| Health wise, I was going strong into my early 50s. | | | | do the cardiovascular exercises I was used to do. |
| Lifting weights, running a 10 K every other day, I | | | | I started looking around for exercises that were |
| was feeling and looking good. Then one day after | | | | low impact (endurance exercises) and allowed me |
| running, I found I could hardly walk. This did not | | | | to do range of motion exercises for flexibility. I |
| come on all of a sudden, but gradually. I had | | | | wanted it to be similar to the running I used to do. |
| ignored the early symptoms, but when it got to | | | | I found it in a machine called an elliptical trainer. |
| this point, I went to the doctor. | | | | This is a machine that fits in just about anyone's |
| The doctor took several x-rays of my feet, | | | | home. Essentially it is like a stationary bike, only |
| knees, and other joints. The diagnosis he | | | | you stand up, and with your arms, push forward |
| concluded, was arthritis. Well that ended my | | | | on the handles and essentially run. With this |
| running days. So what was I to do to keep with | | | | device, I can get my heart rate going like I did |
| my cardiovascular exercises. The weights I lifted | | | | when I was younger. Even better, with all the |
| did not bother me, for lifting with my upper body | | | | effort I put into it, my joints, especially my feet, |
| and lower body did not affect me. I just could not | | | | are not affected by this exercise. |