I think many of us can relate to what you’re saying to some degree. One day you can do it all and then even thougj you did all that, one day your body just isn’t as efficient!
I think this is a time when MENTAL needs to join the physical workout. It is ok to drop things down a notch or to make a deal with the stretching exercises even though not long ago you didn’t need to worry about that!
Thanks for sharing and post here more often!
Our PCP is a D.O. so he’s particularly good with musculoskeletal stuff. That doc fixed my spouse’s longtime sacroiliac joint issue by noticing a difference in leg length, ordering x-rays to confirm, and then prescribing an orthotic in one shoe.
I suspected I needed PT but wanted his opinion. He sent me for an x-ray to rule out anything more serious, gave me some benzos to help, and referred me to PT who actually got me in like the next day. It was great.
I’d tweaked my lower back on many occasions in the past and all I’d needed to do was alter my behavior for a bit, and then I’d recover fully. This time was different. I never fully healed and then other problems started snowballing from my lack of mobility. I was in quite a state by the time I saw my doctor.
The PT was so effective I told my spouse “you should really go to PT for your knee”. The doc had given my spouse a list of PT exercises to try but they all look so dumb you don’t think it will do any good. So after seeing me get so much better doing stupid little exercises, my spouse’s plan is to try the D.O.'s recommended exercises at home for a few weeks and then follow up to see what he thinks about progress or lack thereof.
That sure seems to be the theme as we’re getting older! It is amazing how things can feel like they change overnight. Like one day my spouse could run (fast!), and then the next day said “I think I’m done running, like, forever”. That was inspired by an incident several months earlier in which the knee felt better, and then a 6 mile spite run resulted in buying a CANE the next day and hobbling around pathetically for weeks! That was the end of such extreme activities, and after trying some more modest running stints, my spouse decided the running days were over. Luckily our long bike rides still seem okay.
I’ve lurked on this thread but haven’t posted, but I’ll chime in now! Currently laying down to rest my back in the middle of a full day of cooking. That’s a thing I have to do every couple hours now. Sigh.
This made me chuckle. In my old running life, I (and my online running buds) would always refer to our “dumb PT exercises.” They look so stupid and one would think useless, but they are deceiving! They do work! And then you get better, and then get lazy with the exercises, and repeat cycle…
Yes!! They are seriously SO dumb. Especially if you’re used to doing way more demanding exercises for fitness. I kept picturing Suzanne Somers with her thighmaster, or the elderly people from PBS’s old Sit and Be Fit program. One of my first ones was literally to lay down with my feet flat on the ground and my knees up, and then to contract my butt by TEN PERCENT, lol. It was actually really hard to do and my contractions were all jerky, which of course signaled that I really needed to be doing the dumb exercises.
I will readily admit that for a long time - like until recently - I didn’t feel I had exercised until I was sweating like a hog and out of breath. Like running or a fast pace on the Airdyne. No doubt I prefer cardio. But more recently I also have found myself burning out on things like running AND having those overnight aches and pains …. I know that stretching, weights, HIIT as just as and even more important. The Apple Watch still gets closed!
For those who lament declining abilities on old exercise habits… think about giving pickleball a try. Honestly one of my favorite things about pickleball is that I improve all the time. I am still not very good, but in my 60s it’s fun to see steady progress. Plus it’s a very social game - love seeing all ages on the courts, often intermingling.
Another vote for pickleball.
All of us on here “know” this, but any movement is better than no movement, and even if pickleball isn’t as “good” exercise-wise at tennis, it’s good exercise, and good fun. It can also be quite a bit of exercise, depending on who’s playing and how hard they are trying.
Pickleball isn’t just about the exercise (and the socializations, and at my level… plenty of laughter). It’s good for the brain to be thinking about learning somethng new, strategy, court position, scoring. LOL - sometimes when we are struggling to remember score (especially when tired), I say “how can this NOT be good for our brains?”
More PB info here
For those considering PB and not wanting to read all of those posts, do be aware that starting something new does introduce chance of injury. So I’ll net out some safety tips discussed in the thread:
I think this post is very helpful and interested people should take it seriously. I really enjoyed playing pickleball, but unfortunately, I ruptured my right achilles heel while playing about 15 months ago. I had a complete rupture so surgery was required. The injury did not hurt when it occurred, but the recovery process has been much much harder than I anticipated. I won’t go into too much detail now, but I am still not back to pre injury self. I am a very active person so it’s very frustrating that my walking pace is still slow. I am now just slightly jogging as part of warm up. I have actively worked with a PT for 6 months last year and again this year for the last couple of months. I lost so much strength overall from this injury. I am definitely better now, but I still have a lot of work to do to get back to pre injury self.
I just continue to do my thing -mostly pickleball and biking, with some walking as needed. I do think I’ve picked up a little weight lately, so I’m trying to do a better job with my eating. I am not dieting, but I’m paying attention. I think I was at my maximum desirable weight when I went to doc a couple of weeks ago, but I would like to lose just a couple of pounds, which may come naturally now that the weather is warmer.
Hey I ran today! Not unusual, but it was a good one. Had some spring in my step. I’ve been doing pretty well lately, knock on wood, and I have seen some not common… or not unheard of, but not typical, wildlife. Last Friday, a skunk ran across the road in front of me. I tried to get pictures (from a distance), but it was still dark and my camera was taking too long to get it, so they are all blurry… See below. That’s my best one, lol. And then this morning I saw a turtle. They are more common, but still not typical.
Edit - my photo app just told me it was a snapping turtle. Those are more uncommon I think. A couple of years ago, H tried to move one out of the road - not knowing it was a snapping turtle - and it about took his thumb off! I’m glad I didn’t try to move this one
Funny you should mention a turtle. I was driving down our driveway this morning and saw a fairly large turtle. I don’t see them in our neighborhood very often, but we bike ride at a refuge and I see them on the road there sometimes.
I had a short treadmill run today as we have a lot of smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Air quality not the greatest. Couldn’t pass up the special Apple badge!
Interesting study from Sweden:
“Daily physical activity at age 11 was associated with a 12% lower risk of a psychiatric diagnosis at age 18 for every hour of activity recorded, according to research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
The study examined data from over 16,000 children born between 1997 and 1999 in Sweden whose families recorded their daily physical activity information at ages 5, 8 and 11.
Physical activity decreased the risk of anxiety by almost 40% for boys at both 5 and 11, the study found. The same held true for depression and boys: Physical activity was associated with a 19% reduction in depression among boys at age 5 and 23% at age 8.
At age 11, physical activity was associated with a decreased risk for depression for both boys and girls. Participation in organized sports at age 11 correlated with a reduced risk of mental health diagnoses — 12% lower for girls and 23% for boys, the researchers wrote.”
Glad we spent all that time shuttling our offspring to their practices. 
Had a great walk with DW this morning. Earlier this year, she figured out a couple of connecting paths that let us get to one of favorite breakfast places while minimizing time on busy streets. The direct route is a mile with almost all on busy street. Her new way is 1.5 miles with 1/2 on bike/walking paths. It is way more pleasant.
So bottom line, a lovely walk broken up with a yummy breakfast.
I’m having a great rest day today, thank you very much. 
Powerlifting Competition 
“Murph”
1/2 Marathon 
I saw this on the news and said “WOW!”
