quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:
FYI, my pain tolerance is pretty good.

That’s good because I am convinced that one of the main reasons people decline in so many ways as they age is because they surrender and stop doing things because of pain. There’s no way to experience anyone else’s pain and really know how it affects others, so I’m not going to claim I’m some sort of paragon, but I don’t use my UpLULA just because it hurts to load my pistol magazines and I don’t reach for the jar opener aid unless trying (and hurting) doesn’t work first.

There are of course limits to what we can endure, but it seems to me that many people give up before they reach those limits and then it becomes a downward spiral.

And oh, yeah: If we’re giving advice to younger people (okay, to younger men because they’re the ones who need it), point out to them that if they do things to damage their bodies when they’re young, all those things will mature and increase in effect like savings bonds, except in the negative way of course. That won’t keep them from doing those things that damage their bodies when they’re young because they won’t have any way of understanding what you’re talking about, but it will give them additional things to think about in later years when they wonder, “Was that really worth it?”

Arthritis in my right hip, my hands are showing signs, if I sneeze wrong I aggravate a shoulder/back issue, certain ways I sleep will cause my arms to go numb or my neck to stiffen up. I just hit 48 last month but I feel like I’ve got more years than that on the odometer. Getting old isn’t for pussies.

pretty much

i rotate through the NSAIDs maybe 2x per week (Tylenol / Aleve / Motrin) just taking one dose when I'm feeling a little sore

i am mid-50s but have been 'fit' all my life. still lift / run / can surf, etc stuff just gets sore sometimes and stays that way for longer

for example -- i went 2-ish months with solid pain in my right shoulder joint when I attempted pull-ups

so i modified my workouts for weeks working around the issue... now the pain is gone and I'm back to pull ups ... no real rhyme or reason, I'm guessing there was some inflammation in that joint that needed some time to heal...

just gotta be smart and keep moving

of course -- if you suffer something serious -- by all means see a doc

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Thank you all for the replies. It gives me some food for thought.

So last night I had about 40 minutes on the speed bags. I did quite a few pull ups and hung from the platform, stretching my arms and back. My wife has this muscle massager and I used that on my neck, after taking the meds. This morning I feel better than I have in a month.

The biggest thing for me is that I don’t like taking meds. The Advil or Tylenol isn’t that bad, but the other stuff I don’t care for.

So yeah, I am 45 and the arthritis in the wrists is pretty bad when you look at the images. There is pretty much no cartridge and there is bone loss. What’s odd, is my wrists don’t feel any different than they did when I was 20. The wrists I can look back and say that there are three major contributors to the damage. 40 years of BMX riding (yeah, the small “kids” bikes 20” wheels and no shocks) and lots of jumps when riding. 20 years of boxing and martial arts, lots of punching a heavy bag. Last but not least, using a powered auger for quite a few years in Dallas Texas, and digging thousands upon thousands of fence post holes.

If I can exercise and stretch and this gets better soon, I will skip the doctor. If it sticks around much longer, I will see what they have to say. Mrs. Cooker wants me to do yoga with her. Maybe this will get me to start with her. It just seems so boring and lame, and my god, BORING.

Sigfreund, I agree with you completely. I think too many people just give up because something hurts. I’m not advocating hurting one self, but you should always know where that line is, between something being painful but okay, and actually causing injury.

As far as climate, I live in a relatively warm, and very dry area. Cottonwood AZ is at 3500 feet and rain or moisture of any kind has been scarce to say the least. It’s definitely not a cold or humid place. Even in winter, it warms up nicely most days.

Thank you all again for the insight.

Yes for me. I was very active in my 20s and early 30s, but repeated minor injuries over the years turned into some real problems as I approached 40. I had 2 minor surgeries (shoulder and hip) to try and avoid major surgeries down the road. The theme for my 40s is I get stiff very easily, and things regularly feel “out of whack” from a muscle/joint standpoint. I’ve been on all those meds in the past, but what I’ve found to be the best defense personally is- run/jog at least 2 miles twice a week, stretch for 10 minutes 4 times a week, and I see a Chiropractor every 2-3 weeks. As long as I do those things I generally don’t need any meds including Advil/Tylenol.

I hope that you’re soon better, Beancooker. But you ought to schedule an appointment with your GP.

I’m very fortunate. I’m definitely “getting up there”, but have no pain of any sort. I walk 4+ miles most days, do morning floor exercises, and keep my weight in check.

As I enter my dotage I am amazed at how many things can hurt all at once. My pains no longer take turns, it's all come to stay.

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
All of my sports injuries that I thought were healed have come back to haunt me at night.

quote:

Originally posted by Whisp:
I was very active in my 20s and early 30s, but repeated minor injuries over the years turned into some real problems as I approached 40.

Yep. Being a large active guy, with the addition of a rough and tumble career, is paying dividends in pain as I age.

Yep. Imagine what a waste of time 30 minutes of stretching seems like when you're youngish. That 30 minutes is time very well spent a few decades later. If I manage even five minutes before crawling from the blankets a few times a week, I feel "better".

i use wrist wraps now for all my upper body workouts

similar to these but not this exact brand

https://www.amazon.com/Premium...d=1601475778&sr=8-26

and definitely wrap when hitting the heavy bag

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I'm going to take a wild unprofessional guess that it could be nerve pain caused by arthritis in the neck. For me that was the case. Eventually subsides but can pop back up. The initial occurrence for me was very severe pain that took a couple months to heal. Very little would help it. Had to have a MRI to diagnose conclusively. Nerve pain is weird. Feels like a major injury but the source is often not even close to where it hurts.

I have started to take Turmeric after I learned it is an anti-inflammatory and the down sides of constant inflammation in the body.
That and a multivitamin and some fish oil.

Started walking back in March with work from home, now walk about 5 miles every morning.

Been feeling good, side benefit, I noticed my being able to pee a nice stream again, versus peeing four different directions. Since 40, I have been getting my annual physical and the old "moon river" as well. Planning to get my colon checked this year as I am over 50 now, and hearing about guys and gals my age or less dying from colon cancer, yeesh.

Getting old does suck!

Twenty five years after the Bears won the Superbowl, the Chicago papers published a story on how the former players were doing. All were in pretty sad shape, except for the QB who developed problems later. You are probably in better shape than those guys, but your youthful injuries do catch up with you.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
Twenty five years after the Bears won the Superbowl, the Chicago papers published a story on how the former players were doing. All were in pretty sad shape, except for the QB who developed problems later. You are probably in better shape than those guys, but your youthful injuries do catch up with you.

there is truth in the phrase:

a candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long

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Let's see. You damaged your wrists by overdoing a repetitive activity. Maybe stop doing what causes the damage?

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
Let's see. You damaged your wrists by overdoing a repetitive activity. Maybe stop doing what causes the damage?

Don't worry, a few more years, and he won't be able to do that any more.

I didn't start to really fall apart until I hit 60. Sorry to hear about you younger guys having issues.

Sadly little any of us can do other than keep fighting it.

Almost a year ago to the day I did a fairly strenuous hike in Glacier Park of 13-14 miles. Today I couldn't walk a mile unless my life depended on it.

Had something occur a few months back thats SLOWLY taken my balance and weakened my entire left side. Like a stroke.

MRI upcoming hopefully some answers too.

I concur with the pinched nerve....go to a doctor now. If you have a bulging disk, the longer you let it smoosh your nerve, the less likely you will not need surgery. Go to the doc and have an mri. I have nerve damage because I waited until the pain would keep me awake at night. Had I gone when it first cropped up, I most likely would not have constant pin tingling in my left hand.

Hope the mend continues!

quote:

My wife has this muscle massager

Is that what you kids call it these days?

I'm in my 70's. Been pretty active all my life: hockey, soccer, jogging, hiking, biking. Never had any affect of age until I turned 60: hernia, trigger finger, and various aches and pains. Got over that crap, and, in the 60's, found out I have a heart murmur. Big deal, right?
I joined a gym and work out 3-4 times a week: strength training and cardio, figuring, if I have a leaky valve, might as well accelerate the process by stressing the heart. Not to mention that, because of Covid, my wife and I are at the gym before 2:00 AM. So far, it's been 5 years since my diagnostic and my stenosis has not gotten any worse. Yearly echo-cardiograms show my heart function to be above normal. Someday, though, it'll catch up to me!
My pain is usually in the hips. Cortisone injections relieve the pain for 8-12 months, where I repeat the injections. I have to say, exercise is your friend! If you can do it, do it! It might be inconvenient, but you need to be disciplined and do it! My discipline can be attributed to the military. Even if you didn't want to do it, you had to do it! That lesson has helped me though my entire life!
Some of us are blessed with a good physical genes. Be cognizant of your body and what it is telling you. Getting older sucks, but doesn't have to be a death sentence. Work through the pain for the better good and accept it when your body says "Enough!".

Good luck!