Should You Hold onto a Treadmill if You’re Over 55?
If you’re over 55 and walk on a treadmill, do you normally hold on?
The man pictured here, walking on a treadmill, appears to be between 55 and 65, and he’s doing it wrong.
There is the smart way to use a treadmill for those 55+: Do not hold onto the rails or the front.
The man in the photo appears to be posing for the photographer. For all we know, the tread motor isn’t even running.
Or maybe he told the model, “Just turn on the machine and start walking and I’ll take some shots.”
Either way, one thing is for sure: The way this man is positioned is highly representative of what the vast majority of people age 55-plus do when they walk on a treadmill.
So whether he’s posing still or walking for real, he’s demonstrating what I’ve seen for years as a personal trainer at gyms all over:
People holding onto the treadmill while walking. This is wrong. Even if you’re past 55.
Look at his posture. Does it look correct to you? Does his gait look smart? His back, his “core” and lumbar area, are clearly being supported by his arms as his hands hold onto the rails.
This has absolutely NO transference to real-life walking, where there’s nothing to hold onto for support.
For example, suppose this man plays golf.
There’s a lot of walking on a golf course, including inclined terrain.
How will holding onto a treadmill, leaning on the hands, slightly stooped over, carry over to all the walking that one does on a golf course?
Good posture is vital, and as people get older, it becomes increasingly crucial.
Holding onto a treadmill may at first seem like the smart thing for the person age 55-plus to do, but give this some thought and you’ll realize how detrimental this fake walking really is—even for people who’ve been sedentary all their lives.
One of the problems that can result involve the feet.
“Holding onto the side or front rails on the treadmill will actually alter the gait pattern, possibly changing the biomechanics of the foot, joints and motion, thereby increasing the likelihood of injury or problems that occur with repetitive stress,” explains Alan L. Bass, DPM, Medical Director, NEMO Capital Partners, LLC.
“Acute injuries such as ankle injuries, or even chronic ones such as the development of bunion problems from repetitive stress on the forefoot when altering the biomechanics.”
Again, take a good hard look at this man’s posture. Yes, he may be a professional model just posing, but his body position is precisely what goes on at every single health club and gym.
This is such an unnatural way to walk and will do you no good. Take your hands off the treadmill. Otherwise, holding on mimics using a walker.
Dr. Bass is with Central Jersey Foot & Ankle Care, and is a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Orthopedics and Medicine.
basspodiatry.com/our-foot-doctor
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
German Shepherd Skin Allergy Causes Dry Skin: Solutions
Here are solutions to a German Shepherd’s allergy-caused dry skin.
I have found that my German Shepherd’s skin and coat condition are indicative of overall health.
When he is in good health his coat shines, and when he is suffering from a food allergy, the skin reacts with patches of what I can only describe as dandruff, in dog form.
If left untreated, he will attempt to scratch and bite at the area, causing distress.
Medicine Cabinet Solution to Dry Itchy Skin
I transitioned my German Shepherd’s kibble to a different type of dry dog food and within a month he was suffering from dry, itchy skin.
In the long term I wanted to transition back to original dry dog food, but in the short term I needed to address the discomfort he was feeling.
I found that baby oil was effective in addressing the topical itching.
Moving his hair aside and getting the oil directly on his skin seemed to offer immediate relief.
I massaged the dry, itchy area with baby oil, and the German Shepherd’s relief was palpable.
The residual baby oil seemed to treat the affected area for a few days without needing to be reapplied.
Topical Solutions
Another excellent option was to use Vaseline externally to address the dry patches.
The advantage of applying Vaseline to the irritated skin was that it was less messy, and it was easier to localize the treatment without it spreading over a large area.
My German Shepherd’s skin and coat health seems to communicate if he is suffering from any allergies or is reacting to changes in environment.
The baby oil and Vaseline offer immediate relief from him attacking his own flesh in fits of scratching.
These are non toxic solutions that offer immediate relief.
Both are excellent solutions to a temporary problem.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Freepik/senivpetro
German Shepherd Refusing to Eat: Recipe Solutions
Home recipe solutions for older German Shepherds that need a boost in appetite.
As my German Shepherd ages he becomes less interested in food and at times requires some inspired recipes to make food seem more appealing.
The challenge is to come up with recipe ideas that are both nutritious and appetizing.
Recipe Solutions, Starches and Stocks
When my German Shepherd became disinterested in food I had to come up with a food solution that would kick-start appetite without filling him with fatty dog treats.
My first attempt at coming up with a nutritious recipe was to add chicken stock to rice, making a watery, starch mixture.
The protein in the stock seemed to smell appealing to the dog and he ate with renewed interest.
The starch and carbohydrates in the rice filled his belly and seemed to get his stomach active again.
The ratio of liquid to rice is double what would normally be cooked, ensuring the runny consistency.
In the short term, my old German Shepherd had a great deal more energy once the starchy carbohydrates were introduced to his diet. I had equal success with pasta cooked in chicken or beef stock.
The added starch in the pasta proved to be especially beneficial when I added it to normal kibble.
I mixed the watery rice or pasta concoction into the kibble for a few meals, and suddenly he was back to eating like himself again.
This is a tried and true recipe to re-establish my German Shepherd back to a regular eating routine.
Recipe Cautions
When cooking the rice or pasta I am careful to buy low sodium stock, or I heavily dilute the stock with water to reduce the German Shepherd’s sodium intake.
Kidney failure sometimes plagues an old dog, so keeping sodium to a minimum is beneficial to overall health.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Dog Sprayed by Skunk, Stinky: Home Remedy Solution
Here is a simple home remedy to rid the stink on your dog after it gets sprayed by a skunk.
And here is what NEVER to do should your dog get stunk up by a skunk.
Skunks seek refuge in urban centers, under decks, porches, in back sheds, and under any tiny space that provides shelter and potential food supply in the form of garbage.
When my German Shepherd was a puppy he was exploring some shrubbery when he startled a skunk and her family.
Before I could call the puppy away, he was sprayed by the adult skunk. The dog had no idea what had hit him.
The young German Shepherd beat a hasty retreat away from the skunk and towards his home.
I put a quick stop to his entrance to the house and kept him in the garage until I could ascertain a solution to the stink.
Neutralizing the Skunk Smell on Your Dog
Shutterstock/Aaron Amat
I found a website that proposed a neutralizing concoction that would eliminate the odor entirely.
I was skeptical, but I had nothing to lose. I reasoned that if I could at least remove some of the stench, I could buy myself time to get to the vet or pet store to find a long-term solution.
Household Ingredients offer the Solution
Fortunately, all of the ingredients needed in the neutralizing solution are household ingredients: hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and blue Dove dish soap.
This miracle elixir saved the day. It did not just mask the odor; it truly neutralized the smell in a way I never would have imagined.
Pet stores do sell products that assist in eliminating the strong skunk odor, and from my experience the products do not completely eliminate the smell.
This home remedy concoction offers a solution that is nontoxic and it really works.
Don’t Do THIS if Your Dog Gets Skunked
The final thing I wish to point out is what you should never do upon learning your dog was just sprayed by a skunk.
This mistake was committed by my sister when she was home from school break.
She had let my parents’ dog out, through the patio door, to do her business in the yard.
At some point I heard a little bit of commotion and my sister exclaiming that the dog had encountered a skunk.
She was a bit panicky and not thinking clearly, and very hastily let the dog come back INTO the house, through the patio door.
She hurriedly led the dog, by grabbing her collar, into the garage.
This meant that the dog went through several rooms of the house to get to the garage.
As a result, the whole house quickly took on the stench of skunk.
My sister should have kept the dog outside and led her into the garage via outside.
So if you discover your dog has just been sprayed by a skunk, keep it outside; step outside and THEN come up with your plan to deal with the unexpected situation.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
How to Prevent Ice Buildup on Your Dog’s Feet During Walks
Here is a simple remedy for preventing ice buildup on your dog’s paws, whether your companion is a German Shepherd, Havanese or a size breed in between.
Dogs notoriously love the snow; they are passionate about snow in ways that humans struggle to appreciate, and the hazard of long walks through sticky snow is the potential for ice balls developing in the pads of their feet.
These ice balls can be very painful for a dog if they are not removed and can cut the pads and leave raw abrasions.
How do you keep ice from forming on your dog’s paws?
On sub-zero days, my German shepherd will suddenly stop short and will drop to the ground to chew at the pads of his feet.
What I have discovered is that he is trying to chew the ice balls that have developed between his pads.
The ice balls appear to irritate his feet and make it difficult to carry on walking without giving attention to these icy nuisances.
Vaseline, Ice Ball Solution
Rather than dealing with the constant stopping to clean the painful ice from my German shepherd’s feet, I found that putting a small dollop of Vaseline on each paw helps deter the ice from forming in the first place.
Surprisingly a small smear of Vaseline on each paw, spread through the hairs, with particular attention being paid to the pad surface, stops the ice from forming.
This quick and inexpensive solution saved my dog from having to deal with the discomfort of the abrasive ice stopping him from enjoying long walks in the snow.
A word of caution: ensure you wipe your dog’s feet prior to coming into the house.
The Vaseline will continue to leave an oily residue on floor surfaces, even after a lengthy walk.
Consider carefully wiping between the dog’s pads to ensure no greasy messes linger on floors.
Vaseline is a wonderful solution for preventing ice buildup on your dog’s feet.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Freepik
LPR vs. Laryngeal Cancer Throat Symptom Comparison
The symptoms of LPR and laryngeal cancer overlap, but an ENT doctor compares these two conditions.
LPR, as anyone who has found this article certainly knows, stands for laryngeal pharyngeal reflux, and the symptoms can range from annoying to very troubling.
These symptoms can also result from laryngeal cancer.
And by sheer coincidence, a person with LPR can develop laryngeal cancer, which is why becoming very familiar with your symptoms of the original laryngeal pharyngeal reflux is extremely important to keep on the lookout for changes in the symptoms or some kind of new evolving problem.
LPR. vs. Laryngeal Cancer
“Symptoms that are persisting and unresolving should always be evaluated by a physician,” begins Dr. Stacey Silvers, MD, of Madison ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery in NYC, who is board certified in otolaryngology.
“If you have a long history of drinking, smoking and/or indigestion and heartburn, then you are at a higher risk for throat and esophageal cancers.
“If you start developing these symptoms later in life, even though LPR is more likely the cause, it is good not to sit on the symptoms but to have them properly evaluated.
“Common things are common. Hoarseness can be from vocal nodules, polyps, reflux and with the appropriate risk factors, laryngeal cancer.
“As we are all human we think of the worst possible diagnosis. Symptoms that are prolonged despite appropriate medical management should also be thoroughly evaluated by an otolaryngologist.
“We all hear the story of the person who had a chronic cough, was diagnosed with allergy, asthma, reflux and ultimately was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer.
“This is extremely rare but is always in a physician’s differential diagnosis.
“It is important not to neglect prolonged symptoms as well as for the clinician to seek out consultants when symptoms persist.”
SYMPTOMS
- Bad breath despite home treatment
- Breathing difficulty or noise with breathing
- Persistent cough
- Coughing up blood
- Ear fullness or pain despite no infection
- Hoarse voice that persists longer than two weeks
- Loose teeth or dentures suddenly poorly fitting
- Palpable lump in the neck
- Nosebleeds for no reason
- Swallowing pain or difficulty
- Throat pain or soreness
- Throat burning or irritation
- Throat lump sensation like something is stuck
- Changes in voice pitch or volume
- This list is not complete.
An NYC expert in ear, nose and throat care, Dr. Silvers has been named among America’s Top Physicians and Surgeons in facial plastic surgery and otolaryngology numerous times since 2003. Dr. Silvers is an expert in the field of minimally invasive rhinology, resolving patients’ breathing and sinus problems with simple in-office procedures.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Top image: Shutterstock/cheapbooks
Excessive Saliva when Awakening: Causes, Solutions
A doctor explains what causes excessive saliva buildup when you awaken and how to prevent this.
Excessive saliva when awakening: causes, mechanism behind causes? On
one hand it could be excessive production, but also insufficient swallowing.
“Excessive saliva in the morning with chronic throat clearing are very common complaints,” says Dr. Stacey Silvers, MD, of Madison ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery in NYC, who is board certified in otolaryngology.
“Without other associated symptoms of allergy (runny nose, sneezing, congestion and/or itchy eyes), allergies may not be the cause,” says Dr. Silvers. “These are common symptoms of silent reflux.”
What is silent reflux and how does it cause saliva buildup in the morning when awakening?
“Silent reflux does not present with classic ‘heartburn’ and indigestion,” continues Dr. Silvers.
“Stress is a large contributing factor as well as poor diet and late night eating.
“Eating late at night, one has a belly full of food and excess stomach acid which goes up in the throat while laying down.
“Stress increases stomach acid and some of that excess acid will reflux up.
“The mucous and saliva will drip in the back of the nose and throat to coat the throat and protect the throat from acid that can otherwise burn and cause ulcers.
“The mucous is thick and the need to clear it off the vocal cords can be a fairly constant or an intermittent symptom during the day or upon awaking.”
How to Help Prevent Excess Saliva in the Morning
Dr. Silvers explains, “Avoid late night eating and cut down on highly acidic foods; caffeine, tomatoes, onions, fried foods, nicotine, chocolate and alcohol.
“Elevate the head of the bed to keep acid down in the stomach by gravity alone.
“A trial of an over the counter reflux medication may help.
“If it is not helping or after stopping the medication the symptoms return, consult your doctor.
“Other common silent reflux symptoms include: dry cough, lump in the throat, throat pain, hoarseness and trouble swallowing.”
An NYC expert in ear, nose and throat care, Dr. Silvers has been named among America’s Top Physicians and Surgeons in facial plastic surgery and otolaryngology numerous times since 2003. Dr. Silvers is an expert in the field of minimally invasive rhinology, resolving patients’ breathing and sinus problems with simple in-office procedures.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Photographee.eu
Why Holding the Treadmill’s Front Bar Is Wrong at Any Age
No matter your age, you’re doing yourself NO favor if you hold onto the treadmill’s front bar when walking.
As a personal trainer, I require all of my clients, including older, poorly conditioned ones, to avoid—yes, avoid—holding onto the treadmill as they do their walking.
Now if they need to hold on for some momentary steadying or to drink some water, that’s fine.
But what I’m referring to here is holding onto the treadmill throughout the duration of the walking session.
The woman pictured above exemplifies a very prevalent scenario in any gym, health club or recreation center where there are treadmills.
The phenomenon of holding on spans all age groups, not just older individuals.
Look at the lady in the photo. Does that appear to be an efficient way to improve one’s walking fitness, aerobic fitness or any kind of fitness?
Why does holding the front bar of a treadmill sabotage the walking workout?
Because natural walking involves a particular movement of the upper body that coordinates with the lower body.
Holding onto the front bar disconnects the upper body with the lower half; it immobilizes it, locks it up.
The hips, then, are forced to over-rotate, especially if the tread is set to a fast speed such as 4 mph.
When you’re holding on, “you are going to create more torque of the pelvis which isn’t good for you, says Joel Silbar, a chiropractic physician.
It’s painful just to watch someone’s hips going as they “walk” at 4 mph while clinging to the front bar.
But even if you walk slowly, you’re still getting no bang for your buck, because this fails to mimic actual walking.
Walking on a treadmill without holding on actually has a carryover to real-world walking, even though the ground or floor you walk on isn’t moving under your feet. People train for walk-a-thons by walking (hands off) on a treadmill.
In cold weather I use a high incline to mimic outdoor hikes and trail runs, and believe me, it transfers over because I don’t hold on.
In short, don’t underestimate the effectiveness of a treadmill (hands off) for improving your body’s cardiovascular fitness, knee joint integrity and other elements.
The man in the photo at the top is walking for the photographer, but his position on the treadmill, hands on the front bar, is identical to what you’ll see in every facility that has these machines. People just love to cling onto the front bar.
Even a light hold sabotages the session. Holding onto the front bar mimics using a walker.
For tall people, it makes them hunch forward, which is bad for the spinal column.
Shorter people tend to yank to and fro with each step. Medium height people don’t get off the hook, either; holding fast to the front bar (or lightly) still sours their natural gait.
Holding on anywhere on the machine significantly reduces calories burned.
The calorie display shows the same number whether you’re a man, woman, old, young, skinny, huge, Martian, Vulcan … because the display is determined by the speed of the tread and the incline, NOT the person on the tread. It also removes work from the core, transferring it to the arms! It teaches you how to walk inefficiently, not efficiently.
How to Break Free from Holding onto the Treadmill’s Front Bar
Simply let go, assuming that the machine’s settings are already reasonable. I tell people to “just let go.” They do, and guess what: They don’t fall off. Instead, their posture instantly improves.
They feel more muscles becoming engaged. If someone has the settings crazy high, such as a 15 percent incline and 4 mph, I point out that this is a very unrealistic setting to sustain a walk for, and to knock down the incline or the speed, e.g., if you want to go 4 mph, then bring down the incline to just five percent.
If your low back begins hurting after you’ve let go of the treadmill, this is because all that holding on has de-conditioned your low back, which is supposed to be engaged when you walk.
The solution is to just keep walking WITHOUT holding on to give your low back a chance to catch up and get stronger. The aching will disappear soon enough.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
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NDE Experiment Suggests NDEs Aren’t Real, But Is Flawed
A scientific explanation of near death experiences is not good news for believers in an afterlife.
On the other hand, does a scientific explanation for “near death experiences” mean there can’t be an afterlife?
Researchers from the University of Michigan Health System believe they are closer to a scientific explanation to the so-called near death experience.
A near death experience is the term for a person’s extraordinarily profound experience following clinical death (heart stops beating, no longer breathing): an experience they report at some point following resuscitation.
Skeptics including some scientists believe these are merely hallucinations or dreams, generated by dying brain cells, or, to put it another way, brain cells as they are being starved of oxygen.
There are some big holes in this theory, which I’ll cover in just a moment.
What have scientists discovered about the near death experience?
The study involved rats. Cardiac death/clinical death was induced in nine rats.
Then the animals were given an electroencephalogram to measure brain activity.
The recorded brain activity in each “dead” rat was characteristic of conscious perception.
“This study, performed in animals, is the first dealing with what happens to the neurophysiological state of the dying brain,” explains Jimo Borjigin, PhD, lead study author.
Dr. Borjigin adds that this study is the foundation for future studies in humans that will investigate cognitive experiences occurring in a dying brain.
Unfortunately, a resuscitated rat can’t report what it experienced during cardiac arrest.
The researchers can only speculate what those patterns of conscious perception meant to the rats.
Within half a minute following the cardiac arrest, the rats showed a widespread, temporary spike of highly synchronized brain activity that had characteristics of a highly aroused brain.
This data, says Dr. Borjigin, confirms signs of conscious activity in the rats’ brains during cardiac arrest.
What was surprising was the high level of this activy, says George Mashour, MD, senior study author. “In fact, at near-death, many known electrical signatures of consciousness exceeded levels found in the waking state,” says Dr. Mashour.
This suggests that the brain can conduct “well-organized electrical activity during the early stage of clinical death.”
Dr. Borjigin notes that this study shows that oxygen depletion during cardiac arrest “can stimulate brain activity characteristic of conscious processing.”
The researches believe that this study provides the first scientific foundation for peoples’ near death experiences.
Loophole in this Study
It’s a gigantic leap to go from a rat’s (or even if it can be shown in humans) EEG patterns during cardiac arrest to the conclusion that a near death experience happens only inside a person’s brain.
Holes in the Theory that Oxygen-Starved Brain Cells Conjure up Vivid Hallucinations
#1. Many who’ve had a near death experience (NDE) have verified sights and sounds that occurred outside the room their body was in, or in some way have provided feedback of perception that could only be explained by an out-of-body experience.
An example, according to Dr. Raymond Moody’s research, is of a woman who was blind since childhood (not birth), who when elderly, had an NDE during resuscitation of her body.
She accurately described who entered and exited the room, their clothes and colors, and the instruments they used.
#2. Skeptics like to point out that during clinical death, a person can still hear.
Their brain then conjures up visual images to “match” what they are hearing.
If the patient hears, “Hand me the scalpel” and then reports later, “I saw the nurse hand the doctor the scalpel,” that’s one thing.
But when the patient hears “double action Rongeur” or “Richardson retractor,” how the heck would the patient be able to accurately describe these instruments (as well as other fine details that are NOT verbalized, such as the hair styles and body builds of the medical team)?
#3. If oxygen-depleted brain cells can produce the most vivid experiences that a patient has ever had, then why doesn’t this phenomenon occur when muscle cells are starved of oxygen?
According to skeptics’ theory, a marathon runner, with two miles left to the marathon, should suddenly be able to explode to the finish line with their fastest sprint, nonstop.
Or, a weight lifter, struggling to complete the tenth repetition of a 225-pound bench press, should then suddenly be able to press twice that amount without a problem!
After all, when cells are starved of oxygen, shouldn’t they then become exceptionally aroused?
#4. People in vegetative states from asphyxiation have brain cells damaged from oxygen depletion. Yet their electroencephalogram readings show no “patterns of consciousness.”
People can’t imagine something they heard or saw outside the room their body was in during a near death experience. Science is a long, long way off (if ever) from explaining NDEs. Of course, we will all find out eventually what really happens!
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: ©Lorra Garrick
Sources: .sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130812153553.htm; www.near-death.com/experiences/evidence02.html
Running on a Treadmill: Hands On vs. Hands Off
Find out just how big a difference there is between jogging on a treadmill while holding on vs. hands off.
If you’ve been holding onto the treadmill while jogging, you’ve hardly done anything to make yourself a better runner outside, on the court or in the field.
Just because there’s a place to put your hands on the treadmill doesn’t mean you should do this when running on it.
When you run or jog outside, on the street, in a park, an athletic field or on a basketball court, your upper body moves completely differently than how it’s positioned if you’re holding onto a treadmill.
When you hold onto a treadmill while jogging, your upper body is locked in place, moving minimally.
If you were to run outside or anywhere other than on a machine, your upper body would be fully engaged.
This is the way you should run: the upper body moving in synch with the lower body, in unison, arms swinging.
This natural motion is completely tossed when you hold onto a treadmill—even if you’re in poor physical condition, overweight, older, what-have-you.
Holding the Front Bar while Jogging Makes You Lean Forward
Some runners who hold onto a treadmill lean INTO the machine when their hands are on the front bar.
However, holding onto the side bar doesn’t make things right, either.
Even if you’re a slow jogger, you simply should not hold on. Your arms are supposed to swing gently at your sides. Even toddlers, when “running,” know this basic rule of the human body.
By holding onto the bar in front, you’ll remove workload from your core.
Yes, the core works when you run or jog naturally without clinging onto anything for support.
If you’ve seen fit-looking people holding onto a treadmill while doing their make-believe running, don’t think for a second that this externally supported movement contributes to their nice physique.
A person can get a good body by strength training alone, coupled with a smart diet.
And again, holding onto the side of the machine isn’t any better. The body’s natural movement patterns still get disrupted.
“Holding on may giver joggers a sense of ‘more intensity,’ but it actually results in a less effective workout,” says John Whyte, MD, board certified internist in Washington, DC, and author of “Is This Normal? The Essential Guide to Middle Age and Beyond.”
If you’re up to jogging on a treadmill but feel out of shape, you will do yourself a giant disservice by holding on.
Instead, start out slowly with baby steps. Go 3.5 mph or even slower, zero incline.
Shutterstock/MikeBiTa
If your feet or some other area begins hurting or aching, then walk for a while.
But do not hold onto the treadmill when running.
This is a terrible habit. Even if you get dizzy, do not hold on.
Just go slower, hands free, arms swinging naturally, and give your body a chance to acclimate and adjust.
Dr. Whyte is the chief medical officer of webmd.com. Prior, he was the chief medical expert for almost a decade at Discovery Channel.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
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