In middle age after exercising a lot do you feel like a 20 year old, but walk like a 75 year old?
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Anonymous
| I'm in my early 50s and I love exercise for well-being, stress management and vanity reasons. My summer work schedule is more manageable and I don't have to help the kids with homework so I have even more time for a variety of exercise and I enjoy it and feel so young...until an hour or 2 later. I am not in pain (because I have learned my middle age limits) and I'm not out of shape because I exercise all year, but I guess I'm stiff. To be honest I feel young inside, but I walk the way my parents did when they were declining into dementia/Alzheimers for the rest of the evening and then the next morning I have a little more spring in my step again. I feel like my gait changes as my body recovers and I'm all stiff. A few hours prior I might have been say running on a treadmill or playing pickball and then here I am with a slow stiff gait wondering why my body isn't moving faster. My doctor said it's probably some mild osteoarthritis. Anyone else feel like exercise invigorates and makes you feel young while doing it and then suddenly you are walking like you are 85 years old? |
Anonymous
| You need to start doing mobility work |
Anonymous
Are these special exercises or just stretches? Should I schedule some PT sessions to learn the proper way to do motility work? |
Anonymous
| Have you tried water aerobics or swim? Seems easier on joints. Also yoga to gently stretch. |
Anonymous
|
All of the above plus you might want to try upgrading your shoes to a more supportive style.
Also, stop going barefoot for a while and see if that helps. Use slippers or decent slip on sandals around the house. |
Anonymous
It's a good suggestion, but one of the few forms of exercise I don't enjoy is swimming and i hate being in a pool. I love looking at water and hiking near water or walking by the ocean, but have never enjoyed any water sports. I keep saying I will try yoga and I do some yoga exercises to help my back that I learned in PT years ago, but I find for stress relief I absolutely love major endorphins so I really gravitate toward getting some intensity in. When I take an exercise class it needs to get my heart going and I need to be hyper! I once took an dance-ish exercise class that was low impact and i hated it. Give me high energy Zumba and I am happy as can be. |
Anonymous
This is key and I did figure this one out already. If I don't update my orthotics and my shoes often enough I have pain so I am pretty diligent. So these days i rarely feel pain, but the stiff walk makes me feel so old. |
Anonymous
I recommend the book Built to Move. It is all about how to move more easily now and as you age. It gives you tests to grade your current mobility level and offers illustrations with mobilizing positions you can do to improve. It provides insight into all your joints and how to expand and maintain range of motion. It is a book designed for all ages and fitness types. I also think a good pt would help, especially if it is mild osteoarthritis. But either way I recommend the book so you have your own concept of what “optimal” movement looks and feels like. |
Anonymous
How much do you weigh? I was a very active 53 year old female who had joint pain…. I lost 30 lbs (173 to 143) and have no pain or stiffness at 54. I exercised all the time like you and it’s not until I lost 20 lbs when the joint pain went away. Look at your diet and make sure you’re at a healthy weight. |
Anonymous
| Take turmeric gummies |
Anonymous
| OP checking back in. I do take turmeric. It actually helped me with another physical issue. Regarding weight-I am overweight, but great bloodwork, the blood pressure of dreams, and I eat a very clean diet. I have thyroid issues and I seem to be following in the footsteps of my ancestors-healthy eating and exercise, but in middle age go from normal weight/thin to overweight, but not obese. I am trying to get my BMI below 25, but in terms of health indicators I am a healthy overweight. I follow the old weightwatchers point system, but have noticed if I don't eat at the very bottom of the range I either gain weight or stagnate. If i ever do lose more weight I am curious to see if this issue goes away! |
Anonymous
| I do a yoga class after a high intensity class. Flexibility is tremendously important. Yoga is excellent for posture and for balance as well. |
Anonymous
|
You might find this book helpful - written by a middle-aged doctor and a middle-aged athlete, both female. The answer is yes, your body is changing and you may need to change your diet and exercise routine to meet the needs of your changing body.
The Next Level by Stacy Sims with Selene Yeager https://www.drstacysims.com/nextlevel |
Anonymous
| OP, I feel ya. Sixty one and for the most part, a young 61. I got on a ladder two weeks ago to hand stitch a repair to our screen porch awning. Up and down, moving the ladder, twisting sides ways, altogether 10 hours. Will be two weeks this Wednesday and the pain and stiffness in my thigh and knee has out of this world, but slowly healing. I feel 90! |
Anonymous
| Not yet. I am 52 and walk very fast and energetic. have cervical stenosis, mild so I too am stiff a ton in the neck and shoulder area. |