Thank you Michael Moseley

Great story and get well soon.
I remember reading that poor balance is indicative of premature aging. It's definitely true you can improve it.
I started pilates about 8 years ago and really struggled with the balancing on one leg exercises. It was the one thing I practiced at home and I managed to make a big improvement.

Witzend

Wishing you a speedy recovery, ayse!

Another MM one I thought excellent, was saying that if people would walk for just 15 minutes a day….

So many people who could, simply never walk anywhere. IMO the advice to do 10,000 steps a day has very likely been counter productive. I wouldn’t mind betting that many people just thought, Oh, I’m never going to manage/have time for, so many, so there’s no point bothering at all.

As I understand it the recommendation to walk 10,000 steps a day is just a random figure with no actual scientific evidence. I got a fitbit a number of years ago and have gradually become more active but my target is only 8,ooo, which I currently rarely achieve after a knee injury set me back. I occasionally exceed my target but as I'm 70, the things I've read seem to suggest I'm doing fine.

I do need to do something about my balance though as I get the odd wobble and I'm not as steady as I was. I probably need to look into his advice as it was mostly very good.

If you are thinking of walking more, start with little and often. Park a bit further away from where you are going - I usually park at the furthest point from the supermarket entrance in the car park and there are nearly always spaces there. Walk to the local shop instead of driving. I used to drive to the local fish and chip shop. My excuse - the food would get cold on the way back! It's only about a five minute walk and the food stays perfectly hot. I've also saved on fuel for the car especially with the short journeys where the car barely warms up so the fuel per mile is much higher!

I also joined a 'simply walk' group for a weekly walk followed by a sociable tea or coffee. Since my knee injury I do the short walk - only about half an hour - but if I can get my pace back I'll rejoin the long walk for an hour. If you build up gradually you'll surprise yourself at how much better you'll feel.

Just one thing has been repeated on BBC Radio 4 recently.
Heard one yesterday about the value of walking just after rain.
Petrichor ? Poss enhancing the oxygenation of the blood.
I think.

BlueBelle

He never came into my life until he was in the news and dead
So he wasn’t a lot of use to me however I have done the balancing thing just not through him
Hope you knee gets better soon

Just One Thing is available on BBCsounds

I have passed the message about 30 seconds on each leg to my husband who has balance issues ( in his early 80s) so thank you, ayse and others for the advice. I will follow it,too. I used to do line dancing and that was really good for balance ( but difficult to learn new steps every week these days !)

petra

wibblywobblywobblebottom

There are much safer ways of practising your balancing than standing on one leg whilst cleaning your teeth. That's madness.

I’ve been doing that for years.
Btw, you don’t have to clean your teeth while doing it.

I was never much good at doing The Tree in yoga although I went for years.
My friend could balance perfectly and stand absolutely still for ages.

There are many good YouTube videos on physio exercises for elders.

wibblywobblywobblebottom

There are much safer ways of practising your balancing than standing on one leg whilst cleaning your teeth. That's madness.

I’ve been doing that for years.
Btw, you don’t have to clean your teeth while doing it.

Cateq

Following a hip replacement in Oct 23, I wasn’t given any physio so had some issues with mobility difficulty walking any distance and low back pain. Tried various exercises/pilates etc, with limited success. I self referred to nhs physio several months ago, and finally saw a physio on Monday who gave me 3 exercises to do daily they were side to side stepping building upto the length of three songs. Standing on tiptoes build up to one set for each year since birth and sit to stand again building up to my age. The physio also said being discharged from hospital without any physio is now quite common, and has resulted in a lot of self referrals.

Can’t even tell you how disappointed I am with NHS Physio service. Studying for several years and then all you do is hand out photocopied exercises to patients. Nothing seems to be hands on now.

I am planning to speak to the physio service tomorrow because my husband has had precious little physio after nearly 5 weeks in hospital and Stroke Rehab Unit. I could actually cry.
😥

Following a hip replacement in Oct 23, I wasn’t given any physio so had some issues with mobility difficulty walking any distance and low back pain. Tried various exercises/pilates etc, with limited success. I self referred to nhs physio several months ago, and finally saw a physio on Monday who gave me 3 exercises to do daily they were side to side stepping building upto the length of three songs. Standing on tiptoes build up to one set for each year since birth and sit to stand again building up to my age. The physio also said being discharged from hospital without any physio is now quite common, and has resulted in a lot of self referrals.

ayse

TerriT

Sorry to hear of your broken leg as it definitely will make life difficult when you are an active person. I broke my ankle some years ago and not being able to drive caused a lot of disruption to my life. Re the ambulance cost in the USA And you saucing it would cost $5k and not covered by insurance. Is this a fact or somebody said to somebody thing. My relatives are in the USA and obviously have insurance for medical matters. They have never told me ambulances aren’t covered for their cost and find it hard to believe that they aren’t.

Listen to Girl Gone London and another couple on UTube comparing the USA to GB and the NHS. This is what they said about the costs of ambulances in the USA. I’m just repeating what I heard from American Citizens. Happy to be corrected. Maybe depends on how much insurance you can afford.

I live in the US and ambulance cost is not covered by health insurance. You are quite correct. I have managed to fight to get costs down when ambulances have turned up on an occasion when an accident has occurred when I felt I could easily have done the short hospital drive myself and I was not asked beforehand if I was happy to pay thousands for an ambulance. We have excellent medical insurance but the ambulance service is private and is part of the local townships.

MM was a super chap, very inspiring, I miss him & hope they find someone else to do similar. I hadn't heard of the stand on one leg thing but now I have I'll do it starting as someone said the easier & safer way.

Ayse that’s great. Just wondering why your daughter phoned an ambulance instead of just taking you to A & E??

wibblywobblywobblebottom

There are much safer ways of practising your balancing than standing on one leg whilst cleaning your teeth. That's madness.

Correct. The balancing I have done for years I just stand upright, look out of my bedroom window to the garden and focus on something. Then i lift one leg and rest it against the standing leg, count to 30 and do the same on other side.

Michael Moseley was a nice enough guy but he was in it to make money, hence a long list of books with similar titles which made him millions. Each book featured new ideas (but often recycled ideas from years ago) which would appeal to a younger audience. He also did columns in many magazines and newspapers (largely the Daily Mail). He achieved his aim as he left many millions in his Will and encouraged people to think about their health.

Ayse - speedy recovery and a big thank you for emphasising the benefit of balance exercises. When my physio asks me to do this I simply can't, I fail every time, feel dispirited, and think it's just not worth it. Now, I will definitely incorporate this balancing on one leg when cleaning my teeth even if it means I have to lean a little on the sink sometimes.

Ayse I hope your recovery goes well and so pleased your perseverance and determination to continue with your balance exercises have indeed helped.
I’m same age as yourself and I endeavour to practise balance daily. However I can’t manage what you have with balancing and bending right down! - Amazing! Bravo!
You’ve set the bar high!

I agree with you wwwb about the dangers of tooth-cleaning while trying to balance in one leg. Stand on one leg while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil by all means, but doing it with a toothbrush in your mouth is dangerous & could result in traumatic injury to the soft tissues of the mouth if you lose your balance.
And as a retried dentist, I’d question whether your tooth-brushing, not to mention your flossing and use of interdental brushes, is going to be effective if you’re concentrating on not falling over.

Tai Chi and Pilates have helped me improve my balance, and of course my oral hygiene is impeccable 😬

Ayse I do hope your knee heals well. Yes we’re fortunate in the main in the north-east with our NHS services but sadly that’s not the case in many parts of the country. And I hope you never need the services of the Audiology Department!!

Best wishes for your recovery, Ayse, I do hope it isn't proving to be too painful.

I agree with your comments about MM, I liked him, found his programmes friendly, non-judgemental and helpful, and I too do the balancing on one leg while brushing my teeth; early days, but definitee signs of improvement.

Some comments on here are harsh, we have no idea what led to his death.

Standing on one leg can also be practiced without cleaning teeth, in case that's not obvious.

If you are teeth cleaning at the same time, there's less wobbling if you use an electric brush.

It's easier with one foot tucked behind the other, rather than hanging in the air.

Canada has a form of social medicine however ambulances cost! When I was over there helping with my dad, I was shocked to see his bill for over $600 for a trip from his care home to hospital to check him over after a fall. When he was declared fit to go home, they told me he had to return in an ambulance even though I had a large SUV type rental.

I've been thinking about Michael Mosley's family this Christmas, such a terrible loss for them. We think of the public person that he was, but he was so much more for them.
I enjoy listening to him on the radio and learnt a lot from "Just One Thing" - he always seemed to be such a friendly, knowledgeable man, full of common sense.

I also do the balance thing whilst cleaning my teeth. I’m still not great on the left leg but it’s a habit now so no effort. I struggle with his recommendation to have a glass of water with every meal but will keep trying. I’ve changed my eating habits substantially also which has made me feel so much better so thanks MM, and others such as the Zoe nutrition programme.

Yes my blessings for his family this year- such a sad loss..I tried to stand on one leg but i fall over🙁☹️

Milest0ne

Has anyone seen the news clip about the course run at Kendal Judo club , sponsored by BJA . showing -people- seniors how to fall so that you don't injure yourself. There may be courses in other areas. They are not trying to recruit Judo players.

Sounds like a good idea. It's not unusual for me to slip on something but I'm able to relax as I go down! Apparently I have thinning bones so I think I'm lucky not to have broken anything so far.

Lovely chap. Intelligent & so helpful to keep it simple ! Very sad indeed
A loose woman friend of his said he reacted badly after long spell in cold water the hospital said he didn't have a TIA but had a condition his brain reacted to 'extreme' as in freezing water, intense heat She said she wondered if indeed, this affected him in his walk maybe even took the wrong turn making it very lengthy. We will never know but it kind of makes sense
Sad, he has left a helpful legacy & way of thinking I hope it's followed