Tips from a Cardiologist

[aja8888]

Just based on my observations, I think the "bad legs" come first, albeit actually just weak legs that have trouble supporting and propelling the very overweight bodies they're attached to. Then the scooters come into the picture, and from there it is an inevitable downward spiral — less walking, more obesity, more need for scooters, less walking, etc. etc.

I watched a neighbor woman go down this road. The "etc, etc" was diabetes, than a mild stroke, then a more serious stroke, then leg removal at the knee, then nursing home. She was 65 years old when she passed. Sad..

 

[googily]

My dad is nearly 85 and still rides his bike nearly every day (two wheels, not one of them adult tricycles ). He also does about 60-90 minutes of stretches and what we used to call "calisthenics" every morning.

My mom lived for tennis and then golf, was active and healthy and happy her entire life, and got a combination of a rare dementia and ALS and died at 73.

DH rode his bike to and from work every day, rain or shine, for five years, walked as much as possible as part of his day, and had little interest in junk food. And after a few months of vague fatigue was found to have a liver riddled with tumors and died nine months later.

Do your best to be healthy and happy, don't be a member of the scooter patrol if you can possibly help it, and realize that once those are accomplished you probably still are only barely in control of your destiny.

(That's me, Little Mary Sunshine!)

 

[MichaelB]

We just didn't know a lot back then, and I'm not sure we've learned all that much since.

+1

The scary part of that is there are many more experts now and their advice is much more imperative.

 

[LARS]

Life regresses to the mean. And this is a damn dirty shame.



Ha

Funny. My experience tells me that generally Life overshoots the mean. Both to the up and down side...

 

[redduck]

+1

I really don't understand his qualifications.

As 6miths pointed out in an earlier post, this guy has a Ph.D. in physiology. He's written many articles and books on the heart/health/exercise. Teaches (or has taught) at Wayne State. So, his credentials are good.

That said, and assuming he wasn't mis-quoted, I think he either over-stepped his area of competence, is completely insensitive or he's just a jerk. In the first highlighted section: I don't think anybody talks that way unless they are trying to impress and don't know how to do it.

In the second highlighted section (all highlights by redduck)

You might want to pick up the pace the next time you go for a walk.
"We now realize that even somebody's walking speed is a good index of their overall health," Franklin said. "Several studies have now shown that if middle age and older adults in their day-to-day activities walk at less than 2 miles an hour, we say that's a harbinger of the approaching grim reaper, the personification of death. Those people are headed toward generally a poor prognosis.
"Whereas numerous studies now show that middle age and older adults who walk briskly — 3 miles an hour or faster — generally have very good health profiles. So I tell our patients, invariably, you can disguise your exercise by picking up your pace, simply walking on day-to-day basis at 3 miles an hour or faster.

I'm not sure what "disguise your exercise" means, but I think I'd like to do it.
And what if the patient can't simply walk at 3 miles an hour or faster? Does he tell them that their walking is a waste of time and maybe sitting on the couch isn't such a bad idea after all?

 

[bmcgonig]

As 6miths pointed out in an earlier post, this guy has a Ph.D. in physiology. He's written many articles and books on the heart/health/exercise. Teaches (or has taught) at Wayne State. So, his credentials are good.

That said, and assuming he wasn't mis-quoted, I think he either over-stepped his area of competence, is completely insensitive or he's just a jerk. In the first highlighted section: I don't think anybody talks that way unless they are trying to impress and don't know how to do it.

In the second highlighted section (all highlights by redduck)

I'm not sure what "disguise your exercise" means, but I think I'd like to do it.
And what if the patient can't simply walk at 3 miles an hour or faster? Does he tell them that their walking is a waste of time and maybe sitting on the couch isn't such a bad idea after all?

My, somewhat charitable, interpretation of what he was getting at is that some people just go out for a stroll and consider that exercise. He's advising them that the stroll isn't exercise.

 

[audreyh1]

Same here- my Dad is 87 but still walks. Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer at 85 and still kept walking until she deteriorated to the point that she couldn't. She once said you should do everything you can to keep your balance.

I shudder when I see old (and not-so-old) people on scooters in the grocery store. Most of them are terribly overweight and I don't know which comes first- the obesity that makes it too painful to walk or the infirmities that make it too painful to walk followed by obesity because you've quit moving. I just know I'm going to do everything I can to avoid that.

How many obese people make it past 80? I don’t think very many.

My dad slowed down for various reasons, but he has been underweight, not overweight, before and after slowing down, and it probably more so in spite of reduced mobility. He never used any scooter either. Only a few years ago he started using a cane regularly, and now a walker. He’s almost 90. Things don’t work so good unsurprisingly.

 

[COcheesehead]

Short article in the local paper with some advice from a cardiologist on heart health:

https://www.freep.com/story/news/20...lth-beaumont-cardiovascular-clinic/550861002/

A few key points:

- exercise is good, to a point, but don't overdo it;
- he does not recommend HIIT for those over 40;
- slow walking speed is a harbinger of death for those over middle age.

You left out a key takeaway: don't deer hunt. I thought that was an odd one.

 

[JoeWras]

You left out a key takeaway: don't deer hunt. I thought that was an odd one.

Nah... Relaxing and exciting way to go!

Or... Maybe gently exercise in addition to deer hunting? No?

 

[redduck]

My, somewhat charitable, interpretation of what he was getting at is that some people just go out for a stroll and consider that exercise. He's advising them that the stroll isn't exercise.

Yeah, I know. But, he's an authority and when he talks about "harbinger of death" and it's addressed to the public it's going to frighten a bunch of people who can't walk three miles an hour (such as will be my case in a year or two). Perhaps he could have said something like "the goal is to push yourself just a bit when you walk until your body begins to say, "Slow down or death will be looking you in the eye as you're lying on the pavement gasping for air." Or something like that .

 

[COcheesehead]

Nah... Relaxing and exciting way to go!

Or... Maybe gently exercise in addition to deer hunting? No?

The article said the thrill will kill you...and the sedentary lifestyle. Which I thought was a backhanded generalization.

 

[redduck]

The article said the thrill will kill you...and the sedentary lifestyle. Which I thought was a backhanded generalization.

So, the physiologist is saying that old people who can't walk 3 miles an hour, but go into the forest riding a scooter to shoot deer, probably won't make it out of the forest alive. Man, that's cold.

 

[COcheesehead]

So, the physiologist is saying that old people who can't walk 3 miles an hour, but go into the forest riding a scooter to shoot deer, probably won't make it out of the forest alive. Man, that's cold.

 

[bmcgonig]

Yeah, I know. But, he's an authority and when he talks about "harbinger of death" and it's addressed to the public it's going to frighten a bunch of people who can't walk three miles an hour (such as will be my case in a year or two). Perhaps he could have said something like "the goal is to push yourself just a bit when you walk until your body begins to say, "Slow down or death will be looking you in the eye as you're lying on the pavement gasping for air." Or something like that .

+1

 

[MRG]

So, the physiologist is saying that old people who can't walk 3 miles an hour, but go into the forest riding a scooter to shoot deer, probably won't make it out of the forest alive. Man, that's cold.

I see a disabled person in a scooter walking their dog around the area. Unfortunately the sidewalks or paths for the scooter don't go to their house.

Instead, they're going down a major roadway on a scooter with the blind, crippled dog leading the way.

Maybe they should take up hunting deer. There's a lot of them along the side of the road. No problem. I'm sure the dog could help.

 

[braumeister]

Instead, they're going down a major roadway on a scooter with the blind, crippled dog leading the way.

Makes as much sense as the young guy I often see in the park, on his rollerblades holding the leash as his dog pulls him along.

 

[MuirWannabe]

Walking 4 mph is fast. About as fast as is reasonably possible unless your some kind of specialized speed walker. 3-4 mph is more reasonable I think. And for the elderly, such as my dad at age 86, walking period is good. He gets out and walks a 1 to 1.5 miles rather slowly. But he’s doing it. Rather than calling that a harbinger of death, I’d call that pretty darn good.

I think his conclusions are mostly hogwash.

 

[Teacher Terry]

My grandma was severely obese and the doctor told her she would never see 50. She could always walk. She died at 77 from cancer.

 

[audreyh1]

Walking 4 mph is fast. About as fast as is reasonably possible unless your some kind of specialized speed walker. 3-4 mph is more reasonable I think. And for the elderly, such as my dad at age 86, walking period is good. He gets out and walks a 1 to 1.5 miles rather slowly. But he’s doing it. Rather than calling that a harbinger of death, I’d call that pretty darn good.

I think his conclusions are mostly hogwash.

Even at my fittest I couldn’t sustain 4mph. Simple - I’m short.

Good for your Dad! My Dad would do that if he could.

I suspect that the doc wasn’t speaking to the very elderly with his harbinger of death remark. And I expect most folks who make it to eighty don’t expect to live much longer anyway.

 

[Aerides]

Yes the MPH for walking is designed for a 5'10" male (as most "averages" are in medical recommendations). 4mph is downright speedwalking on my 5'3" body!

3.5 feels like a nice brisk walking pace for me. 4.5 is my usually jogging pace.

 

[MichaelB]

Does anyone have a link that shows how the 4 mph walking speed objective was developed or what makes that speed optimal, at least for a long legged male?

 

[eytonxav]

I warm up on the treadmill at the gym on a 10 and 20 degree incline at 3.5 MPH; bumping up faster from there might diminish my other exercises. Anyhow, when DW and I walk together around our neighborhood, it is definitely less than 3.5 MPH.

 

[Amethyst]

Not everyone riding those scooters is unable to walk. At Disney, we watched healthy-looking people ride scooters to the front of the auditorium for "Lion King" and other shows, while we walkers had to take the lesser seats. Then the "disabled" scooter riders would zoom out of the auditorium (with walkers getting out of their way), and when we caught up, we found them nimbly hopping off their transport to buy a drink.

Yes, the "Scooter" craze is interesting to me too. We see the battery powered crowd everywhere, including big box stores, theme parks and public outings (art fairs, concerts, etc.). Most are not very elderly folks, most are indeed overweight. I don't know if the majority of these folks actually need the mobility assistance, or are simply too lazy to get up and walk. If they do need it, it is a blessing for them. If not, it seems to be a downward spiral scooter in terms of their health.

Of course, there seems also to be a similar situation with handicapped parking stickers in my opinion, as well. Drive right to the front of the mall parking lot using the sticker/mirror hanger, then waddle or scooter out to the food court in your favorite mall.

I imagine many of these people could do themselves a favor by practicing some regular walking (at 3 mph ) on a fairly regular basis.

Which comes first, the scooter or the bad legs?

 

[RunningBum]

No link, just my observation, but a 4mph walk for most people gets you out of the comfort zone and gets your heart going a bit. 3mph tends to be more of a stroll and doesn't do too much. Of course if you aren't very fit, 3mph may be a good starting point. One shouldn't jump right into 4mph if it's going to spike your heart rate. If you aren't at all sure, getting a heart rate monitor and learning the range you should shoot for is worth while. I would expect that most health studies would be based on HR, not speed. I have other guidelines that I use for running and I don't use a heart rate monitor so I don't recall the right heart rate range for walking or running.

I have no advice on how fast a much older person in typical health should walk, as I don't know how much you should still try to get your heart rate up. Of course it's going to vary.

 

[sanfanciscotreat]

I cannot maintain 2 mph hiking up Mt. Sterling in the GSMNP.