Episode Overview Walking isn't just transportation – it's a window into your future health. In this eye-opening conversation, physiotherapist and osteopathic manual practitioner Sharmila Kulkarni explains why walking speed is now recognized as the sixth vital sign and how small changes can dramatically impact your quality of life as you age.

What You'll Learn:

• Why walking speed predicts everything from falls risk to hospital length of stay
• The specific speed thresholds that determine community vs. household mobility
• How age-related changes in gait patterns affect your independence
• Why your ankles are secretly controlling your aging process
• Practical exercises you can do at home to maintain walking efficiency
• The connection between ankle position and pelvic floor function
• How to properly dose resistance training for meaningful results

Guest Bio Sharmila Kulkarni brings 25+ years of experience as a physiotherapist and osteopathic manual practitioner. During the pandemic, she earned her master's degree in aging and health from Queen's University, focusing on how resistance exercise improves walking speed in older community-dwelling females. She's the founder of Innova Health Clinic (soon to be Integration Health) in Hamilton and creates education programs for allied healthcare providers. Her Barbell Training Studio program specifically targets longevity and morbidity reduction through evidence-based movement protocols.

Key Topics Covered:

• Walking speed as a clinical outcome measure
• Age-related gait changes and their implications
• The role of ankle dorsiflexion in efficient movement
• Resistance training protocols for walking speed improvement
• Kitchen counter exercises for mobility maintenance
• The multifactorial nature of walking mechanics

Connect with Sharmila: New website: integrationhealth.ca

Resources mentioned:

• One-rep max calculators for resistance training
• Kitchen counter lateral lunge exercise
• Research on walking speed thresholds

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