As one ages, their ease of mobility also dips. It means your everyday movements, like getting up from a chair, require more effort, exerting more pressure on the joints. This necessitates assistance, reducing self-reliance and personal freedom.
Walking is usually touted as the standard of fitness, with everyone eyeing the daily 10k steps. But is it enough to keep your legs strong and maintain independent mobility later in life?
Massachusetts-based home care physical therapist John Thompson shared in a September 30 Instagram post why walking may not be enough, based on his experience observing older adults in his career.
He said, “Walking alone will not keep you independent, but here’s what will. I am a home care physical therapist who works with older adults, and what I see might shock you. Patients who walk for years yet struggle on stairs and have problems getting up from their own chair, and that’s because walking does not build leg strength.”
Why walking is not enough?
While walking’s benefits are not downplayed, the problem arises when it is relied upon solely, especially if your goal is to maintain independence. As per the physical therapist, walking’s knee movement is very limited, so it does not strengthen the joints.
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“Just look at how little your knees bend when you walk. It is nowhere near the range of motion that getting off a toilet requires,” John explained, highlighting how waking involves minimal knee movements, far less than what your routine tasks may demand. This means later in life, you may have trouble easily bending your knees. The joint motion is pivotal for every major movement in daily life.
What to do then?
So what should you do if walking isn’t enough? John shared a very easy exercise that takes up only a few minutes, yet it is far more productive for your leg and joint health than hours of walking.
Describing the exercise, he said, “Stand up and sit down from your chair, and build up to doing 30 in a row. That one minute a day of squats will do more for your legs than hours of walking could.”
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them. This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.
