Exercising for 10 minutes a day can stop older people becoming disabled by arthritis — Scope | Disability forum
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Exercising for 10 minutes a day can stop older people becoming disabled by arthritis

Sam_Alumni
Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,671 Disability Gamechanger
An article in the Telegraph says:

Even a brisk, short walk of less than 10 minutes a day is enough to keep older adults on their feet, reducing the risk of becoming disabled by 85 per cent.

Currently the NHS recommends that adults get two and a half hours of moderate exercise each week - around 21 minutes a day, but many people feel unable to meet the target, and so do nothing.

The new research from Northwestern University, in Illinois, followed 1,500 adults for four years all who were suffering pain, aching of stiffness from arthritis in their knees, hips, ankles or feet, but who were not disabled at the beginning of the study.

Their physical activity was monitored during the period using accelerometers.

Four years after the start of the study, 24 per cent of adults who did not get the weekly hour of brisk physical activity were walking too slowly to safely cross the street, and 23 per cent reported problems performing their morning routine.

“This is less than 10 minutes a day for people to maintain their independence. It’s very doable,” said lead author Dr Dorothy Dunlop, professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

“This minimum threshold may motivate inactive older adults to begin their path toward a physically active lifestyle with the wide range of health benefits promoted by physical activity.”

Nearly nine million people suffer from osteoarthritis in Britain.

The new research showed that just a weekly hour of exercise reduced their risk of mobility disability - walking too slowly to safely cross a street or less than one meter per second - by 85 percent and their risk of activities of daily living disability, difficulty performing morning routine tasks such as walking across a room, bathing and dressing, by almost 45 percent.

“We hope this new public health finding will motivate an intermediate physical activity goal,” added Prof Dunlop.
Scope
Senior online community officer

Comments

  • Misscleo
    Misscleo Community member Posts: 647 Pioneering
    This study should be shown to the DWP. They say no one should walk more than 20 mtrs . 
    Their rules should be scraped. People are being discouraged from doing any walking. People are afraid of being seen taking a few steps as was shown in a post last week. The person did a bit of walking and was reported to the DWP.
    People should be encouraged to walk for their health. But as long as the DWP tells people NOT  to walk they won't for fear of being reported, people wont risk it.
    Let's have letters sent to Mp's about this. The DWP should stop discouraging people from walking
  • wilko
    wilko Community member Posts: 2,458 Disability Gamechanger
    Excuse me, the DWP has never advised people not to walk, where have you got this wrong information from?? The 20 meter rule is the distant set by the DWP you are to be unable to walk reliably, repeatedly and safely to be awarded the enhanced mobility rate. If you have the abilities to walk further without causing you pain stress and repeatedly then you shouldn’t be granted the enhanced mobility award.
  • elly9
    elly9 Community member Posts: 17 Connected
    I wish I could walk 20 meters without support but Unfortunately i
    have to use crutches just to walk about 3/4 meters 
  • elly9
    elly9 Community member Posts: 17 Connected
    As for exercising well I wish I could.it’s something I used to do regularly,but cannot Do now. Hence I’ve put on weight which gets me down,but there’s nothing I can do about it.
  • twonker
    twonker Posts: 617 Pioneering
    I have to agree entirely. A lot of so called disabilities can be managed easily by taking more exercise. A dog if you can have one is a wonderful thing to have. It gives purpose, 
    I don't understand why a discussion of doing more exercise V losing benefits is mentioned.
    As Wilko has said, if you exercise regularly, what is more important, telling the DWP that you are managing better and feeling fitter or no exercise and not wanting to lose a benefit?

    Surely health is the top priority and more should be done to get people out and about.
  • elly9
    elly9 Community member Posts: 17 Connected
    I agree About the dogs and because I can’t walk/stand for long I use a mobility scooter to take them out. I do get some exercise as I have the dogs  to take care of. 

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