I (27m) have always considered myself “mildly athletic” but never became competitive in any one discipline. I’m an amateur kayaker, rock climber, bicyclist, mountaineer, and water skiier. I maintain a healthy diet, get 10k steps at work, and do not use alcohol or drugs.
However, over the last year I realized I rarely have enough tendons free of pain to choose what I’d like to do. When my right rotator or left bicep tendon are having fits, I’m forced to hike. When my left hamstring or right meniscus are weak I have to kayak, you get the point.
Is this just the way things are from this point on?
19 comments
I’m 48 and still only get occasional significant aches and pains. I’m not nearly as active as you so I’m not stressing my body that hard. Well, I do lift, but I have adequate rest between sessions. I’m not constantly pushing on a daily basis like you are…
It gets worse. At a certain age, you even have trouble getting out of bed. However, if you continue with the lifestyle you now have, you will just postpone that day. So good on you and go on.
But it won’t hurt to get a physical exam and have some blood work done. Make sure it is a reliable clinic.
Personally, for as long as I can remember, so early childhood.
IMO most people with chronic pain like you either have an overactive life style or was too sedentary. Like they say, moderation in everything. I’m 40 and all i’ve done is weight lifting on-and-off since college. I don’t really have any chronic pain or anything. Well, besides my knees which I hurt when I was in high school trying to overcome pain from cross country running. Yeah, don’t try to overcome pain like that, it’s stupid.
Stay flexible, and find out which pains are destructive and which are not.
I started a downhill slide at about 30. Nearly 60 now, and it’s been very gradual. I still have a lot of strength, but I pay pretty dearly with soreness for using it. I’m not nearly as flexible as I used to be. Arthritis is starting up in my hands and shoulders. I’ve had my knees replaced. I’m kind of falling apart, but I’m becoming more convinced I need to fight it.
My sons are now bigger and stronger than me. One is almost your age. They look at me with a little pity when I’m hurting, and that makes it hurt more.
I know I heal slower than I used to, and that’s a really big hurdle to jump. Having been an athlete when I was in my late teens, I remember being young, energetic and invincible. It’s a bitter pull to swallow when you figure out you’re mortal and aging.
Sounds like you don’t stretch. Try yoga, it’ll help you learn some basics even if you don’t stick with group classes!
That’s not an age thing you’re dealing with. I feel better than you while I’m a couple years older AND dealing with an acl injury. I’m working hard to come back from this injury and my body generally feels good and I feel as I have my whole adult life. I have plans to be even more athletic than I ever was.
Maybe try stretching more or picking up yoga. You could always mention it to your doctors too.
I’m 46. At any given time I can stop whatever I’m doing and be aware of general discomfort and pains. But mostly I instinctively ignore them.
Bout 50 for me.
I started noticing a lot more minor pains cropping up around 35.
Try eliminating foods from your diet. I feel my best, as do plenty of others, on strict carnivore. Any introduction of plant life back into my diet and I get joint aches back.
https://youtu.be/Mbf5DYYXZsc
I am 29 and I have no problems, expect my left wrist which I broke a few years ago. I can’t finger snap anymore with my left hand.
Is your diet good? a lot of inflammation comes from your diet , if you dont have existing injuries I would start exploring my diet.
I’m fifty six, four miles a day running, average seventeen thousand steps on top of that a day by avoiding driving, Saturday mornings are for treadmill sprints and i lift three times a week. Nothing hurts, not even my knees and I appreciate that I am very lucky in that respect.
For me it was my 40s – both shoulders, one knee, hair started thinning, hearing got bad
If I’d know I was gonna live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself
I’m glad my dick still works
Depends on the individual. I was always athletic,worked construction for a living and really had no problems until my early 50s when my back gave out.From there I mostly retired and spent the next 15 years hiking,cycling,snowshoeing,skiing and kayaking which all helped alleviate the chronic pain
As others have said … look in to your diet. Some food promote inflammation in a mild way… you don’t notice when you eat them but over time they can cause joint or other pain.
I used to have knee pain after I did anything strenuous like pushing a wheelbarrow, and that went away after I mostly eliminated wheat from my diet. Other people have issues with milk. You would have to do some experiments.
It’s not just some ‘well you’re not a teenager any more’ thing. I used to have pain, now I’m 54 and I don’t, and I still lift at the gym and stay active.
Around the same as you it seems. I eat well and stay in good shape, but I have some chronic injuries now.
Right rotator cuff, left knee and left elbow are the main ones I have to be careful of.
It’s about striking the balance of keeping them strong but not overdoing it.
I just don’t bounce back like I once did. I once slept “wrong” and my neck was in pain for 3 days.
I did martial arts for 20+ years and never really had many aches or pains. But I concentrated on a lot of stretching. I would suggest adding some yoga exercises, especially after you work out. I’m in my 50s now, and other than some back pain (I’m 6’2″), I don’t have a lot of aches and pains.