This post is by our good friend, Jonathan Kelley. Jonathan, like many of us fell in love with riding kick scooters.
He realized how beneficial a kick scooter is for health and transportation. Even though, Jonathan is 80 years old, he’s not about to slow down anytime soon. This man is a true inspiration to all of us, no matter if we’re young or old.
So, listen to what Jonathan has to say about riding kick scooters on a daily basis
Are you old? Like me? 80? Nobody pays attention to you? Expected to sit around your living room all day, watching TV, waiting for the end of the trip?
Listen up. You can come back to life.
Rejoin the living, on a kick scooter
I did, at 77. Looking to slow down the deterioration of my equilibrium, a followup to several sessions with a trainer at the gym, arranged by my doctor because I told her my balance wasn’t as good as it used to be.
Falls can be lethal for us old folks
Falls are the seventh leading cause of deaths in the USA among the elderly. One in four people 65 or older reports falling once a year, and it gets worse over time. Contributing factors are deterioration of balance, and loss of leg strength.
Consider…. just consider that riding a kick scooter might be a reasonably safe way for you to improve your leg strength, and increase your consciousness of balance control, perhaps lessening the risk of a fall in your ADL’s. And it’s fun.
When? Where?
I try for a recreational ride two or three times a week. Four to six miles. One hour. The bike trails near where I live in Los Angeles are perfect for that.
If I have an appointment downtown, I often ride the light rail to as close as I can get, then ride the kick scooter the last half mile or so.
It’s easy, and fast, even after dark when the sidewalks are lighted.
Kick scooters can be safe once you master them
Falls… yeah, I had a fall two years ago, when I ran over a deep crack in a city street, when I wasn’t paying attention. Broke a rib. My head tapped the pavement just after I saw my life pass in review, but I was wearing my helmet, and the tap felt like if you tapped your index finger on your palm. Nothing.
And fortunately, I didn’t break my hip or my shoulder. The rib healed up in a few weeks, and I was back on the scooter.
One fall in three years. Not bad. And I’m way more careful now.
Try it. Ride one on the showroom floor.
Call me if you decide on a Xootr.
Don’t forget to check out Jonathan’s website at JonathanKelley.net.