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?

This is a great thread and I don't care how old you are.

Did anyone else moisturise their legs last night after reading this thread? 😄

I moisturize every morning after my shower. Great thread so thanks OP. I’m going to go through it again and make a note of the exercises.

Take your calcium and vitamin D. Ask your doctor about HRT the minute you hit perimenopause.
I missed out on HRT and the pain of arthritic knees is really debilitating.

My elderly Mum (80s) generally gets herself out every day for a local walk or to get shopping. She also does leg raises with her hand again walk for balance and dances at her level to music at home - days she doesn't go out (ie snow, icy) she increases these last couple of moves. Not saying it's the answer, but it keeps her moving, good for circulation and balance. She also moisturises her legs, more from a circulation point of view and ensures she eats proper meals (although she does have treats - I don't blame her, but they don't help with her weight!).

I'm 73, was nursing over 40 years. I've always tried to keep myself fit and healthy
They laughed at me at work, good-natured banter, not nasty, I looked after myself and my diet, mostly veggie, worked ft nights,4 kids,looked after grandkids. Big garden, always dogs, plus lots of other animals. The reason was because I saw folk of 40 and younger, stroke, cardiac problems, diabetes,leg ulcers, amputation, because of their lifestyle choices, and was determined not to become one. I had a very early menopause 42, told by GP I needed hrt for the osteoporosis protection. Was on it 17 years. We moved new gp wouldn't prescribe. About 20 years ago I started doing Harley Pasternak's, FIVE workout
Got myself weights,bench,E bike, bands, strength tester for hands. I live in a bungalow, but up a hill, have 2 border collies, one 9 months old. Lots of good advice on here, I only take vitamin D. Have had bone density scans,very little loss. You can get problems moving into a ground floor flat as well as a bungalow. You need to use your whole body,check feet legs,any injuries no matter how minor take longer to heal as you age. Hill walking is good for hips and knees. We have a neighbour well into his 90s who does an hour walk every single day. As for not being able to stand up if working from home,you can get adjustable desks you can stand at, just stand hourly,stretch out,walk on the spot. The occasional trip to the cinema isn't going to harm you. Just off to take the dogs on the beach!

Another thing is keeping your ankles and feet strong. Simple exercises, like foot flexes, toe crunches, and ankle circling can be done any time, while watching tv or whenever. I have had a lot of injuries and so learnt chair yoga. Lots on YouTube.

@primroseteapot

But it's not really. One can be dealing with an injury, or a flare up of some disease, or living with a chronic condition, and be unable to do the things you seem to think a 50 or 60 year old should be able to do, when in their thirties.
Absolutely they can but as this would be crucial information I assume the OP doesn't suffer these ailments. It would be somewhat pointless to ask what to do without stating any physical limitations

I do the foot exercises such as circling and crunches on the sofa regularly. I have had a lot of bad ankle sprains and a break over the years and started doing these to help with healing after a broken ankle, and have just carried on.
I moisturised my legs this morning!
I have not had these issues, but I know many women have issues with bunions and corns. If you can, get them treated. Anything that makes walking difficult is going to reduce the amount of exercise you get.

My mother is 80 and keeps herself moving and walking to the shops and to catch a bus. She didn’t go to exercise classes but I have memories that she was always dancing to her music 🎵. A

I would add do not have a cleaner unless you really need one or are ultra sporty. When you get days with aches and pains, or just days with lots of rain, its tempting to sit on the sofa and do nothing, But if you have housework to do you are more likely to do this and keep a bit active.

I read that squats were an important exercise as that's how you get off the toilet. Off you can't squat you lose a lot of independence.

@RogueFemale It's one of those well written pieces that conveys so much more than it possibly intended to. Really though provoking.
Lovely thread, thanks OP, so much sensible advice here to take away. I can't get up off the floor either and want to achieve that somehow.
And yes, @Instantcustard I moisturised my legs yesterday too, having not done so for months! 😊

i would say look after your knees, I cringe when I see young people kneeing on hard floors, doing crazy things on tv, The Jump for example. I was super sporty when younger, went to the gym most days then slipped off someone’s doorstep when I worked on the district! Went from fit to almost crippled! Now need two knee replacements 😩

I recommend Tom Morrison mobility exercises- all different levels and tests, there is a load of free stuff on YouTube. How to improve flexibility so that your muscles can work properly in order to build strength.

Live somewhere with stairs and resist the temptation to move to a bungalow. Research has identified a phenomenon called ‘bungalow legs’.
https://www.sciencetimes.com/amp/articles/30994/20210504/bungalow-houses-stairless-homes-hasten-decline-associated-aging.htm

Oh yes squats are super effective. And one can do them anywhere, even while waiting for the kettle to boil.

I'd add lunges to the list. Especially Bulgarian lunges.....😂

And wall sits. Again, something that can be done anywhere, as long as there is a wall and you have a minute or 2:

due to extensive vascular system in CALVES cardiologists call calves a ‘second heart’ - so important to do lots of calf raises and other calf-strengthening exercises for cardio-vascular health

How old are you op? My mum is nearly 70 and she can do a lot of this .

At the gym I attend a lot of the older ladies do classes together, aqua aerobics seems a popular choice and the core group seems to also attend legs, bums and tums, pilates and tai chi

Our gym also has a stroke group on a Tuesday that staff support through weight baring exercises, with supports if needed and many then use the weight machines afterwards while additional staff are still around

There's also an elderly gentleman with a stooped back who uses the weights and was next to me today. He uses the leg press, hard to get in it as you get into the seat which is very low and leant back in position and put you feet upwards on a metal thing loaded with however much weight you want and move legs up and down from there. Bless him he gets back out easier than I can 😂

I also hike and see a fair amount of the older generation, mainly on flatter or smoother hills but still many on the rocky, scrambly kind of hills
If I'm in the gym on the treadmill I'll up the gradient so I can feel it in my butt and thighs more

She means strength train

Mine are fucked then given I've lived in an apartment since age 22

Most of us probably don’t do enough strength training. I didn’t until recently - I’m in my 50s and marathon fit and foolishly thought that was sufficient exercise - then I recently had a scan that revealed osteoporosis. Rehab after a fracture revealed I’m nowhere near as strong as I thought. I now do weights and Pilates as well as going back to running. Also I am working on leg strength. I can get up off the floor with no hands but not with no knees either! I can get off a chair no hands one leg - but I thought with all my running my legs would be really strong and they’re not. Lots of squats and lunges in my future plus upper body strength and balance work. Uphill battle but I’d like to be mobile as long as possible despite osteoporosis

Also look after your feet. - especially arches. Shoes like ballet flats are terrible for feet. My arches fell due to pregnancy and my feet are now very flat. It damages your knees and ankles and leave you prone to injury. I have to wear orthotic supports in all my shoes and cannot walk even a few steps barefoot without pain. I have to wear Archie’s flip-flops in the shower!

I'm trying to picture myself getting up off the floor without using my hands. Failing miserably at that vision!

How do you do it?