Had an awkward moment at work yesterday ..............

[Rowgtfc72]

I had a moment at work yesterday.
Somebody working near to me dropped something on the floor. I thought I'd do a nice thing and pick it up for them. I casually walked over and crouched to pick it up. And then I realised. Would I be able to crouch down. Could I get back up?
I managed it. Just. But oh my god, when did it get so difficult to do something so simple?
I'm 54, have wear and tear arthritis, am technically obese but carry it well as I walk 2 miles a day, bike 9 miles a day and spend 8hrs at work on my feet.
The realisation hit me, I'm not 23 anymore, am losing my mobility-albeit slowly-and it's time to get off my arse and make some changes.

Anyone else had a similar light bulb ageing moment?

Oh yes! I used to run reasonably well, I needed to chase after DH as he had forgotten something, my (formally) elegant gait turned out to be a somewhat ungainly, slow motion lope.
Turns out in my head I'm still 35, but as soon as I move my body reminds me I'm actually, 68.

oh yes, that’s me.

everything hurts and I need something to hold on to to get up from the floor.

Yes, after I’d had a knee replacement and actually realised how weak I was. Started loosing weight as soon as I could and lifting weights. Fitter and stronger now than I’ve ever been at 59

Exactly this. I didn't grab onto anything because it's a normal thing to crouch to pick something up. At least I assumed it was a basic movement. How wrong I was!

I'm sure its carrying extra weight, I'm 2 stone heavier post covid and honestly the extra padding round my middle is like a strait jacket 🙈. I've started doing that 'grunt' getting up off the floor when playing with DH Grandkids 🫣.

At 49, I tripped over a child at work, and hit the floor hard (fortunately, child was not under me). My whole body was jolted, and I felt it for several days. I think I probably fell badly because I was trying to avoid the child, but even so I was shocked at the impact on me.

I make sure I get up from the floor without using my hands every single day now. It wasn't easy at first.

@Any1ForTennis I agree I'm probably at least 4st overweight. When I was 2st lighter life was so much easier. My knees, alas, were done for by age 40.
Doc said excess weight won't help but your knees are good till 20 and then genetics and everything else comes into play. I did a lot of sport as a teenager and the doc said ah, yes. That would be a factor.

@Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies i came off my bike a couple of months ago and came down hard. Shocked is definitely the word.

@notapizzaeater I'm looking into weights. My work involves regularly lugging 15kg boxes about. I'd like to think that was helping not hindering me.

@Hadalifeonce yes. I'm 23 and totally invincible until I go rockscrambling in Cornwall and realise I can't get down without assistance from my younger dh or some weird, embarrassing bum shuffling.😁