Do you exercise?
 

I find I'm doing a lot of hobbies that involve sitting in one spot mostly (quilting/sewing/hand quilting), and I've been trying to add exercise into my day because I don't think it's good to sit all day. Do you exercise and if so, what do you do to stay active? I'm also having low back pain, and was wondering if anyone else has that and if so, what if any exercises or stretches do you do for your back pain?

I don’t exercise specifically but I do try to stay active. I get up frequently when sewing, and if I plan on doing a marathon session, I make a point to stop every hour, stretch and walk for 10-15 minutes before starting again. I have lots of stairs to go up and down throughout the day, I spend time playing musical cats (long story), when the weather is nice I get out and walk the trails near my house. I do yard work, house work and since it’s just me, I often have to find creative ways to do things that require 2 people and when the task is complete I feel it.

I also go to a chiropractor 2x a month and a massage therapist 1-2 x a month. I think it’s important to keep as active as possible even if it’s just walking around the block. I think self care is also extremely important.

I walk a mile in the morning, which sounds like a lot but it's only 15-20 minutes. I also try to walk another mile in the evenings and get to the gym 3-5 times a week. 6 times if I'm being good.
One of the best things I've discovered recently is walking backwards. It is SO good for the knees! There's a section on my daily walk that has a low fence, I put the fence on one side of me and have my husband on the other side of me and I walk backwards. It works and strengthens knee muscles. Sometimes I'll use the treadmill at the gym.
I don't often have back pain, but when I do I find that walking helps a lot.

Two doggy walks a day, walking is a great exercise, which I admit I would never do if it wasn't for the dogs.
Did Yoga once a week before the pandemic, now down to few stretches every morning, just as a reminder of all the other parts of my body that don't get any outing. Since I am pushing four score, every bit helps ;)

I like to walk but can only walk in neighborhood streets which have no sidewalks. So not really fun but I like fresh air and sun.
now exercises are more difficult. i get down on a pad on the floor and try hard but don't get much done I'm afraid. I do stretch holding onto my Island in the kitchen. also have weights in my sewing room which I use when i remember.
So walking is the one I do the most.
There is a neighbor who walks sideways and backways. She skips sideways. I would break my neck!

My sewing room is upstairs. I am going up and down the stairs many times. i average a little over 7 thousand steps a day and that's good enough for me.

Yes, I make a conscious effort because of wanting to ward off as much of the elderly as possible. I try and walk in the subdivision every nice day - it is 3.5 miles with some gentle hills. It takes 1.5 hours. I listen to fun stuff on my iPhone. I am not always motivated, but, I am not interested in losing mobility either. I am now trying to get into the routine of a short YouTube video for arms and upper body. Who doesn't have 10 minutes? Apparently me some days, but, have been better. I used to belong to a gym and went regularly, but then, Sweet Son got sick, and then pandemic and just haven't settled back to that routine. I only quilt for my own pleasure and that is not the only thing I do. I am right now in the lack of mojo phase and don't worry about it. It will return. I know some women my age who are hunched over, breathless, etc. and I don't want that to be me.

I walk 3 miles every day in the Spring, Summer and Fall but in the winter, I ride an incumbent bike. Iowa winters are not pleasant for me to walk in with the snow and ice and cold. My arthritis hurts in the cold.

This is my exercise also. We live in a split, and I sew in the dining room. My ironing station is in the basement, so I go up and down constantly.

Here is a link to gentle exercises for the lower back: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-l...n/sls-20076265 The only other one that I try to do regularly (because my sports doctor GP recommended it) is the bird dog. He says it will help strengthen my core enough to support the lower back, too. https://www.self.com/story/bird-dog-exercise

I usually spend 1/2 to 3/4 hour every morning walking and doing some free weights. I also walk my young dog most evenings for another 1/2 hour. She likes to walk fast so she really works me!

My sewing room is also upstairs and I have a large house. When I'm doing laundry, I can easily do 10,000 steps a day without leaving my yard.

I walk and have set a steps goal for myself. I know the concept of 10,000 per day is erroneous but I am a goal oriented person, so I chose a steps goal, much less than ten thousand steps, and I work to meet it daily. I get a happy rush when I meet my goal and It keeps me moving.every day. I walk a circuit near my home that allows me to vary the walk depending on weather, time and inclination. When the weather is really cold, rainy or icy, I walk about in my condo at a moderate clip and still get to my goal steps. I find that it makes a BIG difference in my general physical and mental health. Giving up 20-30 minutes a day and living with less pain is a small sacrifice to make. Oh, yeah, gym a couple times a week for weight work and then a walk on the treadmill.

Yes, everyday I walk, lift weights, jump on a mini trampoline for cardio and do 100 sit ups. I also play golf 3-4 times a week but we ride in a cart. I'm in my early 70's and want to stay healthy and enjoy my life.

Yes! I have 2 artificial knees, and for recovery, I was sent to PT for months each time. I learned easy-to-replicate strategies to strengthen muscles. I ride a stationary bike each morning, as Dr. said walking was not "my exercise". When the water gets warmer, riding the waves is a great workout.

As for back pain, my massage gal told me while still laying on her table to bring my legs up to my chest and swing them side to side a couple time. That will relax the lower back muscles. As I like to do strip piecing, that could mean sitting for a while at the machine so I bring only so many pieces to the machine and when done, I then walk to the pressing station I keep in the other room so I have to do just a little walking but it gets me off my toosh.

When quilting, though I have robotics, I still stay around it as I've had problems when the machine would stop with the needle down but the robotics is still going, rips my quilt if I'm not there to stop it in time. I have the rubber mats along my quilt machine and I wear thicker sole shoes as I have feet issues. While standing there, I'll bring my arms up level with my chest and swing my upper body side to side. Sometimes I'll reach down to my toes and back up so I'm getting some exercise while sewing. I try to take a couple mile walk when the weather is nice which hasn't been much this winter here in Iowa. The wind will cut you in two. I walk swinging my arms back and forth to get my heart and lungs pumping and on my walk I have a fairly steep block where I don't slow down but keep at the steady faster than a normal walk going up the hill. In the summer I do take a water bottle with me to keep hydrated.

The 10,000 steps a day was all for marketing. It means nothing. The science is 7500 steps is ideal, any more does not help or hinder in terms of what is beneficial. 10,000 sounded better then 7500 for the marketing campaign.

I take yoga once a week and walk several times in the neighborhood each week. Three loops around our neighborhood is a mile but I have to admit that I am lazy in winter and only do one or two each day. If you are having back trouble, "legs up the wall" and "cows and cats" are two good yoga poses that may help you. My knees are quite creaky these days, so I am trying to lose a little weight in hopes of helping them. I'm going to try walking backwards in the house before I go outside to do it!

Good to know. I'm golden then. I do 7,500 steps on a bad day.

Of course, I try to keep fit. But I don't do anything special for it, I just ride my bike Tommaso every day. It takes about an hour but when I come to my massage therapist, she say that I have a strong body for my age :cool:

thanks for the bird dog one. i doubt i can do the last one, high planks, but the others -yes I can do those. tomorrow will tell.

Just like @Stitchnripper I am trying to ward off the elderly (like that) although I may have already arrived :)
forgot to add snow shoveling in winter and gardening in summer.
finding the right balance that will allow me to do a bit of everything I love as long as possible, is the goal.
Thank you for the link @ibex94 good one for before getting out of bed, while making plans for the day :)

In the nice weather I try to walk a mile most days. Like most of you said, I'm fairly active most of the day but not as active as I used to be. I have a slipped disc in my back that is compressing some nerves so at times I do need to sit for a bit until the pain subsides which usually is just a few minutes. I think back issues may vary from one person to the next. For me, I've tried PT and it just didn't help at all. I've seen two different orthopedists and both said only fix for my back is surgery. I really don't want to deal with back surgery as I fear it won't go as planned so I've had the steroid injections twice and am due for number three next week. So far they have helped a lot.

I feel like each of us has different issues to deal with so not everyone can be as active as they might like. For some it may be personal commitments or obligations and for others, it may be health issues. Talking about it here on the forum can be very positive and hopefully motivate us to think about exercise more and move a little more. It's almost like walking with a friend. If you make a commitment to walk with a friend each day, you feel guilty making an excuse about why you can't go.

I thought I played table tennis, but I've read the article https://pingpongacademy.org/ping-pong-vs-table-tennis/ and it turned out that I was playing ping pong :D I've been learning a lot about myself lately.

I’m 75. I only shower when I wash my hair & it’s dry so I can go over a week. Each day I get in the bathtub with no assistance. I use a wall grab bar for safety when stepping out. I’ve done it this way for many years. This is no problem for me and I think it keeps me limber because I have no problem getting down & up from the floor or bending. My friend goes to Pilates & she says they are advised to get down on the floor every day, no matter what.