Kathie Lee Gifford, 72, says chronic pain kept her from running and playing with her grandkids

At 72, Kathie Lee Gifford says she's finally back to doing something she missed: running around with her five young grandkids.

In an interview with People published on Tuesday, Gifford spoke about how chronic pain had prevented her from keeping up with her grandchildren, all of whom are under 5 years old.

"I couldn't carry them, I couldn't love on them, I couldn't run and play with them," Gifford said. "All I could do was sit there and sing and write silly songs with them."

The former "Today" show host said years of physically demanding work throughout her career had caught up with her.

Living with chronic pain made Gifford reluctant to leave the house, something she said reminded her of her late husband, Frank Gifford, in the years before his death in 2015.

"Frank said to me before he passed, 'When I go somewhere, I know what people are expecting from me. I want to be Frank Gifford when I go out,'" she said, recalling his words.

"I want to be Kathie Lee, the person they expect. I don't want to disappoint people. But when you're in pain, it's so debilitating, and everything's a grimace. I've had emotional pain many times in my life, but never this chronic physical pain where you literally want to go home to Jesus," she added.

Over the past year, Gifford has also undergone several surgeries and recovered from multiple injuries, including a total hip replacement, a broken arm, and cataract surgery.

Even so, Gifford said she continued to find reasons to laugh.

"I feel like Mr. Potato Head! One thing falls off and then another," she said. "But you have to have a sense of humor about everything. Thank God I've never lost that, even in my bleakest moments."

These days, Gifford said she's focused on regaining her mobility through physical therapy and stem cell therapy. She added that her recovery has allowed her to stay active with her grandchildren again.

"They're all fantastic," Gifford said. "I'm hoping, Lord willing, that I have many, many years with them."

Chronic pain affects about 52 million adults in the US, or roughly one in five people, according to 2021 estimates from the CDC.

Research suggests that regular exercise can increase pain tolerance.

According to Harvard Health, gentle aerobic exercises, such as brisk walking, swimming, and cycling, can improve cardiovascular health and ease pain in the limbs caused by poor circulation.

Several celebrities have also shared that regular exercise has helped them stay strong and mobile as they age.

Helen Mirren, 80, has said that she still relies on a 12-minute workout created by the Royal Canadian Air Force in the 1950s to keep fit, while Dick Van Dyke, 100, has said that his secret to living a long life is going to the gym thrice a week.