At what age did you start to feel it? I'm 59 years old. I only take one prescription medication. I average 1000 miles per year on a road bike so I'm better than average on the exercise front. I'm a welder/fabricator so I have a physical on your feet kind of job. I'm 6 foot even and 190 lbs. This year I'm noticing I'm not as strong as I once was. Both with my job and cycling. I'd like to at least go until I'm 67 but I'm not sure I'm going to make it that long. Any advice?

What do you mean when you say “I’d like to go until age 67 but not sure you’ll make it”?

I dislike that I'm old enough to even offer this advise at all

Things are going to change every 3-5 years instead of every 10, lol. Different things at different times. Just accept that activity and exercise will help, and you will break easier and heal slower than before. I'm glad you're active, perhaps adding a different exercise routine will help when you cannot cycle, like stretching n strength training.

If you give up and slow down you will hate 67 + even more.

The only thing that I’m bummed about is that I can’t see shit anymore as far as fine print on a label or a bottle of pills, and I used to pride myself about having eagle vision and being able to read a 1 point font from 12 feet away.

It hit me last year at age 46, never needed glasses of any kind in my life but now I find myself reaching for the reading glasses constantly.

I began experiencing chronic pain when I was 4. And emotional, and mental pain followed. Too soon, to be old.

About that time, I remember having a conversation with my older sister and telling her I wish I did not have feelings.

She thought I meant "emotions", and I recalled explaining physical pain/sensations, and how I wished we did not have them.
Not long after, I understood what she meant about the other, as that was from her experiences.

It would be nearly 60 years later, that we had a discussion and talked about it that she finally understood, and I understood her POV.

Living with chronic pain, fatigue, and various myalgia your entire life, only to find later in life that not all people have that experience, is a strange thing to deal with.

Most of the time, it is blocked out, but the "energy" used to keep the "shields up" and be able to function with all of it, "costs" in other areas.

It wears you down. But you have to keep on keeping on, or stop and let it run you over.

Me? it's been "Run Forrest, RUN!!!!"

There is no compromise.

But, I have squeezed a ton of puppies, petted a thousand kitties, and enjoyed everything on God's green earth, and the heavens above.

I have done it all for those who gave all and could never do these things.

I live my life as an honor and expression and in awe of how those who cannot, would have loved to have even the briefest experience of it, should they have been granted another day of life and freedom.

I hope that is understood.


Be true to the truth.

You can lie to yourself, to others, to God, and the universe. But, you cannot lie to the truth.

No advice, at 40 it hurts to put on socks. If I do yard work or wax my car I have pain for two days+.

The only thing I can say is keep moving, the pain is worse when you stop. The times when the pain is worst is when I take a break.

Embrace the pains and aches.

It’s normal, it sucks, but it means you’re still alive.

I'm 45 and feel like I'm dead. I'm 6' 200#. run daily. need to do some weightlifting.

I'm on 5 daily meds.

Chronic back pain from multiple car crashes and a chief that refuses to let us use load bearing vests so everything's still on my duty belt.

just did an old fashion wax job on my car about 13 hours ago and I'm starting to feel it in my arms and back.

going on 70 this year. definitely feel it. I try to take pretty good care of myself with diet and exercise although I'm not fanatical about any of it. generally run 3 or 4 miles every other day and lift weights on the off days. Can't do anything as well as I could when I was 30, or even 50. I know the end is coming. Could be tonight. could be 20 years. just try to make the most of it while I'm here.

Don't stop, don't slow down... because it's all down hill from there. No matter the age.

It will sound too simple, but it'll help a lot. Hire a trainer, and ask for some moderate strength training aligned with your complaints and goals. Tune up the nutrition, avoid alcohol close to bed time and try to improve your sleep. Aches and pains are one thing. Strength is another.

A good friend of mine is an aging doc. He said he started worrying when his balance was getting dicey. He tracked it back to flexibility and eliminated the issue when he improved all of the range of motions and strengths.

yep..its inevitable. and it sucks. I need to get back on my bike. Have 6-8 years left of work and wonder how my body it going to make it!

Maybe you could start looking for a supervisor or foreman job?

I'm almost 72. At 70 I really started to feel more aches and pains. Mostly joints. Knees etc. I too am active and in decent shape but I think these things are inevitable. My skin bruises more easily. Definitely not as strong as I used to be. Pains last longer. I find Aleve helps. Guess thats the way it goes.

Not real sure I have much advice to give you but I can tell you my experiences. First, I will be 73 this coming Saturday. I'm 5-10 weigh 160. We have a 70 acre farm that I maintain although we got rid of the animals years ago. I just like it here.

I did not really start feeling old until the end of my 60's. That is when I noticed I was getting less and less work done in a given number of hours. My strength was OK but it was my energy level. When I hit my 70's was when I really started to notice that the amount of work I was getting done in a day was falling rapidly. Now, three maybe fours of work is about it for me each day. Up until two years ago I would climb up on our roof ( maybe a 6-10 pitch) and sweep out the chimney. I hire it done now. Things like that.

My only advice is to keep active and watch your weight. So many people put on the pounds in retirement and that will always work against you. You say you are a welder/fabricator. That is hard work. I would be surprised if you can keep that up for much longer. Maybe four or five years if you are lucky. I know a guy my age that was a welder for years and he hung it up in his mid sixties and went to work for himself. He stayed real busy working out of his truck and coming to peoples farms and lake homes. Haven't seen him in a while now so not sure if he is still doing that.

Heck, I doubt I will be able to keep the farm much past my mid seventies, if that long. But, that's OK. I'm still alive, and that is a good thing.

I'm 37, worked physical jobs my entire life. I still feel good but I try to take care of myself. I"m starting to think I need to get in to yoga now or there's a possibility I won't be able to move by the time I'm 60.

I don't know when this will change, but I know its coming. I'm 65 and had the best season of ice skating I ever had. I played hockey starting in my early 20's and I am such a better skater now than then, although I had a motor that wouldn't stop in my 20's. I continue to improve, my edge control is better, my balance is better on all four edges.

I have had nagging pain in one knee for decades that I just dealt with and somewhat babied the knee thinking I was causing it to get worse. I got it looked at and basically I think the orthopedic surgeon concluded my activity and flexibility were along the lines of what is wanted post treatment. I quit babying the knee and the pain is now minimal with harder use.

quote:

Originally posted by Copefree:
What do you mean when you say “I’d like to go until age 67 but not sure you’ll make it”?

I'd like to continue to work full time at the job I currently have. If the rate of decay continues at the rate I've experienced in the last two years getting to 67 is going to be hard. I don't battle chronic pain of any kind at least not yet. My joints are still good and I have minor to moderate back pain maybe three times a year.

quote:

I'd like to continue to work full time at the job I currently have. If the rate of decay continues at the rate I've experienced in the last two years getting to 67 is going to be hard. I don't battle chronic pain of any kind at least not yet. My joints are still good and I have minor to moderate back pain maybe three times a year.

^^^^^^^^
I think the handwriting is on the wall. Professional athletes typically are unable to compete at 40 so consider yourself lucky. Unless you are independenty wealthy and do not need to work, I would slowly transition to more sedentary work within your field.

it's not the age, it's the mileage and maintenance.

I don't get NEARLY enough exercise, and it's my fault for not getting my priorities straight. I just did a little yard work and my back is throbbing. The flip side is that after multiple recurrences of cancer, 2 heart attacks and recent major orthopedic surgery I've convinced myself that nothing can actually kill me.

I'm 48 and set PRs in marathons in my early 40s (sub 3 hour).

I run and bike a lot and find that the mileage doesn't get to me as much as the intensity does. Rest and recovery are key.

Because you're on your feet a lot, I'd encourage the usual "work smarter" approach. I assume you don't lift heavy stuff when there's a smarter way (lift, hoist, young guy etc).