As the weather gets worse and most of us limit our time outside, how do you push past the aches and pains of winter?
Residing on the westcoast proves difficult at times with the persistent rain to be outside and active.
This is my first topic and I would love to hear all your suggestions.
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ApartmentGardener
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Find a hobby that you really enjoy and there will usually be forums for that hobby you can join.
For me I always get outside despite the conditions. My important hobby is bird feeding. I bike down to the river in all conditions most everyday to my feeding spots, snow and cold does not stop me.
Inside I have my fish keeping, and I am a Canadian addicted to watching the daily goings on in your American politics.
For me I always get outside despite the conditions. My important hobby is bird feeding. I bike down to the river in all conditions most everyday to my feeding spots, snow and cold does not stop me.
Inside I have my fish keeping, and I am a Canadian addicted to watching the daily goings on in your American politics.
Five winters ago, I discovered that sitting for about 90 minutes in the lazy boy and then standing up and walking about 15', I could be lightheaded, dizzy. Whoa. I'd better be careful!
The gardening season arrived and I was busy. Bending, walking, working with tools, a big garden - no dizziness, for months. Winter came and by December, I had that dizziness after sitting those 90 minutes. Exercise. I needed exercise!
So, I read some advice from the Heart Association. Thirty minutes, 5 times each week - raising my pulse to about 100/minute. It's scaled by age and walking is recommended. Wow. Seems real doable ...
I got a watch that can measure pulse and headed out. No running. No jogging. No problem. Daily. Then there was snow and ice! Back in the house, I decided that a treadmill is a thing of torture. I'd just walk.
Winter '15/'16, Winter '16/'17, Winter '17/'18, and this winter. I walk outdoors when I'm comfortable with doing that and indoors, otherwise. Sometimes it is a little boring -- indoors, it's really boring! But, it's only 30 minutes and I feel better for it
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It doesn't take the place of gardening with all the stretching involved with that but, it's wintertime doable.
Steve
The gardening season arrived and I was busy. Bending, walking, working with tools, a big garden - no dizziness, for months. Winter came and by December, I had that dizziness after sitting those 90 minutes. Exercise. I needed exercise!
So, I read some advice from the Heart Association. Thirty minutes, 5 times each week - raising my pulse to about 100/minute. It's scaled by age and walking is recommended. Wow. Seems real doable ...
I got a watch that can measure pulse and headed out. No running. No jogging. No problem. Daily. Then there was snow and ice! Back in the house, I decided that a treadmill is a thing of torture. I'd just walk.
Winter '15/'16, Winter '16/'17, Winter '17/'18, and this winter. I walk outdoors when I'm comfortable with doing that and indoors, otherwise. Sometimes it is a little boring -- indoors, it's really boring! But, it's only 30 minutes and I feel better for it
.It doesn't take the place of gardening with all the stretching involved with that but, it's wintertime doable.
Steve
I second that SQWIB only I take naproxen instead, it is a little bit stronger. It rains more, during this time of the year, but it isn't snowing so I get out when I can. In the meantime, there are a lot of projects to do around the house that need to get done. I just get tired a lot faster these days and my breaks get longer.
I had rheumatoid arthritis, very troublesome for a young person. Much better now.
However, it wrecked some nerves to my legs and left me with an awkward gait. I think riding a bicycle would be very unwise if not impossible. Wish I could dance well but I was wishing that years ago! Wish I could still swim ... turning like a corkscrew in a downward trajectory is not good enuf ...
Anti-inflammatories were very important to me at one time but toooo hard on my stomach. Walking, gardening, stretching ... fresh air!
Steve
However, it wrecked some nerves to my legs and left me with an awkward gait. I think riding a bicycle would be very unwise if not impossible. Wish I could dance well but I was wishing that years ago! Wish I could still swim ... turning like a corkscrew in a downward trajectory is not good enuf ...
Anti-inflammatories were very important to me at one time but toooo hard on my stomach. Walking, gardening, stretching ... fresh air!
Steve-
rainbowgardener
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As people have been saying EXERCISE. My partner and I are both 71 yrs old and more fit than a lot of people a lot younger. I attribute this to many years of three times a week at the gym. She has osteo arthritis, but does a lot of stretching and bending at the gym. She says if she misses a week at the gym, she can feel the difference in stiffness and pain. I do a mile and a half briskly on the treadmill and then 20-30 min of strength training on the weight machines. Then I try to keep as active as I can in the garden. But the gym is a rain or shine, any weather thing and that is very important. I also have exercise CD's and a WiiFit that I use indoors between gym times.
I used to have an exercise bicycle, treadmill and weights, but I had better intentions than will to actually use them. The kids rode the bicycle, they thought it was fun. I still have the treadmill, but there is a short somewhere and it likes to shock me when I touch the handlebars. I still have my yoga mat and once in a while I will try to do that, but I am always in beginner mode since I don't do it consistently enough to keep building flexibility.
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applestar
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I’m feeling the aches and pains more and more, and really think I need to do more to increase my endurance.
But even if I don’t have the time, or am physically unable to do more strenuous exercises for whatever reason, I think it’s really important to keep up with basic stretching exercises. For me, I find exercises that lift and stretch the spinal column and loosen the various joints are essential. I can feel the difference from even skipping one day.
My exercises are based on Qi gong —I guess I do movements that are similar to gentler forms of yoga and tai chi.
But even if I don’t have the time, or am physically unable to do more strenuous exercises for whatever reason, I think it’s really important to keep up with basic stretching exercises. For me, I find exercises that lift and stretch the spinal column and loosen the various joints are essential. I can feel the difference from even skipping one day.
My exercises are based on Qi gong —I guess I do movements that are similar to gentler forms of yoga and tai chi.
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Gary350
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My back has been hurting me for 10 years, now my hips & knees are starting to hurt. For a long time I took 2 Aleve every morning it took all the pain away but Aleve is very bad for the stomach after taking Aleve every day for 6 months I got symptoms like food poison and ended up in the hospital. After being in the hospital 3 times I had to stop taking Aleve and started taking Tylenol it does now work as well but it helps. Doctor gave me some good narcotic pain pills but I refuse to be addicted to narcotics so I don't take them. Discs are gone in my back I am 2" shorter than I use to be, bone grinding against bone and arthritis in my muscles give me terrible pain. I went to physical therapy & learned stretching exercises are a miracle cure for muscle pain. Now I do stretching exercises every day at home I need an exercise table I don't like doing exercises on the floor or bed. I have to keep up with exercises to keep pain away, I have not used my wheel chair in 4 years. I have always been an outside person bad weather does not bother me I am always outside no matter what weather is doing. Rain, winds, snow, ice, blizzard, cold weather are no problem but 90 degrees and hotter is hard to take these days..