To wonder what's normal re pain or health issues over 50?

It's a lottery.

My OH developed a very rare cancer at the age of 53 - he was fit and healthy beforehand and the type of cancer he has is one with no known "causes" so literally nothing he could have done to avoid it. Not that he has ever smoked, he was a healthy weight, very fit and active, didn't even drink alcohol. His type of cancer is usually known as an "old age" cancer, where the average age upon diagnosis is 70-80.

By contrast, I feel fitter than ever. I've lost several stones in weight over the past 20 years after topping the scales at a whopping 23 stone, now "just" 13 stone. No longer get back, hip nor other joint pains, no longer get chest infections requiring strong antibiotics to clear etc.

My OH has only survived his cancer so long (and tolerated the chemo) because he was so fit and healthy going into it. He can no longer exercise, has terrible problems with digestion (due to the drugs), etc., and is slowly deteriorating, but because he started from a position of being fit and healthy, he's lasting far longer than the oncologist suggested as typical lifespan after diagnosis - in fact twice as long to date, she's actually quite shocked he's still with us!

I think the best you can do is try your utmost to be fit and healthy as you turn 50, i.e. don't smoke, limit alcohol, plenty of exercise, lose any excess weight, eat a balanced, healthy diet, etc. So at least if something nasty gets you, you're probably going to tolerate the treatment etc better than if you were unhealthy so more likelihood of a better outcome.

I'm 54. Totally healthy. No aches or pains. No stiff joints. I know I funny deserves this as I don't exercise and my diet isn't great
My fiance is only 42 and he has a lot of aches already. He jokes that's he's physically older than me

I'm unfit and get more tired these days, but basically I feel OK. I'm nearly 60 and haven't seen a doctor for 13 or 14 years.
Just lucky, I guess!

"What really frustrates me is that my dad is in much better health at age 78. So unfair!"

Oh yes, my dad is 83 and walks better than me. Even before my fall, I needed a walking stick to get around, due to nerve damage in my foot and lower leg from a previous injury. It's probably what contributed to the fall tbh. I just hope this foot drop gets better as I'm now even more disabled than I was before. I'm just a wreck! ☹️

54. Generally in good health, but I do have to be more intelligent with my running. Too much and I ache like a bastard. I seem to be more prone to ankle problems as well. It's got better since menopause (2 years ago). It's a pain as I've got the fire in my belly for racing. Currently debating whether I can race 10 miles on Sunday. Was all set but went over my ankle just over a week ago. I think it's nearly ok but I'm still had one long run to get under my belt.

Forgot the joy of peri. Hot flushes, migraines, getting up to the loo all night, aching everywhere.

HRT, vaginal oestrogen and weights made a huge difference.

It’s the luck of the draw really. I’m relatively fit and healthy, low BMI etc but once I hit my late fifties various musculoskeletal issues came out of the blue, starting with frozen shoulder which lasted about a year and now ‘wear and tear’ in my lumbar spine which causes back pain and sciatica-like flare ups which I’ve had for over a year. I think a lot is down to oestrogen depletion. I’m on HRT but I don’t know if it’s made much difference TBH.

I think it's a total lottery TBH. Every day I hear about young people getting cancer, and those a bit older with cancer who have led exemplary lives. Genetics and luck I think.

At the risk of putting a hex on it, I'm 67 and in good health touching wood. No arthritis, osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, good cholesterol, all the usual things I expected to have at this stage. I did NOT lead a saintly life either when I was younger, similar to most of my peers in the 70s/80s/90s. I am no saint now either but do not drink/smoke and eat very little rubbish stuff. Walk most days but have never, (and never will) go to a gym or a swimming pool.

I have a good friend who is three years older than me now, and like me she had a good run, but is now facing cardiac problems, and investigations for a shadow on her lung, despite never having smoked or being exposed to asbestos etc. Cancer is on her mind big time now.

I don't like to think about it in my own case. I'm just doing my best to get out and about, travel, and do what I'm able to do while I can still walk and talk at the same time lol!

54 here, currently convalescing at home following a fall on the night of the 2nd, resulting in me breaking my right wrist and hip, necessitating a total hip replacement. It has also resulted in foot drop, which means I can't move or feel my right foot much, so I need a walking frame to shuffle about like a ninety year old.

I also regularly wake up with an aching left shoulder and neck from a previous sprain.

Sorry, I'm probably not the best person to ask just now... 🤷‍♀️ 😅

53 and no health issues. DH 55 no health issues. Can't think of any friends our age with any health issues either though my friends seem to get sick a lot more than we do with coughs, colds etc. We eat very healthily, treat the rare colds we get with natural remedies, don't take antibiotics or medications (aside from me taking GLP for weight loss - lost 2 stone, 1 to go). I watched both my parents go downhill fast when they started taking prescription meds. One seemed to lead to side affects that lead to another until they were on upwards of 10 different drugs. Are you taking meds that might be causing side affects? DMs arthritis started after she started taking medications for high blood pressure, heart etc.

I could have written your post at 39. Turns out it was premature menopause. HRT helped lots.

I make noises getting up off the sofa ? Seriously though, I am mid 50's do no exercise, am very obese, spend a lot of the day sitting , but generally speaking don't have any aches and pains, bit stiff when I first get up, but no pain that I would take pain killers for and I am rarely ill.
However I do know that I am also a ticking time bomb, so need to get my arse in gear and make more effort to get fitter and a lot less fat !

72 and feel fine. Hypertension is controlled, no other problems at the moment.

53, eat well, exercise regularly, don't drink or smoke. On my 3rd cancer in 14 months. What's going, is my brain from stress!

Almost 62 and no niggles or pains. I have 3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil a day for my dryish skin and because it makes my hair really soft - it contains Vits A C E and K - also because it's believed to be anti-inflammatory. Whether it keeps arthritis at bay I can't prove but so far so good. I have, however, just been diagnosed with COPD but that's my fault for smoking for 40 + years. I'm now working on quitting.

I could have written your post.
52, I don't smoke or drink, eat healthily and try to walk as often as I can but my body is still going to shit.

I'm a bit stiff sometimes with the odd ache or two, but nothing that really affects me. I have lower back pain - but I've had that since my late twenties. I rarely visit the GP, but did recently due to elevated BP, so I've had lots of various tests to see if there was a cause, and they all came back fine. I do have gallstones, but have had them for 20 years so no change there. I'm 65. I've never been a patient in hospital - my DM had her first stay at the age of 76.

I’ve been to the physio this afternoon with hip pain - diagnosed with Bursitis. Is bloody painful sitting or lying down, fine moving about, bizarre!
Sent home with a load of exercises, told not to stand on one leg favouring the ‘good’ one, pillow between legs if lying on side, keep knees below hips if sitting.

I am age late 50s. I had many health issues when age 29-32. Am much better now.

I do think things start to decline in the fifties.

Think about it, everything you have is 50 years old, lots of stuff would have worn out by then

Vit d3 helps aches and pains. Plus yoga.

Try that but seek a physio for anything that persists.

Bit more injury prone but then I play a high impact team sport....I also need to do the required strength training and stretch/mobility bits but find that hard to fit in so not helping myself in terms of staving off injury. Tore my rotator cuff being on idiot in too big surf, hamstring tear playing hockey and calf tear (also hockey, but actually that was just before I turned 50). General stiffness and loosing flexibility (too much desk based work) and my recovery time is longer.....
Apart from the obvious things to take care of yourself some of it is genetics/luck/longer term environmental things.....

I'm 67 and no aches and pains, I walk quite a lot, also in good general health but I do have to wear partial dentures because of tooth loss from gum disease and have had two basal cell carcinomas removed so it's not all good just different things wrong.