Going Slowly This Week

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That's what I've been doing this week, usually sitting down with my left leg elevated as much as possible.

What happened? Thanks for asking, but of course, I would have shared anyway.

The truth is that I'm not exactly sure but hoping that it is a possible muscle issue in that leg. This is the first time that I've experienced anything like this, so I have no thoughts on how. While there's no pain, an area to the side of my left knee is sensitive (tender) when pressed in one area.

The cause? Yet to be determined and, later today, I have an appointment with our medical professional, a nurse practitioner. After phoning for an appointment this week, the triage nurse recommended using an ice pack for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off and also to take ibuprofen.

Like myself, maybe you have been curious about this 20 on and 20 off regimen. If you are already knowledgeable, than read no further.

Why 20 minutes?

Applying ice for 20 minutes can reduce inflammation and pain by constricting blood vessels. It's important to allow at least 20-30 minutes between icings as longer is not necessarily better but can be detrimental. 

Too Much of a Good Thing ?

When it comes to icing an injury thinking that longer icing could be better is counterproductive and even harmful as it can lead to what's called reactive vasodilation. If you're not familiar with those words, me too. It refers to the widening of blood vessels, which can reverse the benefits of icing causing possible tissue damage or ice burns. Also, too much cold can restrict blood flow, potentially slowing down the healing process. 

What caused my discomfort?

Treadmills at Clocktower Place

I've used that term because I really am not sure what caused this knee issue.  It's possible that my over-attention fanaticism in making a daily step count was the cause, however unlikely that seems to me. 

Most days, it wasn't about completing 10,000 steps, more like 12-13,000 steps. More than half the steps were usually done using the treadmill or elliptical in the mill building's health club when the weather has been nasty. The in-house gym here is convenient on days when driving to a gym would be an excuse not to go; it takes under 4 minutes to walk there. And, as we live downtown, excursions to the library, post office and other places are always walked.

It's also possible to walk the apt hallways in the apartment building, the third or main floor is  an estimated 1/4 mile, end-to-end. Some residents walk it several times rather than using the gym facilities, which require a monthly $25 fee. 

Equipment in the Health Club facility at Clocktower Place

There are actually three equipment rooms/gyms in the health club here, as well as a pool, whirlpool, showers, changing rooms and sauna. It's unusual for a former mill building, not many area apartments offer have similar facilities.

Where did the 10,000 step-a-day standard originate ?

Couldn't locate an English version

I mentioned a 10,000 step routine, which most likely many of you know about. It's become the default for many walkers, myself included.

Did you know that its creation was partly due to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics? These games brought renewed focus on physical activity and healthy living. A Japanese research team led by Dr Yoshiro Hatano, professor at the Kyushu University of Health and Welfare, began to worry about the rise in obesity in Japan.

Enter the Yamasa company in Tokyo, Japan (internationally known as Yamax) which in 1965 created a pedometer called Manpo-kei which translates to the 10,000 steps meter believed to be the amount of physical activity sufficient to decrease the risk of coronary heart disease. 

The company used the slogan Let's walk 10,000 steps a day! as part of a marketing campaign. It soon became the mantra of Japanese walking clubs and Manpo-kei was the minimum they were expected to walk. In time, this concept spread to health conscious walkers worldwide. Essentially, the 10,000-step goal was based on marketing. Despite its start, the 10,000-step goal was adopted globally as people around the world adopted it as a fitness target. 

Is walking 10,000 steps a day helpful ?

The Manpo-kei concept is not a set requirement. Many recent studies including by Harvard Health have shown that even fewer steps can provide health benefits. Some studies have suggested that regularly walking just  4,000 to 6,000 steps a day can result in improved health. It's more important to set a target which meets individual needs for a person to commit to staying motivated for the long run. 

Currently, activity trackers, also known as fitness trackers on wearable technology and cell phones are the modern equivalent of pedometers. Most do far more than count steps. Activity trackers can determine how far you've traveled and the type of movement such as jogging or swimming.

Pedometers go way back

Early pedometer sketch by da Vinci

Surprisingly (to me) Leonardo da Vinci who has been credited with so many things is also credited with inventing the first mechanical step counter in the 15th century. It was worn at the waist, with a long lever arm tied to the thigh. When the thigh moved back and forth in walking, the gears rotated, activating gears to count the distance. 

Da Vinci envisioned this device as a tool for military purposes, specifically to track the distance covered by soldiers and aid in laying out encampments. While this pedometer design was never realized in his time, it represented an early conceptualization of a device that later evolved into the modern pedometer which still serve the same purpose of tracking steps and distance

In the 1700s, Thomas Jefferson commissioned a step counter made by one of the top Parisian watch-makers. Worn in a vest pocket, it had a lever arm which was tied to a string that passed through a hole in the bottom of the vest pocket. The other end of the string was tied to a strap below the knee, walking caused it to pull on a lever arm attached to gears. Back then, there were big issues than closing activity rings, so Jefferson wasn't posting his daily activity anywhere. Proof is difficult to obtain as Jefferson didn't apply for patents on any of his inventions and I couldn't locate an online image.

Abraham-Louis Perrelet

In 1777, Abraham-Louis Perrelet, a Swiss-born horologist (watchmaker) invented a self- winding mechanism for pocket watches that used an oscillating weight inside the watch that moved up-and-down during walking. 

Then, in 1780, he invented a self-contained pedometer that also used a spring-suspended lever arm to measure steps and distance while walking. His invention it was based on the mechanism he created to power a self-winding watch.

The Japanese model came many years later, Perrelet is widely credited with inventing the first working pedometer.

While 10,000 steps a day originated as an arbitrary number for marketing purposes, there's significant evidence that walking affects both physical and mental well being. 

Of course, the number of steps walked daily can vary depending on age, fitness level and overall health. A research review found that the risk of death was lowest in people who walked 6,000 to 8,000 steps a day if they were over the age of 60 and 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day if they were under age 60. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) indicated that women who averaged 4,400 steps per day had a 41% lower mortality rate than sedentary women. 

Certainly, everyone is different in their goals. The important thing is that people can get better at walking and even faster and just starting is what really matters.

Just don't overdue it, like me. Until my medical evaluation and diagnosis is completed, my walking is on pause, hopefully not for too long, update to follow.