How many steps should a person take a day after the age of 60? How can I walk without hurting my knees?
The 58-year-old Zhang, who has been busy for most of his life, finally retired, and his children have also started a family, so he can finally enjoy the rest of his life. So, Lao Zhang played chess and cards with the old guys on the stone benches in the community every day.
However, Lao Zhang was found to have high blood sugar in a community physical examination. The medical staff told Lao Zhang to pay attention to his diet and exercise more at the same time, otherwise he might turn into diabetes, and there is no way to cure diabetes at present, it would be troublesome .
So after returning home, Lao Zhang has always maintained a good eating habit, and insisted on taking a walk half an hour after meals every day.
After 3 months of this, Lao Zhang went to the hospital for a re-examination and found that his blood sugar had really dropped from 12.5mmol/L to 5.80mmol/L , and his physical condition was slowly improving.
Does walking and exercising actually lower blood sugar? So why do some people keep walking every day, but their blood sugar does not drop but rises?
1. Walking more can lower blood sugar, is there any scientific basis?
A study on the "Prevalence of Diabetes and Its Treatment in China from 2013 to 2018" was published in JAMA, and it was finally found that the incidence of diabetes increased significantly, from 10.9% in 2013 to 12.4% in 2018.
At present, there are five main treatment methods for diabetes, including diabetes education, diet therapy, exercise therapy, drug therapy and blood sugar monitoring, among which exercise therapy is ignored by many people.
Relevant studies have shown that after 6 months of inactivity, a series of metabolic-related health indexes such as weight and waist circumference will increase to varying degrees, while insulin sensitivity will gradually weaken, and the probability of developing type 2 diabetes will increase.
Exercise therapy can effectively improve the insulin sensitivity of T2DM patients and stabilize the blood sugar control of patients. According to relevant studies, regular exercise for more than 8 weeks can help reduce glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) by 0.66% in patients with type 2 diabetes.
And studies on exercise and diabetes complications have also found that walking for 2 hours a week reduces all-cause mortality by 39% in diabetic patients .
2. If you insist on exercising every day, why does your blood sugar rise instead?
So why do some people's blood sugar rise instead of falling after exercising or walking? Simply put, it's too much exercise .
When the exercise is too intense and the heart rate exceeds 80% to 90% of the maximum heart rate, people may gasp for breath. At this time, the sympathetic nerves are obviously excited, which stimulates the release of adrenaline and norepinephrine.
At the same time, the liver is stimulated to convert stored glycogen into glucose and release it into the blood, and when the rate of increase in blood sugar exceeds the rate at which blood sugar is absorbed by the muscles, the blood sugar also rises.
Therefore, it is not the exercise that causes the blood sugar to rise, but the wrong way of exercise . In addition, if you want to reduce blood sugar by walking, you must also pay attention to these 3 points:
Walking time : 30 minutes to 1 hour after a meal, when blood sugar is on the rise, proper exercise can help consume glucose and assist in lowering blood sugar;
Walking speed : 120-150 steps/minute is appropriate, if it is too slow, the effect is not ideal;
Walking time : Some studies have pointed out that continuous walking for 30 to 40 minutes can have a hypoglycemic effect, and it is best not to stop during this period, otherwise the effect will be affected.
3. If you insist on walking every day, what will happen to your body in the end?
A study in the United States found that as long as you start walking, it is good for your health, and as long as you take a certain number of steps, you can reduce all-cause mortality. What specific benefits can the body gain?
1. Delay joint aging
Appropriate walking can not only speed up the filling of joint fluid and reduce friction between cartilages; it can also promote calcium absorption, strengthen lower limb muscles, and better protect joints.
2. Helps lower blood pressure
A study from the Third Hospital of Peking University showed that after 3 months of fast walking, the blood of most patients dropped by about 2-3 mmHg. It can be seen that walking can help lower blood pressure. The conclusion was published in the "Journal of Clinical Hypertension". .
3. Promote defecation and relieve constipation
When walking, you can increase the twisting range of the waist and crotch, which can consume more energy, help to promote defecation and improve constipation.
4. Promote metabolism
Appropriate moderate-intensity walking can increase calorie consumption, help to promote metabolism, and prevent diabetes, heart disease and other diseases.
5. Strengthen the heart
Appropriate walking can increase the heart rate and promote blood circulation, thereby enhancing heart function.
3. Walking 10,000 steps a day "can't afford to hurt" your knees! How many steps should an elderly person walk after the age of 60?
Walking 10,000 steps a day is actually a marketing concept. When you get older, especially after you are over 60 years old, if you barely walk 10,000 steps a day, your knees may really "can't hurt"!
How many steps are the most suitable for seniors after the age of 60?
A study published in The Lancet Public Health that included data from 47,471 people (mean age 65) was designed to assess the association of daily steps with all-cause mortality in the cohort. .
The final finding: As the number of steps increased, the population all-cause mortality gradually decreased and stabilized. And for adults 60 years and older, the optimal number of steps per day is 6,000-8,000 steps , beyond this threshold, there will be no additional benefits.
If the elderly want to walk without hurting their knees, what is the best way to walk? Liu Qiang, the chief physician of the Department of Orthopedics and Joints of Peking University People's Hospital, shared 6 tips:
① Correct the "outside eight" and keep the toes on both sides facing the front;
②When landing, show the soles forward;
③ When walking, try to take big steps and throw your arms away;
④ When the rear foot is off the ground, try to ensure that the ground is as strong as possible;
⑤ Change a pair of "good shoes", such as jogging shoes, which can buffer the ground recoil when walking and protect the knee joint;
⑥ Regularly perform hook-leg lifting exercises to strengthen muscles.
In addition, when the elderly walk, they should also pay attention to the speed and pace. Do not walk too fast. It is advisable to breathe a little while walking without affecting speech , otherwise it is easy to damage the knee joint. 45%~50% is better.
Summary: Adhering to proper walking can not only lower blood sugar, but also have many benefits, but the premise is to master the correct walking method and stick to it.
References:
[1] "Is blood sugar higher after exercise? Not surprisingly! This knowledge is too important". China Medical Tribune Diabetes Today. 2020-04-23
[2] "Learn to exercise, can effectively lower blood sugar! Diabetes is no longer just by taking medicines and injections! 》.Medical Endocrinology Channel. 2020-05-25
[3] "Orthopedic Doctor: Learn to walk like this, and walk 10,000 steps a day without hurting your knees!" 》. Health Times. 2021-11-07
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