Bungalow legs, anyone?

We were away in a bungalow two weeks ago. On returning home the stairs were a real effort when not usually any problem.

That’s why we are staying in our 3 storey house. Great during our lockdowns when we weren’t allowed out- up and down stairs a dozen times.

I notice this too when we’ve been at our all on
one level holiday home at weekends then go home to our house.
Saying that we do go out on walks when we are here so that makes up for getting the legs moving.

The walks will help Grandmadinosaur but the article explains that steps & stairs use different muscles.

Even making a habit of stepping on & off your doorstep helps, tho, according to the article.
Or standing & sitting again a few times, every time you get out of a chair.

I don't believe this! It doesn't mean that because you live in a bungalow, you don't ever climb stairs, or walk, or stay fit. What about the millions of fit and healthy people who don't live in a double storey home?

(Perhaps the noticing of sore or stiff muscles relates to using muscles differently, or different muscles being used).

Yes, I can quite see how this happens.

It occurred to me yesterday when I was up a big basket of clean laundry as I tottered up the stairs how much weight bearing my legs were doing. I lose count how many times I go up and down.

It's one advantage of the ageing process, when you have to go up and down several times before you remember what you went up for in the first place. At least your legs are getting the benefit.

I can't do much exercise because I've got M.E., but always use my upstairs loo for this reason, just to build a bit of exercise into my day. It definitely is "Use it or lose it."

Not much chance of that, I live in a 3-storey house

It’s just an accepted, informal name retread for leg weakness, often brought on by inactivity, in older people.

I haven’t played tennis for 45 years, but I’ve got tennis elbow - painful!

I think I have "shower legs". I had a shower and no bath for a long time and cannot get out of a bath now. I do have arthritis but I was under 60 when I first realised I could not manage a bath.

I knew this could happen when we moved to a bungalow.
I do 40/ 50 toe rise exercises morning and evening while I’m cleaning my teeth.
This is an exercise that was recommended to my friend who has incontinence problems.
Not only does it strengthen the legs you can feel it in your stomach muscles.

My mother-in-law (age 100) wouldn't move into a bungalow because of thus when she moved 5 years ago.

I laughed about it with a GP as it seemed ridiculous to me but she laughed and said "yes she's right" you need to use steps regularly.

I felt very silly. It's obvious really!

Use it or lose it I suppose.

Thanks for the explanation Georgesgran.

Petra how do you do toe rise exercises? Do you lift (flex) your toes?

When I moved to my bungalow I was told I would get bunga knees. But I needed to moved to a bungalow because of my disability. But I go to sit fit class every week and do exercises at home. I do find stairs difficult but I found them difficult in my old house with 2 handles.

I love my bungalow and wouldn't live anywhere else . It's made my life so much easier living on one level . Also living in a bungalow you have cheaper bills and my home stays warmer during the winter. I only wish I had been able to move to my bungalow years ago instead of only 5 . Would have saved myself a lot of falls and pain.

One of my arthritic knees has become so painful that I would love to live on one level. I have steps up to the sitting room and stairs up to the bedroom and laundry room. I’m fine without stairs. And no, I don’t want surgery.

Nor do I want a stairlift or lift!

We live in a 4th story flat. There's a lift of course but we always use the stairs down and quite often back up again. The stairs were my wet weather exercise when recovering from my TKRs and hip replacement.

I'm not sure bungalow legs affect everyone. At home we currently live on one spread-out floor, since 2019. Today, however, we have climbed up hundreds of stone steps in an old French castle, no problem!
I do do a lot of ballet and dance.

Our home is one level, with 2 beds, a bath, and storage up in a Mansard addition. We don't ever need to go up there, children grown, however I climb those stairs daily - I think it helps pf, balance, and good for knees after tkr.

My physio gave me a plan for my plantar fasciitis - it includes stairs as well as some bed foot flex work. I'm a big believer in good physio.

I’ve lived in a bungalow the last 19 years.

Have not noticed any difference in my legs apart from being 19 years older, I’m 71.

I like having everything on one level, which will be even better as DH and I get older.

How many older people do you hear that can no longer use their upstairs as they age? Quite a few, and not everyone can fit in a stairlift.

I think many older people just don’t walk and exercise enough, and then blame ‘bungalow legs’.

We live in a two story house. Seven years ago we had to move into a rental property, after a house fire, for seven months. It just happened to be a bungalow.
When we moved back home I could barely manage the stairs and found it exhausting.
It was quite scary actually!

Retread

Thanks for the explanation Georgesgran.

Petra how do you do toe rise exercises? Do you lift (flex) your toes?

This video shows you how. I count in seconds, ie, one and two and 3 etc. You will feel the abdominal muscles straight away.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBzWpUNAwjU