Look After Your Legs

[NoisySnail]

I was in a cafe today and over heard an elderly woman talking to younger friends about getting older. She said the best advice she could give is to look after your legs as they are so important for mobility. But annoyingly she did not explain what she meant by this, and I could hardly ask!

So does anyone know how we can look after our legs?

I'm 70 and taught myself to do the 'Asian squat' just a few years ago!

Along with push-ups, wall sits and press-ups using 10kg dumbbells. And much else besides (viz. Caroline Girvan 😎)

I also love Growingannanas for cardio/HIIT.

I was reasonably fit already and I appreciate that not everyone can do this. But if you are still fairly young and in reasonably good shape, you can get super fit.

Even if you are less fit, physically impaired or just 'old', you can still improve through exercise.

I recommend Lucy Wyndham Read if you are unfit, or Dr Jo if you are physically impaired.

All the online trainers I've mentioned are free on YouTube.

@BogRollBOGOF That’s so encouraging, and what a sensible measured attitude you have.

I have been trying to build some of these exercises into my daily routine. So I attempt 10 squats when getting up and going to bed. I am not very good at them, but will keep trying. Every time I go to the toilet I do 10 of the raising your knee to your hand. And do balance on one leg when brushing my teeth.
I took a bath which I have not for ages as getting in and out is a bit awkward. But I have not managed to make myself do it since.
I have realised my quads are not too bad, but strength in my knee is quite poor.
I have been trying to walk upstairs slowly as I find it much easier to go upstairs with a bit of a bounce. I think because it uses my quads more than my knees.
I have realised what I am doing is helping my hip flexibility. I had got into the mindset that because I could not do the yoga stretches I used to do without setting off sciatica, I could not do anything.
Also been moisturising my legs.
I already did the walking on uneven surfaces when possible. It is important for the tiny muscles on your foot that help with balance.

Brilliant, just goes to show what little changes we can all make!

I'm glad you said that. I'm very overweight and unfit (chronic fatigue) but I picked up an Asian squat and find it really practical for things like loading the washing machine and accessing low kitchen cupboards. It saves your back vs bending over and it doesn't require tension or balance like a western squat. Maybe not one to start if you have hip or knee problems, and my version is incredibly inelegant. I think is because of my weight. But the inelegant is often comfortable!

I think this thread is awesome - so many different ideas and wisdom for people to pick out at whatever level suits them. I think "performance" is much more variable/more peaky than people think. I don't leave the house most days because my fatigue is so overwhelming and yet I actually can do a plank - not for very long or very well, but something. We all have our own set of challenges and strengths and it's great to hear stories from people who are living the "use of or lose it" mantra successfully. This thread has built into a great toolkit for people to draw on, at a range of different levels.

lots of inspirational people! Thank you!

Im not saying that. I just think a lot of older women think they’re ’past it’ or it’s not for them. Actually you can always start something if you want to. My mum started in her 60s and she’s super fit now. She just keeps going with whatever she can. I’m so proud of her.

I’ve missed the moisturising legs bit. Please could someone enlighten me?

As you get older the skin on your legs gets dryer and thinner, less flexible that makes them vulnerable to injury.

It's easier for them to get infected, or become ulcerated especially as the circulation in your lower legs can be quite poor.

Lucy Wyndham Read has lots of very short and gentle workouts for people who are not very fit. Lucy is lovely - not over-enthusiastic or shouty like many online trainers. Do check her out on YouTube!

If you have physical impediments to working out, have a look at Dr Jo, also on YouTube. She is an experienced physiotherapist who has posted loads of videos over the years. I think she has covered just about every issue at least once, and her explanations are very clear. I also like her personality....... and her dog!

I felt out of place when I went to a gym 15 years ago, and even then had to lie on the form about not having any health issues. The instructor knew nothing about dealing with any limitations. Now with my sciatica I think it could cause me more harm. Oh and I hated the gym. Feeling out of place did not help.

Most people probably can't get up without using their hands, its something to aim for though. You get and remain fit and strong until the end. A certain amount of decline happens, but not as much as you think is inevitable. Check out running records for a 5k by age category as an example

I struggle with moisturising. My skin doesn’t feel dry, so I don’t enjoy slathering cream on. And it really draws my attention to how hairy my legs are 😂

Someone should invent moisturising socks, which we can put on before we leap up elegantly from the floor.

😂

Not every gym is like that @NoisySnail and there's places to do exercises besides gyms, tho you might pay a bit more.

I understand about your experience tho, inclusiveness could be done a lot better in a lot of places. The reality is everyone is only competing with themselves, not each other. Someone else doing worse doesn't improve our own efforts and we're in the same position compared to someone else 🤷‍♂️

I don't use a gym. But I am curious: How many gym instructors do you find who are over 50, for example, or over 60? I know client range can vary - my friend's mother started lifting weights in her 80s - but it is interesting how many leave the industry by the time they are in their 50s, as a result of injury. A doctor pointed this out to me. I have found younger people taking classes for older people to be remarkably ignorant of how easily they can injure their pupils.

@primroseteapot a few of the instructors where I go are late 50s and over, and in good shape too!

Avoiding injury isn't all on them, we know our bodies best and have a responsibility to speak if we want advice and go elsewhere if they're not up to scratch

But gyms are not set up to give advice to people with medical conditions. They just say to talk to your GP.
I am in pain when doing any exercise. But I need to do exercise that helps not harms.

Have you checked out Dr Jo?

I think I’ve resolved a niggling hip issue I’ve had! My left hip won’t always weight bear and I have to do the stairs one sided…

I realised it’s triggered by my crossing my legs and ankles while reclining in bed or sofa. It’s putting that hip into an opened stretch and because I have some hyper mobility, it then misbehaves when I need it to straighten up!

If I’m right, that’s a huge step forward in avoiding the bungalow!

So public service announcement- little things we don’t attend to could be making things worse! Using a knee cushion at night has stopped me from sleeping all stretched and twisted, which was my previous habit.

#badhabitsgoodhabits!

That’s good news, @pickledandpuzzled it’s great to have an awareness of posture to help us figure out where things are derailing.

I realised on greeting my dog this morning that an easy ability to do an Asian squat is a combination of dog ownership (morning snuggles) and long-term primary teaching 😁. Must keep it up now I’m retired from the teaching side of things.

I think it just goes to show how important it is to analyse our posture from time to time. This was always the good bit about Pilates classes, having the teacher point out if I was off-kilter in some way. I had to give up because of CFS, couldn't commit to paying a fortune each month then miss so many classes.

I have been thinking about sitting on the floor and hurting my wrist and shoulder in the process. I realise I have been dropping to the floor with a bump, from one side and a few inches up. My wrist has been helping me get down, and taking all my weight. My next task is to find a less brutal way to end up where I want to be...I'm guessing kneel first? Will my legs cross? Watch this space!

Noisy, book a session or two with a physiotherapist. They will be able to give you some exercises and also advise on what might be safe for you to use at the gym. They will also have knowledge of local initiatives that you might not be aware of.

It varies from area to area, but I was referred to an appropriate gym class by my physio. (I had to get a practice referral to see the physio.)