Welcome to the latest instalment of the Three-Tip Friday series!
As a quick reminder, there will be no Three-Tip Friday email this week and the next. But you’ll be able to find these editions on my website on those Fridays here!
This week…
#1: A small walking tweak that eases knee pain:
If you have arthritis in the inside of your knee, here’s something interesting: changing the way your foot points when you walk could reduce pain.
A recent study from Stanford showed that when people with knee arthritis were coached to walk with their toes slightly in or slightly out (depending on their personal biomechanics), they put less strain through the sore part of the joint. Over a year, they not only had less pain but also showed signs that their knee cartilage was holding up better.
The key takeaway is that how you walk matters. For some people, a 5–10° adjustment in foot angle was enough to change the load inside the knee. This makes sense, because a lot of pain is mechanical – meaning it is as a result of faulty movement, not because of damage or injury. Change the mechanics, change the pain.
This is also how orthotics work. They shift your mechanics slightly and unload areas of the knee that could do with some respite. If you have persistent knee pain, foot exercises are also worth trying – even tiny changes helps take pressure off the joint. Here are some foot exercises that often help with knee pain.
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#2: Should you try calorie restriction for longevity?:
One of the hottest topics in ageing research is calorie restriction – the idea that eating fewer calories (without malnutrition) might help us live longer. In animals, the evidence is striking: everything from worms to monkeys tends to live longer and stay healthier on a reduced-calorie diet.
But calorie restriction isn’t all upside. Studies show that while it may protect against age-related diseases, it also comes with drawbacks.
Restricted animals (and some humans in trials) often report feeling cold, hungry, and fatigued. Wound healing slows, bones can weaken, and libido drops. Even organs shrink in size – although interestingly, this doesn’t seem to harm thinking ability. The immune system also behaves unpredictably, with both positive and negative effects reported.
For what it’s worth, all of my gym injuries have occurred when I’ve been on a calorie-restricted diet. That’s anecdotal of course, but I think it carries weight.
Calorie restriction remains experimental in humans. While the science is exciting, the trade-offs need to be considered. Instead of chasing extreme restriction, many experts now recommend focusing on diet quality – choosing whole, nutrient-rich foods, and maintaining a healthy weight – since these approaches offer many of the same benefits without the same risks.
In short: moderation wins again. A diet that’s healthy but sustainable beats one that is “optimised” but makes your life less enjoyable.
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#3: What was published on my YouTube channel this past week?:
- Stop Doing Planks Like This – Try THIS Instead: In this video, I share some simple tweaks to the “plank” exercise that make it more effective.
- Your Walking Won’t Improve Until You Fix THIS: In this video, I reveal something you must fix if you are serious about walking better.
- Undo Years of Knee Damage with 3 Simple Moves: I share 3 simple exercises that can significantly improve knee symptoms.
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You can find daily thoughts and videos (that aren’t on YouTube) on my Instagram page here.
That’s it for this week! Thanks for reading. I hope you’ve had a great week.
Did you enjoy Three-Tip Friday? If so, reply and let me know!
Speak soon,
– Will Harlow
Lead Physio – HT Physio
Published Author – Thriving Beyond Fifty (2024 Ed.)
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P.S. This week inside Lifelong Mobility, I shared a seated, follow-along dumbbell routine for building upper body strength and muscle! If you’re not yet a member, you can join us inside here.