To hope that the exercise I do now will help mobility when I'm older

[facelace]

My mum is 60, bad knee, bad back etc etc. I don't want to be like that.

I'm 38 and weight lift 2/3 times a week. Aibu in thinking this will help me when I'm her age?

My mum has never done any exercise past childhood.

Yes it likely will. Though you can't predict everything, and some people defy science.

It might, but nothing in life is guaranteed. I was fit and healthy and happy and ended up developing and illness that has rendered me unable to exercise much at all.

Fitness is good fortune as well as good habits

My Grandma and Grandad were fairly sedentary. Not unhealthy but not massively active. Their retirement involved a lot of going out for drives or for lunches. They have both struggled hugely with mobility and joint issues in old age. At 89 my Grandma can’t leave her flat without assistance. I adore her but it’s very hard to watch.

My other grandparents spent their retirement swimming twice a week, dancing three or four times a week, weekends away dancing, gardening in a large garden every day, cycling everywhere instead of taking the car. Sadly lost my Grandad to cancer in his mid 70s but I played a game of badminton with my Nan on her 80th birthday, followed up by a swim and a game of bowling (she took the whole family away on an activity holiday to celebrate!!!). Sadly lockdown really slowed her down due to anxiety but at 86 she’s still outside gardening everyday, does all her own housework and walks to the shop/church etc.

We are mid 30s and my husband would prefer the sedentary life but he’s been told I want to have an active life, right into retirement! Much as I adore all my grandparents, it’s my Nan I want to be like at 85, if I’m lucky enough to make it that far!

It will help.

I'm 64. Exercised regularly in my 40s - 3 times a week, but then stopped - life got in the way: full-time work and caring for three people. By the time I was 50 was overweight again. No exercise apart from being at work and caring at home.

Widowed 3 yrs ago. On my own. Had given up my career at 58. Went into a depression. Mobility worsened.

Now...some of the problems you mum has are age related. We can't escape that. But...I've started exercising again. Had a shoulder decompression. (Problem caused by moving and handling adult invalid.)

Saw a good physio. She looked at me as a whole - not just the shoulder problem. Gentle exercise and then referred to a class which I attend once a week. Now doing band exercises at home.

At the class - gentle step (my knees are shot - genetic problem), walking on treadmill, elliptical set level, sit to stand with medicine ball, arm weights...

I'm gradually increasing and intend to return to the 'normal' gym. I've already seen the benefit.

At one point, I couldn't get off the couch without using my arms. Now I can stand up whilst holding things. My arm muscles are coming back, thank goodness.

My late husband did weight training most of his adult life. Gave up in his 50s - problem accessing the gym at work and had developed diabetes. (Controlled via injection.) Also turned out that there was a family heart problem he'd inherited.

In his late 50s, took up karate. Stent put in at 63, black belt at 64. Thereafter, trained twice a week and trained youngsters.

Had a triple bypass at 71 (genetic problem I mentioned). Stroke at 73. (Caused by afib as a result of the genetic problem.)

In hospital for 4 months. Men with lesser strokes came out in wheelchairs. DH came out walking, albeit with a stick. He treated his physio like training sessions.

Made it to 82 - heart attack took him during lockdown. He'd had an acute kidney injury (diabetes related) and we couldn't get med help until he needed hospital (because of lockdown). Was taken to hospital. Made it home after a couple of months, but had been taken off some of his heart meds and he died at home.

The point I'm making is that DH had bad luck from a genetic point of view, but all his training paid off. The physio at stroke rehab told me that that was why DH made such a good recovery.

I can't do a damned thing about my knees - patella alta - but I can work round them. I have a lot of catching up to do, but I'm doing it.

You're doing the right thing. Kudos.

Yes, it will help you.

Its taken me to my 40s and seeing the physical decline in my parents at a relatively young age (early 70s) to realise the importance of staying active and exercising, unless I want to be physically restricted in my retirement (which I don’t).

I’m hoping so. I started exercising more in my 40’s. I’ve just turned 50 and apart from a couple of niggles with my shoulder and knee I feel pretty good. I generally train at least 4 times a week but usually more I also take joint supplements. MIL was fairly fit and active up until a few years ago although had never actually exercised other than walking to shops etc as didn’t drive and after a series of falls and breaking several bones she is now in a care home unable to walk. I want to try and do my best to keep myself well for as long as I can although I know sometimes life sometimes has other plans

I'm a big believer in move as much as you can, while you can. Ask any mechanic and they will tell you that a car that is rarely driven will have more problems than one that is used regularly!

The pensioners I know who are fit and active have generally always been that way, barring illness and disability. My parents both entered their 80s being physically fit and not on any medication at all.

I'm in my 50s now and some of my friends are already struggling with their joints, stamina levels, and weight-related issues like hypertension. They're not likely to get to retirement age and suddenly become active, probably the exact opposite.

Sounds the same as me and my mum! She did a bit of cardio exercise in her 30s but nothing regular since. Has some knee and back issues which have worsened since she was made redundant and no longer walks to work every day. The age related problems she has seem worse with less movement.

Certainly seen the difference it can make with my grandparents. One set walked and cycled daily. They didn’t have a car. They were always gardening and helping my aunt with my young cousins too. Daily activities that, even if not a workout in the gym, kept them fit and moving. My other grandparents drove everywhere and sat all day. A lot lower activity levels and got less and less mobile as time went on.

There’s no guarantees of course but exercise has been shown to reduce the loss of muscle mass as people age. I certainly feel better for doing it; physically and mentally.

It will help you but your mum aged 60 which is my age needs to see a decent physio and get some exercise to improve her mobility. I have had a terrible knee recently but with physio and gym training I am now much better. Pain as we age can be due to deconditioning. The more we exercise the pain can improve. Note I say can, not will as it depends what is causing your mum's pain.

Weights are great, but you also need to add in some cardio and also some balance exercises - that will help to avoid falls as you age.

It can't hurt, but it might not help. I was very active, now physically very limited

It will help. I started learning yoga in my mid 20s, best decision ever.

I think you need to be very careful with long term yoga, it has caused my sister major joint problems

Yes but don't overdo it! I over exercised and injured myself and now have a disability as a result.

If depends what type of yoga, what teachers you have and your body make up. Hyper mobile people who aren’t encouraged to develop the strength to support their joints are those who struggle. I’m not hyper mobile and have had excellent teaching, so at 46 am stronger and more flexible than most women in their 20s.

I was a competitive gymnast from 8-18 and kept on being active and did more weight etc as I aged - but honestly as I hit peri menopause nothing seemed to have made any difference and it’s been a huge shock that I’ve gained weight and can’t seem to shift it regardless of diet or exercise changes or all the work I’ve done for years and years

Find a functional fitness class. It will definitely help with mobility in years to come.

Yes it will help. My mother's partner still plays tennis at 82! Walks for an hour a day.

My Mum does Pilates, and walks daily and at 80 is spritely!

My mum didn't lift weights (although when she got Alzheimer's she claimed she lifted weights and ran miles every day😆) but she walked absolutely everywhere. Always briskly and with purpose. Her mobility was fantastic right up until she was about 88, when the dementia started to cause balance issues and made her scared to walk very far. I remember when she was having work done in her house at 86, the builder was hugely impressed at her ability to step over all the rubble (we did take her to stay at our house at that point though.)

Yes. But you also need cardio and flexibility in there too.
Weights isnt the holy grail of exercise.

I agree, use it or lose it, but I think it is important to vary the exercise you do, and also find exercise that you enjoy, personally I don’t like running or playing sports so avoid them!

I do three, I do a fair amount of Nordic walking which I think helps with stamina and is also social, I do a gentle tai chi which focuses a lot on balance, flexibility, body awareness, breathing and posture , and swimming which does everything.

My grandparents were all physically active and healthy (and wealthy/well educated), one got Parkinson's in their 70s, one got MND in their 70s, two lived into their 90s

Chance plays a far bigger part than people like to believe.

Lots of people with my condition were in robust health before they developed it. Now, because it is invisible they are often judged as lazy and sedentary by those who don't know they have it. Plus countless people will have it and not even know because it is hard to diagnose.

Exercise is great, not least because it is fun and means you can enjoy more things. But thinking that it will guarantee a healthy old age is deluded.

Even if it doesn't help when you're much older (who knows when we'll go...) it will already be helping 👍

I exercise 5 times a week (2 x cardio / 3 x weight lifting) and the difference between my friends that exercise like me and those that do nothing but slowly walk their dogs is quite stark. They have aches and pains and a much different outlook on life.

Im 67. worked a sedentary job till retirement. Never did gyms or weights or running. However i walked an awful lot and with purpose! I can walk anywhere now but not hill walking, and thankfully have no joint issues.

My DP is 70. He was super fit, ran marathons and was a gym bunny. He has one new knee and another on the way. He has piled on the weight due to inactivity and joint/mobility problems. This has led to depression now sadly.

There are no guarantees, but i think walking is great. Well it seems to have worked for me anyway,so far!

My grandad never did any gym type exercise but he's walked and walked all his life as well as playing golf regularly
He's still playing golf at 96