Over 50s exercise Q&A with local expert, Julie Robinson

I'd like to find out what kind of exercise would be best if you have arthritis. I really hate swimming, so please don't say that! ;-o

I hate organised exercise. I do walk at least 5 miles a week, sometimes at a brisk pace and sometimes just dawdling. But apart from that and the usual housework and gardening, I wouldn't dream of going to the gym or taking an exercise class.
Is what I already do enough and are all these people urging me to Zumba or Samba on a losing streak with me?

I totally understand the concept of Use it or Lose it, but when you have lost it it is hard to get it back. I would love to walk more but can't. Hip problems and breathlessness make it a chore, so it colours most aspects of my life. I try and swim twice a week but even that plagues my hip now. Is there any hope for me please?

Are there any good DVDs you would recommend for people over 50 (or 60 or 70???) that could take up about 20 minutes a day instead of an hour to keep generally fit and a bit more toned?

I'm 40 and struggling with exercise as I have CRPS which causes chronic pain and limited mobility, I'm also very self conscious as I've gained weight which I'm desperate to shift, although I used to love swimming it's now the worst thing I can imagine, I can't face it. I'm trying to follow chair based workouts as I can't stand for long, I'd like to be able to use my rowing machine again, any advice or recommendations on best exercise for strengthening legs whilst seated ?! This Q is for my mum also, she has similar restrictions as she's 80 and has Rheumatoid Arthritis, we both have lots of problems walking but need to keep our legs moving !!

The thing that puts me off walking is boredom, especially walking off road. Happy enough to walk to and from destinations but am often busy volunteering and don't have the time. I definitely lack the will to exercise for the sake of it. Any ideas?

I have recently been diagnosed with lumbar scoliosis which makes some excercise quite difficult and indeed, painful, but I am determined to keep moving and not end up immobile, that is my worst fear! I belong to a dance/keep fit group and excercise twice a week, it is great fun and the comaraderie is half the pleasure. You are so right, "Move it or Lose it," it is so easy not to make the effort, but well worth it if you do, so beneficial.

I used it - horse riding, swimming, sailing, walking - and wore it up! Now have dodgy ankles, knackered knees and a bad back. Swimming is out as my knees object strongly to crawl or breaststroke. I can't walk more than two miles straight. Horse riding is far too painful. I can still sailing - but fair weather only as can't move fast enough. I've been told my knees will probably be bad enough for replacement in a couple of years.

Any suggestions to keep supple / fit / not too overweight would be greatly appreciated."

My GP always goes on at me to exercise more to help me loose some weight but I work full time and only get time to do a limited amount of exercise: I swim once a week. I do a brisk 3 mile walk once a week too and I walk a good half mile every day at work. I usually do a Wii fit session once a week at home for half an hour. I do most of the gardening and all the housework too.

I have a degenerative back disorder and also suffer from a rare blood disorder caused by early stage lupus, which causes me considerable joint pain (all joints) and leaves me very physically fatigued and am concerned that increasing exercise will totally wipe me out - what else could I realistically do?

My only form of exercise really is cycling. It's something I've managed not to get bored with. I did some walking in the winter months but like Beccada, I don't really get much pleasure from it and soon get bored and because of hills walking hurts my knees as much as cycling.

I cycle around 30 miles a week but it's very hilly where I live and is pretty much impossible to avoid hills if I want to go back home. This is really putting a strain on my knees. Wondered if there was anything I could do to try and make my knees last a bit longer as I would like to carry on biking for years to come. (I'm 52). Support bandages are no good as even tight jeans seem to put pressure on my knees and make them hurt even more.

I used to exercise regularly at the gym, and also did Tai Chi.
I have been unfortunate to have had breast cancer, skin problems (can't swim now' and now have sarcoidosis, affecting my breathing, balance and requires me to take steroids.....lovely weight gain now
Oh, I never learnt to ride a bike
I have good days and bad days, and parts of the day.
Can you help?
What ideas ?
I need to have the best time I can in retirement

actually was just thinking about my own mum, aged 78, double hip replacements, arthritis and a host of other stuff to boot..... impossible for her to do much... any top tips for motivating her?

I did take up running at 51 and, after a year of using my friend's old shoes, treated myself to a pair of proper running shoes, which seem to have inflamed my tendons in my feet and knee! Are there exercises to do to help get over this so I can run again - exercise seems to be a great antidote to red wine.

I used to love cycling in my youth but I live in a hilly area and my lungs aren't strong enough nor my legs powerful enough now. I was wondering whether cycling on an electric bike is good exercise as an alternative to a normal bicycle or whether I would be better off just walking instead?

I am the local editor for the Gloucestershire site. I don't do nearly as much exercise as I should do, and have started a thread a little while ago on my own forum about dieting, more than exercise, this is the link if anyone cares to read or contribute to it local.gransnet.com/forums/local_gloucestershire/1203802-New-Year-Diet

I think like a lot of you I have definitely slowed down as I have got older, as well as having health/joint problems which does make exercise more difficult. However I am not having a lot of luck with the diet alone, find it very slow going so I am definitely looking around for some sort of exercise to do. I have recently had an op and am waiting for the go ahead from my consultant before going back to the gym and swimming, will be seeing him in a few weeks and an hoping I can get back to my local pool and gym. Until then I am making a conscious effort to walk more, we have a beautiful local park just more or less outside my back door and even walking regularly helps and keeps your joints supple.

Keep your exercise questions coming in thick 'n fast everyone! This thread will be open until July 23rd

OK.....

- I have a problem with the results of a broken foot - I walk with a stick and it is jolly painful.
- I have an old slipped disc with the resultant pain down leg, nd it takes very little to set it off.
- I have arthritis in my hip
- I have painful knee from impaired gait due to broken foot.
- I have a painful shoulder
- I have impaired balance

I try......
- and walk as far as I can each day - although it is slow and of little exercise value
- swimming which I love, but is too painful (shoulder and hip mainly)
- cycling is out as my balance is too problematic and it is unsafe. And I have an indoor bike but it makes my knee and hip hurt like hell.

The slipped disc was once exacerbated by an exercise class; and recent physio also set my back off.

Now, if I was to be strictly honest I would have to say that I am heartily sick of people going on about how good exercise is for you - I KNOW it is but cannot do it!!!!

I am not overweight at all and have the luck (!?) to look younger and fitter than I am - but I know that there is an underlying unhealthiness waiting to get up and bite me, but there is little I can do.

Sometimes, when I am in the mood, I do some exercises off the internet for people who are chairbound - which I am not, but am in relation to exercise.

So........any ideas?!

Im lazy and greedy, I hate moving or walking, I just love pigging out and lying on sofa reading. I know I should diet, e xcersise more but I just haven't got the motivation. How can I get it.

How can I calculate the highest heart rate it is safe for me to work at? The gym suggests 120 - 128 and said not to go above 140. The doctor said gym machines are rubbish and I should work as hard as I can as long as I can do more than crawl out afterwards! The gym wall chart says that high intensity for me is about 153.

The trouble is that I simply don't feel when I am working out too hard. If I don't watch the machine it is very easy for me to find I am working at 165 or even higher.

I try to achieve a greater distance in the same time on each machine and can't think of a better way of increasing my fitness safely.

I want to work as hard as I can but don't want to do what Andrew Marr did.

Hi All! At least reading these messages makes me realise I am not alone with these type of problems.
I was reasonably fit until the age of about 53 (now 59) happily going to the gym, jogging (slowly) and Pilates. Then osteoarthritis seems to have got it's grip on me, and I seem to be literally grinding to a halt. I have had a shoulder replaced, which unfortunately didn't turn out as it should, and now face having it done again. The other shoulder is making alarming grinding noises, and now my hip is seizing up - I cannot perch in an armchair anymore, or bend my hip out. Even swimming seems to irritate my hip now.
Help! What can I do? Any advice would be gratefully received.

I powerwalk 6 miles 4 times a week I eat very little yet I cannot get rid of a really thick waist can you suggest anything please? Many thanks (I am 56 by the way)!!

Was told 4 years ago = at the age of 50 = that I would probably be down for a hip replacement in 5 years time due to osteoarthritic changes. I've took up yoga which was recommended by the local physiotherapy and had thought it was doing quite well. Lately both hips have become much more painful and I'm waking in the night with dreadful joint pain. I found a recent website that claimed that yoga could make hips worse and now don't know what to do. How do you know what a "good pain" is that means a joint is stretching and moving in a way that will be beneficial and not detrimental in the long term?

Not a question just want to share our experience as it may help others. We started Pilates a few years ago and now I am taller than I have ever been. I think it must have helped my scoliosis. DH has many back problems and firmly believes that Pilates has helped him control it.

We are lucky that our teacher is a physio and adapts exercises according to each person's needs. I recommend going to a daytime class as most of the people will be older.