Walking

How far do you walk in a day?

By Annette Beach

Last month I wrote a blog where the opening line read, “Arthritis sucks!” and asked if anyone would 2nd the motion. Many of you did and I thank you for your support and understanding! (See Arthritis Is a Villain.)

It’s rare for me to become enraged about my arthritis and the interferences it brings to my life. Over the years, I’ve learned to tolerate the ups and downs of this disease, but the way my arthritis attacked my body after the treadmill workout on that day put me over the top. Trying to improve my overall quality of life while actually making the effort rather than just thinking about it, only to have Arthur blindside me, was not right!

Here we are, six weeks later and I have not returned to the treadmill. Although my hip has improved and the pain subsided after a few weeks, I do not want to repeat the injury. Knowing myself as I do, if I returned to the treadmill, I’d keep the settings at or near the same (because I’m too stubborn to turn them down a notch – see Help Wanted), which would most likely aggravate the area again.

Instead, I’m taking alternate routes to incorporate walking in my daily routine (so I can continue to gain points against Arthur – see Keeping Score). When I feel my hips and legs are strong enough to avoid further injury, I WILL return to the treadmill! But in the mean time, I’m pacing myself by walking from room to room, taking extra steps in parking lots and enjoying the transition from winter to spring by walking outside whenever possible.

Studies show walking improves our cardiovascular system while decreasing the risks of heart disease, diabetes and other chronic illnesses, and keeps our joints mobile. For me, that’s reason enough to keep trying.

As we all know, walking itself can be an obstacle for people with arthritis. We are encouraged even if we take two steps forward and one step back. But for those who take two steps forward then three steps back, the discouragement can be disheartening.

In an effort to stay motivated, I'm taking advantage of tools and suggestions from friends who already benefit from walking. The Arthritis Foundation offers a walking program called “Walk with Ease,” a course designed to help develop a walking plan and keep you motivated and exercising safely (contact your local Foundation office for more info). It’s safe for beginners and those with physical challenges (there also is a “Walk with Ease” guidebook). A friend suggested adding fitness DVDs for variety and mixing it up, so now I'm on the lookout for something quirky and fun.

I've also started using a pedometer to count my steps. The ideal goal is to take 10,000 steps per day, but that is not always realistic in the arthritis world. If this is something you're interested in, wear it for a week to find your range before determining the number of steps necessary to make a difference in your health. For example, if you average 3,000 steps per day, you may want to set your goal in increments of 1,000 per week or month.

I gauge it based on my abilities and how I feel each day. Rather than reviewing my goals daily, I view myself based on a week’s worth of exercise because there are days I'm able to do more and some days when I have to do less.

What exercises would you recommend to improve overall health? Do you have suggestions for classes, DVDs, CDs or other motivators to increase your steps? Share them in the comments below.