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If you are like most people, you walk thousands of steps each day. You walk to do your daily activities, get around, and exercise. It's something that you usually don't think about. But for those people who have a problem with walking, daily life can be more difficult.

Walking problems may cause you to:

• Walk with your head and neck bent over
• Drag, drop, or shuffle your feet
• Have irregular, jerky movements when walking
• Take smaller steps
• Waddle
• Walk more slowly or stiffly

The pattern of how you walk is called your gait. Many different diseases and conditions can affect your gait and lead to problems with walking. They include:

• Abnormal development of the muscles or bones of your legs or feet
• Arthritis of the hips, knees, ankles, or feet
• Cerebellar disorders, which are disorders of the area of the brain that controls coordination and balance
• Foot problems, including corns and calluses, sores, and warts
• Infections
• Injuries, such as fractures (broken bones), sprains, and tendinitis
• Movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease
• Neurologic diseases, including multiple sclerosis and peripheral nerve disorders
• Vision problems

To make a diagnosis, your health care provider will ask about your medical history and do a physical exam. This will include checking your bones and muscles and doing a neurological exam. In some cases, you may have other tests, such as lab or imaging tests.

Treatment of walking problems depends on the cause. If the cause is a medical condition, treating that condition often improves your walking. Some common types of treatments for walking problems may include:

• Medicines
• Mobility aids such as walkers and canes
• Physical therapy
• Special shoes, insoles, splints, or braces
• Surgery

Mobility aids help you walk or move from place to place if you have adisability or an injury. They include:

• Crutches
• Canes
• Walkers
• Wheelchairs
• Motorized scooters

You may need a walker or cane if you are at risk of falling. If you need to keep your body weight off your foot, ankle or knee, you may need crutches. You may need a wheelchair or a scooter if an injury or disease has left you unable to walk.

Choosing these devices takes time and research. You should be fitted for crutches, canes and walkers. If they fit, these devices give you support, but if they don't fit, they can be uncomfortable and unsafe.

Pneumonia is an infection in one or both of the lungs. It causes the air sacs of the lungs to fill up with fluid or pus. It can range from mild to severe, depending on the type of germ causing the infection, your age, and your overall health.

Bacterial, viral, and fungal infections can cause pneumonia.

Bacteria are the most common cause. Bacterial pneumonia can occur on its own. It can also develop after you've had certain viral infections such as a cold or the flu. Several different types of bacteria can cause pneumonia, including:

• Streptococcus pneumoniae
• Legionella pneumophila; this pneumonia is often called Legionnaires' disease
• Mycoplasma pneumoniae
• Chlamydia pneumoniae
• Haemophilus influenzae

Viruses that infect the respiratory tract may cause pneumonia. Viral pneumonia is often mild and goes away on its own within a few weeks. But sometimes it is serious enough that you need to get treatment in a hospital. If you have viral pneumonia, you are at risk of also getting bacterial pneumonia. The different viruses that can cause pneumonia include:

• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
• Some common cold and flu viruses
• SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19

Fungal pneumonia is more common in people who have chronic health problems or weakened immune systems. Some of the types include:

• Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP)
• Coccidioidomycosis, which causes valley fever
• Histoplasmosis
• Cryptococcus

Anyone can get pneumonia, but certain factors can increase your risk:

• Age; the risk is higher for children who are age 2 and under and adults age 65 and older
• Exposure to certain chemicals, pollutants, or toxic fumes
• Lifestyle habits, such as smoking, heavy alcohol use, and malnourishment
• Being in a hospital, especially if you are in the ICU. Being sedated and/or on a ventilator raises the risk even more.
• Having a lung disease
• Having a weakened immune system
• Have trouble coughing or swallowing, from a stroke or other condition
• Recently being sick with a cold or the flu

The symptoms of pneumonia can range from mild to severe and include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Cough, usually with phlegm (a slimy substance from deep in your lungs)
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain when you breathe or cough
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Diarrhea

The symptoms can vary for different groups. Newborns and infants may not show any signs of the infection. Others may vomit and have a fever and cough. They might seem sick, with no energy, or be restless.

Older adults and people who have serious illnesses or weak immune systems may have fewer and milder symptoms. They may even have a lower than normal temperature. Older adults who have pneumonia sometimes have sudden changes in mental awareness.

Sometimes pneumonia can cause serious complications such as:

• Bacteremia, which happens when the bacteria move into the bloodstream. It is serious and can lead to septic shock.
• Lung abscesses, which are collections of pus in cavities of the lungs
• Pleural disorders, which are conditions that affect the pleura. The pleura is the tissue that covers the outside of the lungs and lines the inside of your chest cavity.
• Kidney failure
• Respiratory failure

Sometimes pneumonia can be hard to diagnose. This is because it can cause some of the same symptoms as a cold or the flu. It may take time for you to realize that you have a more serious condition.

Your health care provider may use many tools to make a diagnosis:

• A medical history, which includes asking about your symptoms
• A physical exam, including listening to your lungs with a stethoscope
• Various tests, such as
  • A chest x-ray
  • Blood tests such as a complete blood count (CBC) to see if your immune system is actively fighting an infection
  • A Blood culture to find out whether you have a bacterial infection that has spread to your bloodstream

If you are in the hospital, have serious symptoms, are older, or have other health problems, you may also have more tests, such as:

• Sputum test, which checks for bacteria in a sample of your sputum (spit) or phlegm (slimy substance from deep in your lungs).
• Chest CT scan to see how much of your lungs is affected. It may also show if you have complications such as lung abscesses or pleural effusions.
• Pleural fluid culture, which checks for bacteria in a fluid sample that was taken from the pleural space
• Pulse oximetry or blood oxygen level test, to check how much oxygen is in your blood
• Bronchoscopy, a procedure used to look inside your lungs' airways

Treatment for pneumonia depends on the type of pneumonia, which germ is causing it, and how severe it is:

• Antibiotics treat bacterial pneumonia and some types of fungal pneumonia. They do not work for viral pneumonia.
• In some cases, your provider may prescribe antiviral medicines for viral pneumonia
• Antifungal medicines treat other types of fungal pneumonia

You may need to be treated in a hospital if your symptoms are severe or if you are at risk for complications. While there, you may get additional treatments. For example, if your blood oxygen level is low, you may receive oxygen therapy.

It may take time to recover from pneumonia. Some people feel better within a week. For other people, it can take a month or more.

Vaccines can help prevent pneumonia caused by pneumococcal bacteria or the flu virus. Having good hygiene, not smoking, and having a healthy lifestyle may also help prevent pneumonia.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Nerves are like wires that carry messages back and forth between your brain and your body. Your peripheral nerves branch off from your brain and spinal cord and connect to all parts of your body, including your muscles and organs. Peripheral nerves carry messages from your brain that control your movement, breathing, heartbeat, digestion, and more. They also carry messages from your body to your brain, so you can feel things, such as pain, heat, and cold.

Peripheral nerve disorders happen when one or more peripheral nerves are damaged. Damaged nerves may not carry messages correctly, or they may not work at all. As a result, you may have pain, trouble walking, or a variety of other problems, depending on which nerves are involved.

Peripheral nerve disorders are very common. There are more than 100 different types.

Many things can damage nerves and lead to peripheral nerve disorders:

• Diabetes is the most common cause of peripheral nerve disorders. Most people with diabetes will develop diabetic nerve problems.
• Physical injury (trauma) that stretches, crushes, squeezes, cuts, or puts pressure on one or more nerves. Some examples of peripheral nerve disorders from physical injury include complex regional pain syndrome and brachial plexus injuries.
• Health conditions, including:
  • Certain cancers and their treatment (chemotherapy and radiation therapy).
  • Infections, such as HIV and Lyme disease.
  • Problems with blood or blood vessels.
  • Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
  • Kidney or liver disease.
• Certain medicines.
• Contact with certain toxic substances, such as lead or mercury.
• Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and smoking.
• Vitamin imbalances, especially a lack of vitamin B12.
• Your genes, including changes in your genes or conditions that you inherit from your parents, such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

In certain cases, the cause of peripheral nerve disorder is not known.

The symptoms of peripheral nerve disorders depend on which nerves are affected, what is causing the damage, and how serious it is:

• Weak or aching muscles
• Problems with balance, walking, or using your arms and hands
• Cramps or twitching muscles
• Muscle shrinking

• Tingling, numbness, or pain often in the hands and feet
• Not being able to feel heat, cold, or pain, such as a cut on your foot
• Pain from even light touch

• A heartbeat that's too fast or too slow
• Trouble swallowing
• Sweating too much or too little
• Vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation
• Problems with urination or sexual function

Symptoms may range from mild to very strong. They may develop quickly over days or slowly over months and years. But they are rarely life-threatening.

To find out if you have a peripheral nerve disorder, your provider will:

• Ask about your medical history
• Ask about your family health history
• Do a physical exam
• Order tests, which may include:
  • Blood tests
  • Genetic tests
  • Nerve tests that measure:
    • Electrical activity in your nerves and muscles
    • How well your autonomic nerves are working
  • A biopsy of nerve or skin tissue
  • CT or MRI scan to see what may be pressing on your nerves

It's important to treat any conditions that are causing nerve damage. In certain cases, that will allow your nerves to heal over time.

Treatment for symptoms depends on the type of peripheral nerve disorder you have, where it is, and how severe. Treatment options include:

• Braces or splints
• Over-the-counter patches and skin creams
• Prescription medicines
• Non-drug pain management, such as electrical stimulation or relaxation therapy
• Surgery to relieve pressure on a nerve

You can help prevent peripheral nerve disorders by:

• Managing health conditions that may cause nerve damage, especially diabetes
• Preventing falls and accidents
• Avoiding toxic substances
• Being careful to avoid repeated motions and body positions that press on your nerves
• Eating a balanced diet, exercising, limiting alcohol, and not smoking

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a rare brain disease. It happens because of damage to nerve cells in the brain. PSP affects your movement, including control of your walking and balance. It also affects your thinking and eye movement.

PSP is progressive, which means that it gets worse over time.

The cause of PSP is unknown. In rare cases, the cause is a mutation in a certain gene.

One sign of PSP is abnormal clumps of tau in nerve cells in the brain. Tau is a protein in your nervous system, including in nerve cells. Some other diseases also cause a buildup of tau in the brain, including Alzheimer's disease.

PSP usually affects people over 60, but in some cases it can start earlier. It is more common in men.

Symptoms are very different in each person, but they may include:

• A loss of balance while walking. This is often the first symptom.
• Speech problems
• Trouble swallowing
• A blurring of vision and problems controlling eye movement
• Changes in mood and behavior, including depression and apathy (a loss of interest and enthusiasm)
• Mild dementia

There is no specific test for PSP. It can be difficult to diagnose, because the symptoms are similar to other diseases such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

To make a diagnosis, your health care provider will take your medical history and do physical and neurological exams. You may have an MRI or other imaging tests.

There is currently no effective treatment for PSP. Medicines may reduce some symptoms. Some non-drug treatments, such as walking aids and special glasses, may also help. People with severe swallowing problems may need gastrostomy. This is a surgery to insert a feeding tube into the stomach.

PSP gets worse over time. Many people become severely disabled within three to five years after getting it. PSP isn't life-threatening on its own. It can still be be dangerous, because it increases your risk of pneumonia, choking from swallowing problems, and injuries from falling. But with good attention to medical and nutritional needs, many people with PSP can live 10 or more years after the first symptoms of the disease.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels are too high. Glucose comes from foods you eat. The cells of your body need glucose for energy. A hormone called insulin helps the glucose get into your cells.

With type 1 diabetes, your body doesn't make insulin. With type 2 diabetes, your body doesn't make or use insulin well. Without enough insulin, glucose can't get into your cells as quickly as usual. The glucose builds up in your blood and causes high blood sugar levels.

Foot problems are common in people with diabetes. They can happen over time when high blood sugar damages the nerves and blood vessels in the feet. The nerve damage, called diabetic neuropathy, can cause numbness, tingling, pain, or a loss of feeling in your feet.

If you can't feel pain, you may not know when you have a cut, blister, or ulcer (open sore) on your foot. A wound like that could get infected. The infection may not heal well because the damaged blood vessels can cause poor blood flow in your feet.

Having an infection and poor blood flow can lead to gangrene. That means the muscle, skin, and other tissues start to die. If you have gangrene or a foot ulcer that does not get better with treatment, you may need an amputation. This is a surgery to cut off your damaged toe, foot, or part of your leg. It may prevent a bad infection from spreading and could save your life.

But there's a lot you can do to prevent a foot wound from becoming a major health problem.

The best way to protect your feet is by controlling your blood sugar levels every day. This will help keep nerve and blood vessel damage from getting worse. The next step is to keep the skin of your feet healthy.

Good foot care for people with diabetes includes:

• Checking your feet every day. Look for cuts, redness, and other changes in the skin and toenails, including warts or other spots that your shoes could rub. Make sure to check the bottoms of your feet too.
• Washing your feet every day. Use warm water and soap. Don't soak your feet because that can dry out your skin. After you dry your feet, you can use talcum powder or cornstarch between your toes. They soak up moisture that can cause infection. If you use lotion, don't apply it between your toes.
• Asking your doctor how to remove corns and calluses safely. Thick skin on your feet can rub and lead to sores. But removing it the wrong way could damage your skin. So you don't want to cut the skin or use medicated pads or liquid removers.
• Trimming your toenails straight across with a clipper. If it's hard for you to trim your own toenails, or if they're thick or curve into the skin, have a podiatrist (foot doctor) do it for you.
• Always wearing well-fitting shoes and socks or slippers to protect your feet when walking. You don't want to walk barefoot, even indoors. And be sure your shoes are smooth inside. A seam or pebble could rub your skin raw.
• Protecting your feet from heat and cold. Use sunscreen on exposed skin and don't walk barefoot at the beach. In cold weather, wear warm socks instead of warming your feet near a heater or fireplace.
• Keeping the blood flowing in your feet. Put your feet up when you're sitting. Wiggle your toes and circle your feet throughout the day. Don't wear tight socks. And get plenty of activity that's not too hard on the feet, such as walking.
• Getting your feet checked at your health care visits. Even if you haven't noticed a problem, it's good to have your health care provider look at your feet.

Serious foot problems can develop quickly. See your health care provider right away if you notice:

• A cut, blister, or bruise on your feet that doesn't start to heal in a few days
• Red, warm, or painful skin on your feet
• A callus with dried blood inside
• A foot infection that becomes black and smells bad that could be gangrene

Remember, controlling your blood sugar and caring for your feet every day are the best steps you can take to prevent serious diabetic foot problems.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health. It has many benefits, including improving your overall health and fitness, and reducing your risk for many chronic diseases. There are many different types of exercise; it is important that you pick the right types for you. Most people benefit from a combination of them:

• Endurance, or aerobic, activities increase your breathing and heart rate. They keep your heart, lungs, and circulatory system healthy and improve your overall fitness. Examples include brisk walking, jogging, swimming, and biking.
• Strength, or resistance training, exercises make your muscles stronger. Some examples are lifting weights and using a resistance band.
• Balance exercises can make it easier to walk on uneven surfaces and help prevent falls. To improve your balance, try tai chi or exercises like standing on one leg.
• Flexibility exercises stretch your muscles and can help your body stay limber. Yoga and doing various stretches can make you more flexible.

Fitting regular exercise into your daily schedule may seem difficult at first. But you can start slowly, and break your exercise time into chunks. Even doing ten minutes at a time is fine. You can work your way up to doing the recommended amount of exercise. How much exercise you need depends on your age and health.

Other things that you can do to make the most of your workouts include:

• Choosing activities that work all the different parts of the body, including your core (muscles around your back, abdomen, and pelvis). Good core strength improves balance and stability and helps to prevent lower back injury.
• Choosing activities that you enjoy. It's easier to make exercise a regular part of your life if you have fun doing it.
• Exercising safely, with proper equipment, to prevent injuries. Also, listen to your body and don't overdo it.
• Giving yourself goals. The goals should challenge you, but also be realistic. It's also helpful to reward yourself when you reach your goals. The rewards could be something big, like new workout gear, or something smaller, such as movie tickets.

Good posture is about more than standing up straight so you can look your best. It is an important part of your long-term health. Making sure that you hold your body the right way, whether you are moving or still, can prevent pain, injuries, and other health problems.

Posture is how you hold your body. There are two types:

• Dynamic posture is how you hold yourself when you are moving, like when you are walking, running, or bending over to pick up something.
• Static posture is how you hold yourself when you are not moving, like when you are sitting, standing, or sleeping.

It is important to make sure that you have good dynamic and static posture.

The key to good posture is the position of your spine. Your spine has three natural curves - at your neck, mid back, and low back. Correct posture should maintain these curves, but not increase them. Your head should be above your shoulders, and the top of your shoulder should be over the hips.

Poor posture can be bad for your health. Slouching or slumping over can:

• Misalign your musculoskeletal system
• Wear away at your spine, making it more fragile and prone to injury
• Cause neck, shoulder, and back pain
• Decrease your flexibility
• Affect how well your joints move
• Affect your balance and increase your risk of falling
• Make it harder to digest your food
• Make it harder to breathe

• Be mindful of your posture during everyday activities, like watching television, washing dishes, or walking
• Stay active. Any kind of exercise may help improve your posture, but certain types of exercises can be especially helpful. They include yoga, tai chi, and other classes that focuses on body awareness. It is also a good idea to do exercises that strengthen your core (muscles around your back, abdomen, and pelvis).
• Maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight can weaken your abdominal muscles, cause problems for your pelvis and spine, and contribute to low back pain. All of these can hurt your posture.
• Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes. High heels, for example, can throw off your balance and force you to walk differently. This puts more stress on your muscles and harms your posture.
• Make sure work surfaces are at a comfortable height for you, whether you're sitting in front of a computer, making dinner, or eating a meal.

Many Americans spend a lot of their time sitting - either at work, at school, or at home. It is important to sit properly, and to take frequent breaks:

• Switch sitting positions often
• Take brief walks around your office or home
• Gently stretch your muscles every so often to help relieve muscle tension
• Don't cross your legs; keep your feet on the floor, with your ankles in front of your knees
• Make sure that your feet touch the floor, or if that's not possible, use a footrest
• Relax your shoulders; they should not be rounded or pulled backwards
• Keep your elbows in close to your body. They should be bent between 90 and 120 degrees.
• Make sure that your back is fully supported. Use a back pillow or other back support if your chair does not have a backrest that can support your lower back's curve.
• Make sure that your thighs and hips are supported. You should have a well-padded seat, and your thighs and hips should be parallel to the floor.

• Stand up straight and tall
• Keep your shoulders back
• Pull your stomach in
• Put your weight mostly on the balls of your feet
• Keep your head level
• Let your arms hang down naturally at your sides
• Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart

With practice, you can improve your posture; you will look and feel better.

Being a couch potato. Not exercising. A sedentary or inactive lifestyle. You have probably heard of all of these phrases, and they mean the same thing: a lifestyle with a lot of sitting and lying down, with very little to no exercise.

In the United States and around the world, people are spending more and more time doing sedentary activities. During our leisure time, we are often sitting: while using a computer or other device, watching TV, or playing video games. Many of our jobs have become more sedentary, with long days sitting at a desk. And the way most of us get around involves sitting - in cars, on buses, and on trains.

When you have an inactive lifestyle,:

• You burn fewer calories. This makes you more likely to gain weight.
• You may lose muscle strength and endurance, because you are not using your muscles as much
• Your bones may get weaker and lose some mineral content
• Your metabolism may be affected, and your body may have more trouble breaking down fats and sugars
• Your immune system may not work as well
• You may have poorer blood circulation
• Your body may have more inflammation
• You may develop a hormonal imbalance

Having an inactive lifestyle can be one of the causes of many chronic diseases. By not getting regular exercise, you raise your risk of:

• Obesity
• Heart diseases, including coronary artery disease and heart attack
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Stroke
• Metabolic syndrome
• Type 2 diabetes
• Certain cancers, including colon, breast, and uterine cancers
• Osteoporosis and falls
• Increased feelings of depression and anxiety

Having a sedentary lifestyle can also raise your risk of premature death. And the more sedentary you are, the higher your health risks are.

If you have been inactive, you may need to start slowly. You can keep adding more exercise gradually. The more you can do, the better. But try not to feel overwhelmed, and do what you can. Getting some exercise is always better than getting none. Eventually, your goal can be to get the recommended amount of exercise for your age and health.

There are many different ways to get exercise; it is important to find the types that are best for you. You can also try to add activity to your life in smaller ways, such as at home and at work.

There are some ways you can be active around your house:

• Housework, gardening, and yard work are all physical work. To increase the intensity, you could try doing them at a more vigorous pace.
• Keep moving while you watch TV. Lift hand weights, do some gentle yoga stretches, or pedal an exercise bike. Instead of using the TV remote, get up and change the channels yourself.
• Work out at home with a workout video (on your TV or on the internet)
• Go for a walk in your neighborhood. It can be more fun if you walk your dog, walk your kids to school, or walk with a friend.
• Stand up when talking on the phone
• Get some exercise equipment for your home. Treadmills and elliptical trainers are great, but not everyone has the money or space for one. Less expensive equipment such as yoga balls, exercise mats, stretch bands, and hand weights can help you get a workout at home too.

Most of us sit when we are working, often in front of a computer. In fact, less than 20% of Americans have physically active jobs. It can be challenging to fit physical activity into your busy workday, but here are some tips to help you get moving:

• Get up from your chair and move around at least once an hour
• Stand when you are talking on the phone
• Find out whether your company can get you a stand-up or treadmill desk
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Use your break or part of your lunch hour to walk around the building
• Stand up and walk to a colleague's office instead of sending an email
• Have "walking" or standing meetings with co-workers instead of sitting in a conference room

Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health. It has many benefits. It can improve your overall health and fitness and reduce your risk for many chronic diseases.To get the most benefit, here's how much physical activity you should get:

Get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity each week. Or you could do a combination of the two.:

• Try to spread your physical activity out over several days of the week. That's better than trying to do it all in one or two days.
• Some days you may not have long blocks of time to do physical activity. You can try splitting it up into segments of ten minutes or more.
• Aerobic activities include walking fast, jogging, swimming, and biking
• Moderate intensity means that while you are doing that activity, you should be able to say a few words in a row but not sing
• Vigorous intensity means that while you are doing that activity, you won't be able to say more than a few words without stopping for a breath

Also, do strengthening activities twice per week.:

• Strengthening activities include lifting weights, working with exercise bands, and doing sit-ups and pushups
• Choose activities that work all the different parts of the body - your legs, hips, back, chest, stomach, shoulders, and arms. You should repeat exercises for each muscle group 8 to 12 times per session.

Preschool children should be physically active throughout the day, to help with their growth and development.

They should get both structured and unstructured active play. Structured play has a goal and is directed by an adult. Examples include playing a sport or a game. Unstructured play is creative free play, such as playing on a playground.

Get 60 minutes or more of physical activity every day. Most of it should be moderate-intensity aerobic activity.:

• Activities should vary and be a good fit for the child's age and physical development
• Moderate-intensity aerobic activities include walking, running, skipping, playing on the playground, playing basketball, and biking

Also, try to get each of these at least 3 days a week: vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, muscle-strengthening activity, and bone-strengthening activity.:

• Vigorous-intensity aerobic activities include running, doing jumping jacks, and fast swimming
• Muscle-strengthening activities include playing on playground equipment, playing tug-of-war, and doing pushups and pull-ups
• Bone-strengthening activities include hopping, skipping, doing jumping jacks, playing volleyball, and working with resistance bands

Older adults, pregnant women, and people who have special health needs should check with their health care provider on how much physical activity they should get and what types of activities they should do.

People who are trying to lose weight may need to get more physical activity. They also need to adjust their diet, so they are burning more calories than they eat and drink.

If you have been inactive, you may need to start slowly. You can keep adding more gradually. The more you can do, the better. But try not to feel overwhelmed, and do what you can. Getting some physical activity is always better than getting none.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute