I’ve often spoken about the value of consistent exercise for health in many “Health Help Now” columns and hope you have a current exercise routine meeting your needs. Now evidence indicates one form of exercise measurement, walking speed and quality, may provide insight into one’s overall health. Walking speed and quality assessment add to an measure of your temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and pain (the usual 5 vital signs assessed by a health care professional). In essence, walking speed and quality may serve as a 6th vital sign to evaluate your health related to age.
Walking speed and quality are components of a term called “gait.” Persons who walk slowly, limp,shuffle, or use shorter walking stepshave abnormal gaits. Foot and leg problems, injuries, neurological conditions, and weak leg muscles may affect one’s gait. Persons with leg and balance problems may take shorter steps to prevent falling. Parkinson’s disease persons oftenshow a shuffling walk. Persons who walk slowly may have a higher risk of developing dementia than those who walk faster and meet age standards for walking speed.
Maintaining leg strength to safely walk and move through aging is very important. A person dependent on chair arms to rise to a standing position needs to further develop leg strength. Having sufficient leg strength prevents falling and potentially breaking a hip or other body part. Your doctor can check your leg, hip, and knee strength to check your lower body strength. Risk factors for falling include thyroid disease, being inactive, and taking statin (for high cholesterol) medications that may cause leg weakness.
So, how can you increase your leg strength? Try brisk regular walking for 30-45 minutes three times a week, getting out of a chair or sitting position and walking around every 30 minutes, standing slowly from a sitting position 6 times per hour, and sitting less. If you need to sit, get up and frequently move around your environment to improve leg strength. Use a pedometer or other e-device to meet walking 100- 120 steps/minute if outside or in an athletic facility.