How many steps should the elderly take every day to strengthen their bodies without hurting their knees?

An elderly friend told Huazi that he had knee pain and asked what medicine he should take to relieve the pain. Huazi asked him why, and he said he had high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and poor blood sugar. The doctor recommended more exercise every day, so he has been walking more than 10,000 steps every day, and sometimes jogging for a distance. He has persisted for more than 5 years.

In the past five years, he not only exercised, but also paid attention to his diet and took some oral medications, and his blood pressure, blood lipids and blood sugar were all well controlled. But now, after exercising, his knee joints will ache, and he needs to rest for a long time to relieve the pain, and there will be abnormal noises when the joints are moved.

1. Human joints also wear out

Huazi's advice to him was to go to the hospital for a checkup first and not to take painkillers on his own to avoid masking symptoms and delaying the disease. An X-ray was taken at the hospital and it was found that his knee joints were severely worn, with only a thin layer of cartilage left, growths on the joints, and narrow joint space.

The old man was puzzled. Isn't there a saying that goes "a door hinge is not worm-eaten, and running water is not rotten"? Why did he have problems even though he exercised frequently? A door hinge is not worm-eaten, which means that if the door hinge is opened and closed frequently, it will not be eaten by insects. However, excessive use of the door hinge will cause rapid wear of the door hinge, and the same is true for the joints of the human body. Excessive exercise will cause joint wear and cause joint inflammation.

2. There are many benefits of walking exercise

It is important to note that walking is good for the body. Human ancestors came down from trees to the ground, and after a long period of evolution, they have become accustomed to walking upright. Walking is the most basic exercise for humans and the easiest exercise to do.

Walking can increase cardiopulmonary function, help control high blood pressure, and reduce the incidence of heart disease. Walking can increase the body's energy consumption and play an auxiliary control role in blood sugar and blood lipids. Taking a walk about an hour after a meal, even if it is only 15 minutes, will significantly reduce postprandial blood sugar.

Another benefit of walking that is often overlooked is that it can improve your emotional state. If you maintain a regular walking schedule, you are more likely to meet other people who have the same walking schedule. You can form a group to walk together, which not only makes exercise fun, but also increases social participation. By communicating with others, you can improve your mental state.

3. Don’t judge a hero by the number of steps he takes

There are many benefits of walking, but when walking, you should be careful to avoid damaging your joints. Especially for the elderly, who have more or less degenerative changes in their joints, they are more likely to get injured.

Today's mobile phones, smart bracelets, watches and other equipment can easily record the number of steps you walk each day, and various sports rankings are also based on the number of steps. However, many studies do not recommend walking too many steps. Walking 6,000 to 8,000 steps each time is a good amount of exercise.

However, the number of steps is not a scientific way to measure exercise intensity, because everyone's height, weight, and stride length and walking speed are different. Therefore, the number of steps or kilometers is not suitable as a unified exercise standard. Time is the exercise indicator that applies to everyone.

Generally speaking, it is recommended that the elderly walk for at least 150 minutes per week, for example, if they walk for 30 minutes every day, then they can choose to walk 5 days a week. The remaining 2 days can be used for resistance exercise, that is, strength training, to increase muscle mass, increase basal metabolic rate, and better maintain body balance to avoid falls.

However, the more walking time you take, the better. It is not recommended to walk more than 300 minutes a week, that is, no more than 1 hour a day, to reduce wear and tear on the joints. When walking, you should control your speed, speed up your breathing slightly, sweat a little, and be able to speak normally, but not sing a complete sentence.

4. Pay attention to protecting yourself when exercising

1. Shoes and socks are very important: Sports shoes are very important, so are socks. It is best to buy professional sports shoes from big brands. Especially for people with diabetes, you must pay attention to foot injuries to avoid inducing diabetic foot. If you feel any discomfort, do not force yourself to walk, and make sure you do not feel any discomfort at all.

2. Upgrade your equipment: Choose clothes and pants made of breathable, waterproof and warm fabrics. Carry a mobile phone with you so that you can call for help in case of emergencies. Also carry a water bottle to replenish water in time. If conditions permit, you can wear a smart watch to keep track of your heart rate in time.

3. Choose a flat road: The walking route should be well-lit and have a flat surface to reduce the possibility of falling. It is not recommended to go hiking or go to sparsely populated areas, so that you can get rescue more promptly in case of an accident.

In summary, walking exercise for the elderly can help improve cardiopulmonary function, prevent diseases and regulate emotions. But the more steps the better. High-intensity, long-term walking will wear out joint cartilage and cause joint inflammation. When exercising, you should walk properly to protect your joints. Otherwise, once the joints are severely worn, the only way to solve the problem is to replace artificial joints. I am pharmacist Huazi, welcome to follow me and share more health knowledge.