Proper Way to Walk After Meals
Walking immediately after meals is not necessarily beneficial for the elderly.
Especially for elderly people with coronary heart disease, post-meal gastric distension can reflexively cause coronary artery constriction, reducing myocardial blood supply.
While walking is light physical activity for young adults, it may constitute moderate to intense exercise for the elderly, particularly those over 70, potentially increasing cardiac burden. For elderly individuals with coronary heart disease, increased cardiac load combined with insufficient blood supply may worsen myocardial ischemia and hypoxia.
Therefore, elderly people should rest appropriately after meals to improve myocardial perfusion.
Walking exercises for the elderly are best performed once in the morning and once in the evening, within limits that cause no shortness of breath and leave one feeling good. Each session should last 30–40 minutes, with optional breaks based on personal condition, aiming to strengthen the body and promote longevity.