How Do You Use A Grocery Cart?

[hazelm]

Does anyone else use a grocery cart for balance.  Oh, you'll put a few groceries in it but, basically, it keeps you in balance.  Makes walking easier.  I do it.  I didn't think of anyone else doing it until a friend told how her husband does it.  And, if you concentrate on it, you'll realize the real reason you want a cart is to make strolling down the aisles easier.

 

From there, my memory takes me back to university where many a professor, especially in the field of biology, would say "Man was never meant to walk upright."   Our walking upright was alleged to be the cause of backaches.

 

Do they still blame backaches on walking upright?

[fahrquad]

I use it as a battering ram when someone stops dead center in the middle of the aisle to read a label and refuses to move no matter how many times you politely say "excuse me".

[fahrquad]

Getting to the bio-mechanical aspects of an upright posture, anything less than upright leads to back pain.  We lack the muscles or the muscle tone to assume an out of balance posture.  If we had longer arms that reached the ground when leaning forward we would be more like our "less developed" primate cousins.  This would take care of the balance and back issues but would deprive us of the use of our hands, and the ability to manipulate our environment is what made us what we are.

[hazelm]

Getting to the bio-mechanical aspects of an upright posture, anything less than upright leads to back pain.  We lack the muscles or the muscle tone to assume an out of balance posture.  If we had longer arms that reached the ground when leaning forward we would be more like our "less developed" primate cousins.  This would take care of the balance and back issues but would deprive us of the use of our hands, and the ability to manipulate our environment is what made us what we are.

Correct all the way.  So, in a way, we are developing stronger backs and legs to support that "not meant to be" upright position.  If you watch people walking or standing,  you can spot those who are better at upright than others.  They really stand out.  Do you see it?

 

Maybe add to that the number of people I know who need a cane to walk and still are not steady but get them in the car and they drive just fine.  The legs seem to give out first.  They do fine from a sitting position.

[hazelm]

I use it as a battering ram when someone stops dead center in the middle of the aisle to read a label and refuses to move no matter how many times you politely say "excuse me".

Hmmm!  I think I've bumped into you a few times.  Barge straight ahead, dead center, never looking right or left.  Yep.  :-)

 

I once met up with a man who was on his phone talking to his wife as he went aisle to aisle, asking her which and what she wanted.  He told us his wife was at home and instructing him as he went along the aisles.  :-)

[fahrquad]

Hmmm!  I think I've bumped into you a few times.  Barge straight ahead, dead center, never looking right or left.  Yep.  :-)

 

I once met up with a man who was on his phone talking to his wife as he went aisle to aisle, asking her which and what she wanted.  He told us his wife was at home and instructing him as he went along the aisles.  :-)

 

I usually do the grocery shopping and the cooking, so I know where everything is, but when I have the wife stop by the grocery store I have the shopping list laid out in the sequence she will find the items on each aisle.  She says it helps, but it still seems like it takes her twice as long.  I suppose the onslaught of all of the new products to choose from may be a little distracting.

[hazelm]

I usually do the grocery shopping and the cooking, so I know where everything is, but when I have the wife stop by the grocery store I have the shopping list laid out in the sequence she will find the items on each aisle.  She says it helps, but it still seems like it takes her twice as long.  I suppose the onslaught of all of the new products to choose from may be a little distracting.

Yes, all the new products make it hard to find the good stuff that we used to buy.  I am suspicious of the unfamiliar.  I want what I grew up on and like. 

 

Then, too, the owners keep moving things around.  Bread is in aisle one for years.  Suddenly it isn't there any more and I can't find it.  Or ask them for tapioca and they never heard of it.  We eat "quick-serv" nowadays.  What do we know of tapioca pearls?  :-)

[fahrquad]

I know what you mean about the pudding.  If it ain't chocolate or vanilla they don't have it.  Tapioca is my favorite, but is about as hard to find as the much hated butterscotch.  Most people don't realize that the pearls are made of gelatin.  I had assumed that gelatin was made from algae (agar) these days, but it turns out it is still made from animal collagen.

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jell-O

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agar

[GAHD]

I think it really depends on posture and walking rhythm. Heal-ball-toe walking that's enforced by most types of "flat-foot" shoes add more shock to each step which compresses in every joint up the spine, mid/lower back seems to get the worst of that compression. If you walk ball-toe and use knee and ankle joints as flexible cushions it helps a lot in all manner of balance and wear-and-tear issues on the down step.

On carts, i tend to grab them by the side with my off-hand so i can "pull" next to me while I toss items inside. Probably that elder millennial need o be efficient at every single thing.

[hazelm]

I think it really depends on posture and walking rhythm. Heal-ball-toe walking that's enforced by most types of "flat-foot" shoes add more shock to each step which compresses in every joint up the spine, mid/lower back seems to get the worst of that compression. If you walk ball-toe and use knee and ankle joints as flexible cushions it helps a lot in all manner of balance and wear-and-tear issues on the down step.

 

On carts, i tend to grab them by the side with my off-hand so i can "pull" next to me while I toss items inside. Probably that elder millennial need o be efficient at every single thing.

If you walk ball-toe and use knee and ankle joints as flexible cushions

 

You've lost me.  No heel at all?  I have no idea how I walk.  Just walk.  But that cart does help, as others have said.

[fahrquad]

I think what he is saying is that if you fill your shoes with Jello brand gelatin it will cushion your steps thereby avoiding foot and knee injury.

[fahrquad]

In all seriousness, a good pair of running shoes will provide the support and alignment necessary for an upright stance.  Ball/toe (or heel/toe) refers to a walking pattern striking with the heel first then rolling off the toes as you move into the next step.  See attached video.  Note the woman in the left frame is standing erect, then watch the sequence her foot hits and leaves the floor.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8Veye-N0A4

[fahrquad]

Try stepping without your heel hitting first if you want to learn how to walk very quietly.  It can come in handy if you want to see what your husband is really watching on his computer. 

[hazelm]

I think what he is saying is that if you fill your shoes with Jello brand gelatin it will cushion your steps thereby avoiding foot and knee injury.

All right.  Not far off.  They do make an insole with just such type of filling.  I tried some once.  They fell good but make the shoes too tight.  Only SAS knows how to make a boxy, spacey shoe and even they can't handle them.

 

Thanks

[hazelm]

In all seriousness, a good pair of running shoes will provide the support and alignment necessary for an upright stance.  Ball/toe (or heel/toe) refers to a walking pattern striking with the heel first then rolling off the toes as you move into the next step.  See attached video.  Note the woman in the left frame is standing erect, then watch the sequence her foot hits and leaves the floor.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8Veye-N0A4

A very graceful dance. 

Edited April 9, 2019 by hazelm