Why walking is a step toward healthy aging

(Aging Untold) — Walking is one of the simplest tools we have for healthy aging, and the benefits add up even in short bursts.

The Aging Untold hosts break down how to make every step count, why muscle loss happens faster than most people realize, and why using a walker or cane is nothing to be embarrassed about.

Start small, stay consistent

“Steps count by just doing it. You’ve just got to jump in and do it. You don’t have to go out and run a marathon. You just start small and just start moving,” Dr. Rhea Rogers, a board-certified physician, said.

Rogers said walking reflects the health of the entire body — it draws on muscle strength, balance, heart health and oxygenation.

“So how many times you see people — how far can they walk, that distance when they start gasping for breath? That’s oxygenation. That’s heart health,” Rogers said. “What about these people with chronic lung diseases like COPD and all that? They need that oxygenation. That’s one of the first signs you see in them — their ability to walk.”

Rogers said gait, or the way someone walks, can also be a clue to neurological issues.

“That can be a clue that something else is going on in your body,” she said. “It’s your body’s report card.”

Rogers cited a randomized trial showing that people who did aerobic exercise three times a week for 40 minutes increased their hippocampal volume, the brain’s memory center.

“So walking, all that, is more than just an exercise — that’s a ‘brain-cize,’” she said.

Aging expert Amy O’Rourke said the idea of hitting 10,000 steps a day can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be the goal.

“I like to tell people consistency beats intensity,” O’Rourke said. “If you can’t walk or have difficulty walking, try just lifting your knees up from the chair, maybe walking to the front door and back, maybe walking for five minutes, 10 minutes and just extending the amount of time.”

O’Rourke suggested turning walking into a friendly challenge.

“Maybe it is that you set up a competition with somebody to say, let’s take a walk and see how far we can walk, and then keep track of how many miles you’re building up,” she said. “But don’t start too big, because you’ll set yourself up for failure.”

Gerontologist “Sam” Cradduck also advised pacing walks so there’s enough energy to get back.

“When you’re going out and you’re going to see how far you can walk, make sure that you can walk back,” Cradduck said.

Muscles weaken faster than people expect

Cradduck said muscle loss can happen quickly, even in healthy older adults.

“I don’t think people realize just how quickly muscles atrophy,” Cradduck said. “You take somebody that’s a little older and they go into the hospital and they’re bedbound for a week in the hospital for a urinary tract [infection], and then all of a sudden they’re not able to walk.”

Cradduck said people who are unable to walk should still try to keep their legs moving, such as with foot or leg pumps.

She added that walking also supports cognition because it requires multiple coordinated steps in the brain.

“There’s a lot of brain steps in taking a step,” she said. “The foot has to move a certain way, and the leg has to move a certain way. The balance has to happen.”

For people who are immobile, Rogers said placing their legs on a vibrating plate can help.

“Really it’s about circulation,” she said.

Aging well coach Katherine Ambrose said mobility is tied to independence.

“Just think of mobility as freedom,” she said. “It gives you your independence, your ability to move.”

Don’t let pride stand in the way of using a walker

Ths hosts said strength and fitness training help maintain walking ability over time, and that avoiding long periods of sitting matters too.

“Every hour, get up,” O’Rourke said. “If you’re working, get up, take a walk. Even standing up, sitting down — just start somewhere.”

Cradduck said fear of falling, including concerns about hip fractures, often causes people to stop walking altogether — which can do more harm.

“I will tell anyone: use a walker, use a support system,” Cradduck said. “It is no different than me having glasses on my face right now so I can see. This is something that I need as an aide. A walker, if that keeps you moving and keeps you going, and it keeps your brain healthy, keeps your heart healthy, and it keeps you from falling, don’t be embarrassed by it.”

Cradduck said people are more likely to draw sympathy from inactivity than from using mobility aids.

“People are going to feel sorry for you when you’re lying in the bed, unable to move — not when you’re walking around using a walker for safety,” she said.

Ambrose said the stigma around walkers is often self-imposed. Her 12-year-old grandson had his birthday party at a roller-skating rink in Chicago and kids used PVC pipe skating aids that resembled walkers.

“So they’re using it as tools,” Ambrose said. “I like to say we’re an evolved species. We’re supposed to use tools. We wear eyeglasses when we need them. We wear hearing aids when we need them, and we use walkers, wheelchairs, walking sticks — whatever we need, when we need them.”

O’Rourke said pride and ego often get in the way.

“I think pride gets in the way, ego gets in the way, and you can see it when someone’s not using a walker and they’re afraid of falling,” she said. “They’re almost putting themselves at risk for falling more. They do more harm.”

Ambrose also said home environment matters for staying active, especially during bad weather.

“Think about your environment,” she said. “What can I do so I can walk inside my home? Or if you moved to independent living, you can walk hallways. So think about where you live — that’s going to matter too.”

Key takeaways

• Strength training protects your walking gait.
• Mobility aids are tools, not weaknesses. Walkers, canes and wheelchairs support independence and safety, similar to glasses or hearing aids.
• Consistency beats intensity. Keep moving by turning chores into exercise.
• Stand up hourly and park farther away to prevent rapid muscle atrophy.

This program is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have seen on this program. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately. No physician-patient relationship is created by this program or its use. Aging Untold/Gray Media, nor its employees, contractors or agents, nor any contributor to this program, makes any representations, express or implied, with respect to the information provided herein or to its use.