first step Sunday

[Goonerbird]

feeling stiff with painful knees, but I am going to WALK to the shop instead of drive

[Sarah_EXI Administrator EXI Support]

Hi Goonerbird how did your walk go? Hopefully the shop isn't very far away and you were able to manage it comfortably!

[Goonerbird in reply to Sarah_EXI]

yes I did it, my knees are killing me now but I’ll try to keep going

[Sarah_EXI Administrator EXI Support in reply to Goonerbird]

Hey Goonerbird - well done on getting started, but I definitely don't want to ignore the "knees are killing me" comment! If you want to message more about the knee issue I can get some more specific advice for from the clinical team. Some discomfort is not uncommon if you're changing the way you use the body and that should reduce over. But listen to your body! If you're in actual pain or have a diagnosed knee issue, speak to your doc, please!

Some things that can help reduce discomfort and pain:

* Rest after your physical activity and give your body a chance to recover

* Some stretching afer your walk and potentially a heat pack later in the day if you have pain/stiffness

* Good footwear that fits properly to support your feet and legs

* Doing some activities that are less weight-bearing (eg swimming, tai chi or yoga)

* Some leg strengthening exercises (I'll see if I can get some recommendations for you) to build up your leg muscles and reduce the load on your poor ol' knees.

If you're still experiencing discomfort or pain after a couple of walks like this, maybe consider breaking your walking time into chunks - ten minutes here and there all adds up! Or starting with a lower duration or distance and increasing bit by bit!