We all know that exercise is essential to staying healthy as we age, and that walking is among the best activities to take up- the price is right, the equipment is minimal and you can do it no matter where you are. However, for many of us, either arthritic knees or some other sort of leg pain can limit the amount of walking we do- and that’s not good if you want to stay healthy and independent. There are, in fact, several conditions that can cause leg pain besides arthritis, many of which may originate from other parts of your body or are tied to conditions that may signal underlying health problems. Whether it’s Peripheral Artery Disease, which can cause leg pain because your muscles are starved of oxygen, or Chronic Venous Insufficiency, which causes leg pain due to poor circulation through the veins in your legs that lead back to the heart and lungs, it’s important to get correctly diagnosed, because there are treatments that can lessen your pain. For example, with venous insufficiency, compression socks can really make a difference. For a good review article on conditions that can cause leg pain, and how you can respond, take a load off your feet and Read Here.

And if you do suffer from arthritic knees, and therefore claim walking is not for you, you need to be aware of some new research out of Northwestern University. Specifically addressing the plight of older golfers with arthritic knees, the research found that, contrary to what you might expect, golfers with knee arthritis are better off walking the course than riding in the golf cart. The study found that walking was not associated with increased pain or inflammation and provided cardiovascular benefits to the golfers. So grab your driver and read more about this study Here. And for further advice for you older golfers, tee up your ball and Read Here.