going to the gym. My MIL never workout now 75 already hard to walk and always hurt on hEr kness. Meanwhile my mum always do weight lifting since young until now still can run, dance and very active woman. Both same age.

Such a great thread thank you

And I wouldn’t do it too often. It’s awful for your knees. Which are essential to your legs working obviously. If you can do it just make sure you can maintain it. No need to go overkill.

You would be surprised. 95% of my 20/30yo yoga group couldn’t do this. It’s not an age thing. It’s an era thing. Modern people are incredibly immobile.

There's some really good exercises on here

www.instagram.com/stephanieridgwaydpt?igsh=ZTd0ZHBybnk5dGlx

Functional fitness. Squats, balancing on one leg. Flexibility - Bending over so you can pick things off the floor. All will be massively beneficial as you age.

I am loving this thread!

I've always been fit & active but last year had an accident ( well the cat bit my shin when I trapped her tail in the toilet seat) and needed a skin graft!

I'm 57 but just being incapacitated for 7 weeks has really affected my fitness!

I'm doing body pump again, a stretching class swimming once per week & really trying to walk every day - walking is almost the hardest!

I think my hip flexors are totally useless!
So much good advice here!

Thanks. 😊

My top tip for feet moisturising is to do it in the morning rather than night. I don’t like wearing socks to bed but moisturising in the morning became an easy part of the routine. You can also use up any of the random travel sized body lotions that come with gift baskets etc, no need to buy a specialist foot cream necessarily.

Walking is great. My Grandma walked everywhere, and did until the day she tripped and broke her hip when she was 100 years old. Only lived another 6 months but completely independent until then. Also drank a bottle of sherry a day ( not sure that's relevant😄)

Honestly, physio is your best bet! Walking backwards on a treadmill, cycling and sled pulls plus leg lifts, leg extensions single leg glute bridges, all good for supporting your knee! I only know because I had meniscus surgery and have a torn ACL so have had to work hard had building up muscular strength to properly support my knee to avoid further surgery but a visit to a physio if you’re having trouble will definitely give you the most tailored insight. YouTube would also help!

This is a great thread 🙌🏻 I do the balancing on each foot when brushing teeth and could get up off the floor without using hands but I’d never heard of getting up with crossed legs. Glad to say I was able to do it, I’m 51. Tomorrow I’ll try to do it with a 4kg kettlebell (as seen on IG!).

Those of you in the know - is it worth pursuing bunion removal on both feet, meaning being out of action for a little while after surgery, for a fit and active 48 yo (ie me 😉) to have a better chance of remaining active in years to come?

No contortions. If you're sitting on the floor, roll your weight onto your knees. Then put one foot on the floor, put your weight on it, then the other, and you're standing. No hands.

I can't do that thing of standing directly from cross-legged. That takes real power and my ankles are too weak.

How do you do this? I’m getting worried about my knees. I’m in pretty good shape, eat healthily, keep my weight down, etc, but my knees are causing me discomfort, even pain - especially at night. They make a sort of crunching sound as I walk upstairs as well. I often go for jogs, but nothing dramatic - just a gentle couple of miles. I’m 47.

Look up hergardengym on Instagram, amazing woman in her 60s with loads of tips and info. I love her!

I didn't know that. Good tip.

This is so true. A couple of years ago my mum used to pride herself on how fit and active she was, it was really important to her. Then she picked up what was originally quite a minor knee injury. Quit her walking group. Didn’t do the exercises the physio gave her. Now she can’t even stand straight, her lower body is completely twisted because she has avoided putting any weight on the injured knee for so long. And I can’t see what will change to improve it for her. She’s convinced she needs surgery, but I don’t think she realises how long the recovery time would be, and that she’d need to do some kind of physio there as well for it to work. It’s very sad to watch, but quite frustrating as well.

I do my feet every night before bed
Foot cream, hand cream, light off
Podiatrist said I had no hard skin and looked very disappointed she was "EVERY night?!"