Bungalow legs.

I read a few weeks ago that doing stretching exercises within an hour of getting up really helps the body get through the day. I have tried it....really works. Does your doctor know about your problem? Maybe not being able to manage stairs should be reported to your surgery.

I understand of course that bungalows are necessary for many people, but I've also heard people claim that they are deliberately not moving to a bungalow as it's the stairs that keep them going.

I think stairs are good exercise and I wouldn't put in a stairlift or lift until I was sure I couldn't manage them. No bungalow for me. I prefer the space of a house.

Bungalow knees is NOT a fact. Its one of those causation/correlation things. I used to work in older person's rehab and there is NO connection.

Never heard of it, but it makes sense, if you don't use it you lose it,

I've lived on a ground floor for about 10 years now after living on a top flat where I used to go up and down easily.

I visit my daughter who lives on the second floor. I manage ok but have to use the banister to help myself up.

I can't get up off the floor without holding on to something to heave myself up.

I heard recently to not use the arm of chairs to get up. Let your legs do the work. I also now try to get up and down slowly from a chair as many times as I can during the day.( 50 recommended) I'm hoping that these muscles that haven't been used for ages will find new life and already after only a short time my thighs do feel stronger. Use it or loose it!! Never take the lift if there are stairs. I do a long 2-3mile walk most days but this is using the muscles in a different way.

Last year we moved to what is essentially a bungalow - all the main rooms, bathroom, bedrooms etc on the ground floor - but it also has a proper staircase up to a loft/hobbies room on the first floor. Best of both worlds, I think, as we can still go up and down stairs to keep fit but can live on the ground floor only if necessary

Just a thought for those if you living on one level who worry about lack of fitness. You could either buy one of those step things that they use in fitness classes or get a timber yard to cut a piece of wood a few inches deep and your chosen length and step up and down on it several times a day. You’d need somewhere to store it afterwards as it wouldnt look too pretty propped against the wall.

We have a friend of 92 who lives in a 4 storey house. He's as fit as a fiddle and says that constantly going up and down the stairs is the reason why.

Stairs were a problem for me when I needed a hip replacement.

When I had my knee replacement, one of the tests before I was discharged was that I had to walk up and down a set of 4 wooden stairs.

I have lived in a ground floor flat for 9 years & I have developed bungalow legs I’m 55 & my mum is 87 & lives in a house I struggle to go up her stairs & having rheumatoid arthritis has made it even worse I’m so unfit

We moved to a bungalow because DH was struggling with the stairs. When he went to the physio some months later he said it was the worst thing we could have done !
We have now moved back to a house , bungalow legs are definitely a thing.

I live in a tall thin house with 4 floors. The stairs are steep and there is an essential room on each floor. I was so shocked when my parents visited for the first time in 2006 and I realised that they were unable to use the stairs without slithering whilst sitting down. I’m promised myself that This would never happen to me. I always leave items to go upstairs from the kitchen (basement) to the bedroom (3rd floor) or study (4th floor) and take them up one at a time in order to keep active. At railway stations etc I always use the stairs and when we had a 5th floor apartment abroad I would run up the stairs to see if I could beat the lift my partner was in. I usually could.
I have been thinking of moving to an apartment but the idea of losing mobility has just made me think again. .

Of course you're not lazy, AussieGran. There are all sorts of reasons and we have our disabilities,too. I am just thinking of our narrow set of friends here who we have known for hundreds of years. I have terrible eyesight and anything more than a couple of metres away is a blur , have to wear glasses all the time. Most friends have much better sight than I do so they could feel smug too!!

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

we have friends our age who bought a bungalow, which is lovely five years ago.We are all in our 80's now, and they can trot up any steps and stairs we come to when out and about in fact more easily than us, so it is not the bungalow it is the legs.

I moved to my bungalow 3 years ago and walk daily including many inclines for the purpose of keeping fit. I adore one level living. No more empty bedrooms upstairs. Now each room can be used .A dressing room. A dining room. An art room etc

A GP friend always advised a house with stairs except for patients with heart or lung problems, so there is obviously something to be gained by keeping on climbing stairs.

I had never heard this expression until recently. However with a large garden with some steps to tend and dogs to walk hopefully that more than makes up for the lack of stairs. I'm a fidget by nature and rarely sit for long until it gets to evenings.I have however vowed to work on my core strength and do more targeted exercises since badly twisting my knee lifting a heavy bag of shopping.I'm currently relieved to live on one level.It's going to take some time to recover I fear.

When my parents retired, back in 1980., they were offered a pre-retirement course by my father's employer.

One of the things they were told was, that if they retired to a bungalow, then they should make sure they went out to some where, department store, hotel, any building with more than one floor at least once a week in order to walk up and down the stairs three times, to stop them developing bungalow legs.

karmalady

yes, bungalow knees is a fact. Bil, has lived in bungalows in australia sine he moved there in 1990, now age 54 he has just had an op to replace both knees. I deliberately bought a house with stairs, I value the exercise and strengthened leg muscles. Muscles protect joints

Can’t resist it * yes, bungalow knees is a fact. Bil….*

So that’ll be Bungalow Bill? ??

yes, bungalow knees is a fact. Bil, has lived in bungalows in australia sine he moved there in 1990, now age 54 he has just had an op to replace both knees. I deliberately bought a house with stairs, I value the exercise and strengthened leg muscles. Muscles protect joints

Thank you, JaneJ. Mum’s not diabetic but she’s always had fragile skin and bruised easily. She’s been in hospital for five weeks now and although she is ok in herself, it’s arthritis that has made her immobile. Tbh, I can’t visualise what the outcome is going to be.

Due to arthritis my left knee is weak but not painful so I go up and down stairs one at a time because I want it to last. I live in a bungalow but try not to avoid stairs when out and about.

My mother developed bungalow legs and allowed herself to become very unfit as a result. If I live as long as she did I don’t want to spend the last years of my life being hoisted everywhere.

I carry a collapsible stick in my bag if go somewhere where there might be steps without a handrail. Better to be safe than sorry.