[ad_1]
According to a study unveiled Monday, only one hour of brisk walk per week can prevent disability in older people with arthritis pain, pain or stiffness in the knee, hip, ankle or at the foot.
"It's less than 10 minutes a day for people to maintain their independence, which is very feasible," said Dorothy Dunlop, a professor at Northwestern University in the United States.
"This minimum threshold can motivate inactive older people to begin their journey toward a physically active lifestyle with the wide range of health benefits promoted by physical activity," said Dunlop, lead author of the "Healthy Living" program. study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
According to researchers, about two in five people with osteoarthritis – most of whom suffer from lower joints – develop a disability limitation.
The study found that an hour of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity a week allowed older people to retain their ability to perform everyday tasks such as dressing or crossing a street before the day. change of traffic light.
Weekly physical activity reduces their risk of mobility disability by 85% and their disability activity risk of daily living by nearly 45%.
Four years after the start of the study, 24% of adults not having an hour of intense physical activity walked too slowly to cross the street safely, and 23% reported problems for perform their morning routine.
The researchers badyzed four years of data collected from more than 1,500 adults under the National Osteoarthritis Initiative in Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Columbus and Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
All adults had pain, pain or stiffness in the lower extremity joints caused by osteoarthritis, but they presented no disability at the beginning of the study. Their physical activity was controlled using accelerometers.
"Our goal was to see what kind of activity would help people stay without a disability," said Dunlop.
In the United States, guidelines recommend that older people with arthritis participate in low-impact activities.
For substantial health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and many other chronic diseases, these guidelines recommend older adults to participate in at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity physical activity per week.
However, this level of activity can be daunting for inactive older people with lower limb pain, Dunlop said.
"We hope this new discovery in public health will motivate an intermediate goal of physical activity – one hour a week is a stepping stone for people currently inactive – people can start working in this direction," Dunlop said. .
Source link
