Early 70s parents can't walk well at all. How to avoid?

[Anonymous]

Spent the week with my parents, both in their early 70s. My father had a knee replacement 10 months ago and has not recovered well. He swims a little but doesn't walk much and can't do stairs on that leg at all. He refuses PT, feels his light swimming is enough, and just sort of accepts it. My mother is quite overweight and walks with a limp. She hasn't had a knee relacement but definitely could use one. I belive it hurts her to walk and she can't go far. She likes to bike a little and says that doesn't hurt, but obviously walking is more important and she can't do that well at all anymore.

It's depressing and frankly maddening for me to see them like this in their early 70s. There's no will to change or better themselves; they've never been into real exercise so I suppose it's no suprise and they feel they're "healthy" since they don't take any pills. I'm 50 and paranoid I'll end up like this too, barely being able to walk a mile at once, etc. I do everything different, I exercise and eat well and all of that. I hope to make it to 80 before having significant mobility issues. Is this possible or do genetics trump everything?

[Anonymous]

Yes and no. Genetics are important but lifestyle can hugely increase (or decrease) mobility.

FWIW, knee replacements can be beneficial but are also incredibly painful and require incredible amounts of PT afterwards. You are saying that your parents can barely walk a mile - that's very decent compared to my mother who can barely walk from the car to the ride-on cart at the grocery store anymore (due to back problems, the knee replacement and subsequent PT was a success). And more broadly, that's decent for anyone, let alone someone in their 70s with knee problems.

[Anonymous]

My physical therapist says "motion is lotion." You need to keep moving--if you don't use it, you really will lose it. Walk as much as you can. Be active. We live in NYC and walk everywhere. My SIL lives in suburban New Jersey and they drive everywhere. She and her family walk so slowly, and complain about distances that we don't consider far at all. Being sedentary when younger is how you end up really losing mobility when older.

[Anonymous]

You wrote your own answer on how to avoid it. Do your PT!

Also, I think more focus should be made on maintaining some range of movement without it being a full “workout”. Functional PT becomes important as you age and should be taught. Things like how to safely get up off the floor, practicing chair rises etc.

Not everyone needs to be running miles and miles, but doing daily tasks safely is a very good goal.

[Anonymous]

My parents are a bit older but similarly have let their physical condition deteriorate and just don't seem to care. I worry about them doing simple tasks like walking to a table at a restaurant or going to a grocery store. They have done minimal physical therapy over the years but never do the exercises at home and just don't seem to care. They just keep buying things to "help" them like a recliner chair that helps them stand up. Why don't they work on their strength so they can stand up on their own!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes and no. Genetics are important but lifestyle can hugely increase (or decrease) mobility.

FWIW, knee replacements can be beneficial but are also incredibly painful and require incredible amounts of PT afterwards. You are saying that your parents can barely walk a mile - that's very decent compared to my mother who can barely walk from the car to the ride-on cart at the grocery store anymore (due to back problems, the knee replacement and subsequent PT was a success). And more broadly, that's decent for anyone, let alone someone in their 70s with knee problems.

OP here. They can’t walk a mile. Like I think they can grocery shop but even that’s not easy anymore. My in laws are upper 70s and mid 80s and they are so much more fit and mobile than my parents. The contrast is staggering. I hope being more active in my 50s will lead me to have a better outcome. It’s also frustrating that they’ve just given up and don’t seem out more PT etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents are a bit older but similarly have let their physical condition deteriorate and just don't seem to care. I worry about them doing simple tasks like walking to a table at a restaurant or going to a grocery store. They have done minimal physical therapy over the years but never do the exercises at home and just don't seem to care. They just keep buying things to "help" them like a recliner chair that helps them stand up. Why don't they work on their strength so they can stand up on their own!

I so relate to this!

[Anonymous]

Yes! When my parents were in their EARLY 50s, they intentionally moved to be in a ranch style house so there wouldn't be stairs for when they got old. But that meant that way too soon they were not walking up and down stairs on a daily basis. And they don't work out - it's just never been a mindset for them. My mom will walk with friends, but they pick a flat route and go so slow. Better than nothing, but still.

I think that generation just was never taught how important strength training is, especially for women.

Personally, I do have a real tendency to being sedentary. All of my favorite things to do are quiet, still things. But I do make strength training 4-5 times a week a priority and I track my steps to get 6000-8000 a day. Not easy in the suburbs with a driving commute.

[Anonymous]

My parents are in their early 80s and are a hot mess. They barely walk and definitely don’t exercise. My ILs by comparison are the same age and walk 3-4 miles a day. There is a world of difference between them both mentally and physically.

I’m 51 and determined I will not be like my parents. I work out 6-7 days a week and plan to continue for my entire life. Seeing how they live is motivation enough to keep moving. Yes the exercises may change a bit as I age but I have no plans to stop moving.

[Anonymous]

Don’t be fat or even a little overweight
Work out every day. 10-20k steps a day plus weights and hard cardio

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents are in their early 80s and are a hot mess. They barely walk and definitely don’t exercise. My ILs by comparison are the same age and walk 3-4 miles a day. There is a world of difference between them both mentally and physically.

I’m 51 and determined I will not be like my parents. I work out 6-7 days a week and plan to continue for my entire life. Seeing how they live is motivation enough to keep moving. Yes the exercises may change a bit as I age but I have no plans to stop moving.

Ditoo. I think walking is key, or just not being sedentary. Weighing less definitely helps in that regard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t be fat or even a little overweight
Work out every day. 10-20k steps a day plus weights and hard cardio

This is so challenging, but such a good goal. I’m active now at 50 but don’t consistently get 10-20K steps in a day. Soon will be an empty nester and hoping to make walking + weights + cardio a reality.

[Anonymous]

Obviously genetics impact health lifestyle is huge! My in-laws are in their early 90s, they hike, play pickleball, they’re really active for their age. My mom in her early 80s can barely walk across the parking lot without getting out of breath. Not everything is within her control of course but she really stopped doing anything resembling exercise long time ago and was driving everywhere so the impact is being felt now

[Anonymous]

OP - I'm surprised your parents aren't on any medications, especially your mom since she is overweight. Or is it that they just don't go to the doctor? Anyway, it might be a sign you have good genes and their habits and mentality might be more of the issue.

I'm in my 50s its just starting to hit me how my choices now could affect me 20 years from now. A recently joined a local running club (but am still just walking now). And many of the folks in the club are 60 and over. They are super inspiring to me.

[Anonymous]

My mother had mobility issues too after a knee replacement. She wasn’t improving even with PT. She seemed to be getting stiffer and stiffer. It turned out she had Parkinson’s. She started taking medication for it and while she doesn’t have full mobility, she’s improved so much.