Greta In some residential areas of cities, the gravel paths designated for exercise often become popular spots especially among fitness enthusiasts the elderly Their beloved. However, sports medicine experts point out that for the elderly, walking on such cobblestone paths for extended periods not only fails to provide any health benefits but can also cause damage to the knee joints.
In front of Aunt Zhang’s house on Shouyi Road in Wuchang District, Wuhan, there is a path paved with pebbles. Everyone likes to take off their shoes and walk back and forth on it barefoot, as this helps to stimulate the acupoints on the soles of the feet and thereby activate the meridians. Aunt Zhang also wanted to relieve the pain in her knee joints, so she walked for half an hour every morning and evening. After a few months, the pain in her knee joints persisted. She thought it was because she wasn’t exercising enough, so she deliberately walked for an extra half hour. However, the next day, her knees were swollen and painful again, forcing her to see a doctor.
Wuhan University People hospital Associate Professor Ming Jianghua from the Department of Orthopedics explained that elderly people generally experience varying degrees of degenerative changes in their bones and joints Sexually transmitted diseases Osteoarthritis and bone loss have made my joints less smooth than they were in my youth. If you walk on uneven gravel roads for too long, it can actually increase the wear and tear, leading to swelling and pain in the knee joints. Associate Professor Ming Jianghua pointed out that elderly people should avoid walking long distances when exercising. It is advisable to spend about 15 minutes walking on gravel paths in the morning and evening. Additionally, when elderly people climb stairs, the load on their joints is four to five times greater than usual. After walking for a long distance, they should try to hold onto the railing or wall when going up stairs, and avoid taking large steps.
