A CRITICAL POINT IN THE AGING PROCESS

There is a decisive point in the aging process that can change the rest of our lives forever. That point happens when it becomes difficult to walk. When walking is hard, everything is tougher. Our health ends up suffering and our physical abilities deteriorate much more rapidly.

A large part of the problem is perception. We assume that when we start having trouble walking, it is just because we are getting old. We assume we are "over the hill" and don't try to change the trajectory of our health. We think there is nothing we can do about it. That is not correct logic. There is much that can be done. We can improve our abilities and our strengths and dedicate ourselves to focus on betterment instead of ignoring possibilities. 
My goal is to help you identify this pivotal point in life and show you how to simply but effectively help yourself instead of giving up.

A modern day parable:

As I write this, it is toward the end of August, 2025. In 2021, my best friend had a fall while walking in our neighborhood. He broke bones in his hand but was otherwise uninjured. He recovered from the broken bones very quickly and regained full use and flexibility in his hand. But his emotional health was affected and this portended grave consequences for him and his future.
When anyone has a fall, obviously there is potential for physical injury, although not invariably. However, we always suffer emotional injury. We become afraid we will fall again. We do less and avoid activities related to the fall. Our balance suffers. We loose strength and flexibility. And ironically we actually increase the likelihood that we will fall again instead of protecting ourselves from falling. ​

​We become less active and this inactivity affects our health in unanticipated ways. We get depressed. Not only do we do less physically, we become more stubborn because how we think changes. We become more resistant to doing what is good for us. Unfortunately this is what took place in this parable.
In 2021, after his fall, my friend stopped his daily walks. After 3 years of reduced activity, his balance had become very, very unstable. In December of 2024 he fell again. This time it was more serious. He broke a vertebrae, his ankle and aggravated an existing knee problem. His back and ankle recovered well. But he refuses to take walks because he is still afraid to. He has become so depressed that it is hard for him to participate much in things that would improve his situation. His unhappiness has caused him to become stubborn and full of doubt.
If you have had a fall and are afraid of walking as a result, please practice how to walk. Do so consistently and not only will your ability walking improve but your fear will dissolve.
He gets around but his gait, stability and balance are terrible. He could fall again at any time, with potentially even more disastrous consequences. (Sometimes the thought of this keeps me up at night. He is a very good friend.) He has a preexisting back condition that this difficult gait just aggravates along with his preexisting knee problem.
We don't realize that the difficulty we have walking puts increased pressure on our joints because we often don't move smoothly or gracefully. When we plop down on a chair for instance, we aren't aware that by doing this all the joints in the spine are shocked in a harsh disruptive manner. We just think we are being awkward and old. This is good motivation for focusing on becoming more graceful as we age instead of the opposite.
My friend's prognosis is not good. It is hard for him to be active. He will probably have trouble walking the rest of his life (he is 80) even if he avoids other falls. And his fall risk is now sky high because of his disabilities. This did not have to be the end result. He could have made different choices. Unfortunately most people who are older share the same choices and path.

The most effective ways we can help ourselves at this critical time:

  • If you have a fall, instead of reducing activity, improve your physical abilities by taking movement classes. Balance classes are in particular helpful.
  • Do not allow your fear to change your decisions about what is good for your health. Follow through with your choices and ignore your fear unless there is good reason not to.
  • Get a physical: When you first start noticing difficulty walking, have yourself examined by your doctor to determine the problems involved. Then take steps to deal with them through exercise, if that is possible.
  • Ask for a series of physical therapy sessions to help you improve your walking ability.

  • Pay special attention to your feet: Continue to exercise them to keep them strong and flexible, even if you cannot be active for a time.
  • Knees require some attention too: Make certain to maintain flexibility in your knee joints. Comfortably moving knees are so important in providing ease in walking and as we age we tend to develop stiffness in our knee joints, making walking harder.
  • Increase your core strength: Often as we age, our core weakens. The core is essential in walking. Without it, walking is much more arduous, our legs feel heavier, our joints experience undue stress. Without core support, lower back problems often surface, This also makes walking harder because we can't pick our feet up without it hurting our back. If we strengthen our abdominals in particular, walking is so much easier and the lower back is far more protected.

  • Learn how to walk properly: Roll through your feet as you walk. (A link to proper technique appears below.)
  • Practice how to walk: This is the most important step of all. Consistent and dedicated practice of how to walk is essential to changing the trajectory of this incredibly important moment. Everyone should practice. Practice the right way to walk. Practice not looking down at the ground when you walk. Practice holding your tummy in as you walk. Always practice in absolutely secure conditions. Hallways are great. Especially if they have a bannister to hold onto if needed. But practicing near a wall or along a kitchen counter works well too. Here are more complete instructions:
Had my friend used even some of these suggestions after his first fall in 2021, he might never have suffered the second fall. He would probably be moving easily now and participating in whatever he wanted to. He wouldn't be restricted to his home, his recliner and his TV, as he currently is.

No matter what else,
when it becomes more difficult to walk,
improve how you walk.

I have written extensively on this subject. Links to many of these articles can be found by clicking on the first button. The second button describes in detail how to walk properly, resulting in far less effort and much more ease and safety.
Published August 25, 2025.