Is anyone else feeling older? I know, I know, I’m going to hear from people much older than I am telling me that I don’t know what I’m talking about…and I admit that, in a way, I don’t. But in a way I do. But back to the point.
My point is this, I have noticed more aches and pains as I age. Some annoying, some chronic and some worse.
But I have also noticed something else recently. It started when my boys started running cross country. That means they have to practice. Sometimes I drive them to practice so I decided why not? My body aches when I am not working out…why not give it a reason to hurt? At least this way I am getting some benefit!
The day after I made this decision I drove the boys to the track and just as we stepped out of the van another car arrived. Out of it stepped a couple in their 70’s. As they headed to the track I noticed that man was moving much slower and his wife had gone on ahead. Watching as we all began circling the track I noticed the man showed signs of having had a stroke in the past. But there he was.
He walked for at least a mile before they left and each lap he inspired me more and more. He was taking control and choosing his pain…or maybe his pleasure.
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i am a cancer survivor also and I started working on a horse farm couple of months ago after having been not working for a year recovering from chemo,i am so glad healthy again,and I am riding also which is great and I lost about 25 lbs ,but there are days when my body hurts and I do feel like I am struggling with riding horses but I try to remind myself not to give up and set little goals for my self
This is good word, spoken at the perfect time. I’ve developed chronic pain in my hips at the SI joint and it travels to the greater trochanter. I too, have decided to keep working through the pain in hopes of feeling better. But I really like the idea of “choosing the pain”. : )
I’m going to choose to hurt because I’ve worked out, not because I didn’t.
Thanks!
Anna
Thank you, Stacy! From my heart –
I have been increasingly “ruled by” pointless stupid, life-wasting fibromyalgia – And while every coping strategy teaches that beloved-but-low-prioritized-because-of-pain, Exercise – – I haven’t been honoring my personal need for exercise, training, so, like a dope, I’ve been having more and more life-disrupting pain.
What all that wordiness is trying to say, is, Thank You, for reminding me, strongly, that training exercise is not a “treat” for the high-end athletes. My body Needs what training I haven’t been giving it, and I thank you for the beautifully inspiring me, to honor my body’s need for exercise/training, once again!
I’m in my 60’s, and I know that the longer I’m immobile the more I hurt. Exercise is indeed a great mitigating factor. In my 40’s my knees were worse than they are now. Never thought they would improve but exercise worked like magic. Horses actually cure my lower back pain (at least for the rest of the day after a ride!). And when it gets so bad that I’m starting to get depressed, a one-time dose of naproxen can somehow keep me going for 2-3 days until I can get my good spirits back. It’s all a question of planning and management. Not to mention consistency of that plan!
If I could say one thing that would be stay active. One day you will be 50 and you will not know when it even happened. Along the way you might have to have some kind of unexpected surgery like I did. Shoulder surgery. I was the person that never had to see a Dr. for anything. Life can change at any moment . So stay active and if you are not then start. Do it for your health and for your loved ones! We all will get older I know if you were like me I thought it would never happen! LOL Kay
I understan where your coming from. I am 71 and haven’t riden in over 29 years, and I just started 2 weeks ago, joined a lady’s group lesson every other week, and I am loving every second of it. If you could see my lower back you’d cry, I am taking Morfene for it, plus a heart pacient all the no no’s for riding. But we only go around once, and I missed it so very much, horses and riding were my life until my early 40’s. Do what your heart tells you. I’m not regretting not one second.
Sandy Clifton, Stockton, CA.
Over the past 6-7 years I have had quite a bit in the way of health issues. Starting with Cancer and now with the after effects of it. Each day when I drag myself out of bed. Mostly b/c I have to take care of the horses. If it were not for them I would probably not get up. When it gets to the point it is hard to breath and so much more. I remember this. First, what I had could have killed me. The after effects will not. Yes it sucks but it will not kill me. Next you look around and think there by the grace of God go I. It is really true that what does not kill you makes you stronger. It may not be physically it may be mentally or spiritually. God will never give you more then you can handle and as long as you remember that your life will be a blessing to all.
So my point is, go out, give it a try and enjoy what you can and if you end up not enjoying it you can at least say you gave it a try. One thing if nothing else when I go to meet my maker that I want to be able to say is that I at least gave everything I wanted to try and try. May not have succeeded but I at least tried.
So go enjoy your time with your kids.
Hi Heidi. I too am a cancer surviver. And like you I count each day above the ground as a blessing from God. More than once my doctors have told me that my horse has helped me to survive. I get up in the morning knowing she’s counting on me to look after her. There are days when I just want to stay in bed and feel sorry for myself but I realize something else is counting on me and it takes me out of myself and into her needs.
They are the most beautiful creatures that God has given us as a gift.
You have good day and take care.
Most of my pains are due to horseback riding. If I only knew when I was 17 what I know now! We all think we are invincible when we are young, but knee and ankle injuries catch up with you! I broke my ankle playing tennis and had it out of the cast a month when a horse fell on me and rebroke it. Now that I’m in my 50’s arthritis has set in because of the severe trauma. I can’t even get paddock boots zipped on that foot! Exercise does help!
Isn’t THAT inspiring? I hope and pray when I’m in my 70’s my husband and I can still enjoy activities like that! Not sure if I’ll still be hopping on a horse, but…..! LOL
I’ve been feeling that way for some time now. Once I was a “fitness freak” but over the years life took over and I found myself more over weight than have been in my life. I couldnt ride, normal horse chores were exhausting so I decided if I wanted to ride way into my twilight years something had to drastically change. I have lost 35lbs and still losing. Fitness on the other hand has been a different story. Joint & muscle problems are actually keeping me from exercising (at health providers advice). This has been the most frustrating part – I WANT to workout. Stretching has become an important part of getting this old body back on track. I know I’ll get there but I’m a bit impatient in that respect. Maintaining my health & fitness is my gift to my horses so we can be sure we’ll have a good life together for ever. We can always restart at whatever point we happen to be at – (I love that about the human body)
Your comments about aches and pains came just as I was really feeling down because as I have grown older I have muscle pain most days. Thought I was the only person affected like this. I can ride my horses for three and four hours and never hurt for the complete weekend. However, when I come home from an event the next day I feel every muscle in my body whenever I move. Getting up from a chair and when I walk and while doing all of my horse chores. I was beginning to think I was alergic to my home. 🙂
I have a lot of knee pain but I have noticed that exercise does not make it worse and often even helps so my new motto is keep moving while you still can : )
Stacy, You will find that as long as you exercise regularly (at least every other day), your aches due to aging will diminish or disappear entirely. I speak from experience. See if this happens to you too! 🙂
Kirsten
Sent from my iPhone
Good morning Stacey.
I know just what you are talking about. I wake up in the morning and think oh boy another day and my back is already hurting and it is only 6 o’clock am.
I have many friends in their 70’s and 80’s who seem to have the batteries of the little pink bunny. They too are inspiring. I have had two strokes now and I have found that walking is the best.
You keep it up girl. Have a great day.
Ronda from Canada.