AIBU to wonder how non-exercisers cope with aches as they age?

[secretgoose]

This is a curiosity post not a judgemental post.

But those who don’t go to the gym and don’t do any exercises, what kind of ailments are you living with and how old are you?

I’m 32 and I’ve been going to the gym for 4 years. I have some problems with my health occasionally such as hip tightness. I went out with my friends who don’t gym and after so long walking they both complained their legs were aching and I wondered how they will cope when they’re 40,50,60…

this isn’t judgemental because I think we have a real huge problem with exercising for aesthetics rather than how it makes us feel (as proven by the uptake of weight loss jabs). My bmi is currently in the overweight category. To look at me, I don’t look like a “gym person”. But I know I feel 10x fitter than I did in my 20s and for me, that’s what counts. Just wanted to add a little explainer so people don’t roll their eyes at me.

Maybe having a gym free/weight lifting free life isn’t as bad as I think it would be in terms of health but yeah, judging by how some of my friends are in their 30s, I really worry about it.

I did go to a gym briefly about 30 years ago but I have always been active, riding, walking, gardening etc, never been a couch potato or very overweight.
Despite being diagnosed with probable cancer very recently, I am regarded as being fit by my consultant so I must have been doing something right
i’m 72, until recently I could happily walk 7 or 8 miles without any trouble, that was a normal walk a couple of times a week plus 3-4 miles each day in between. We live on a hill so not just ambling along on the level!

I’m not into exercise. My husband is. We are both 47. We have about the same amount of aches and pains. If anything, he is worse than me due to sporting injuries over the years and he had to have a back operation years ago again due to exercise injury.

Based on my parents' generation, it seems relatively easy to maintain a basic fitness level into old age by staying functionally active i.e. a short walk every day, walking to the shops, a bit of DIY and cleaning, generally getting out of the house and being sociable. Neither of my parents have ever done any formal exercise whatsoever and are still managing well into their late 70s through this approach (I'm sure they have aches and pains but nothing significantly affecting day to day life).

It doesn't strike me that those family members who are very into fitness have particularly better function or less pain into middle or old age, it seems to be a lottery to be honest.

It's those who are very inactive (drive everywhere, don't tend to leave the house) whose health and function nosedived after 50.

I think exercise is important for people who don't lead active lives.

I say that as someone who exercises (weights/yoga/running) 5+ times a week

People who keep themselves busy with gardening, DIY, walking the dog and other physical hobbies that keep them strong don't need it so much.

I agree with you that people who don't keep fit are storing up major issues.

But they'll be fine until they're 50 or 60 and then it will all snowball. Diabetes, heart problems, joint problems, osteoporosis and so on. But they won't see it that it could have been avoided and even reversed if they put work in.

@WhosGotTheKeysToMyBimma but you understand you can be healthy and still get diabetes, heart disease or joint issues?

I'm mid 60s and I took up exercise in my 40s as I had a pair of very active dogs. I've kept it up, mostly because I remember my mum being unable to tie her shoelaces herself when she was 50 and becoming less and less able to do anything physical because she was so unfit. I see lots of people my age having things replaced or having back problems. I don't, obviously, know if this is due to lack of exercise or other lifestyle choices or just bad lack in genetics, but I know I can run 8 miles without anything falling off. I also cycle every day and do Pilates, and I'm hoping that the increased muscle tone will stand me in good stead as I age further. I have a horror of falling and not being able to get myself back up again.

Same.

I'm not currently a regular runner, but I was for many years and a 6 or 12-mile walk would make my legs ache much more than running a 10k or half-marathon. Think it's obviously the longer time spent on my feet.

I suppose it depends on what you mean by exercise? Do you do any unconscious exercising e.g. walk instead of drive, carry shopping, have an active job, etc? A lot of people who don't visit gyms are still getting exercise and don't suffer excessively from aches and pains. Ironically the people I know in their 40s and 50s with aches and pains are the ones who go to the gym. Perhaps they overdo it, I don't know.

I've never enjoyed exercise except for walking. I didn't have aches and pains before 50 yrs old when I started getting back problems, which I still have 20 years later. Unfortunately I have thyroid disease which affects muscle strength so I struggle a lot with activity, even though I'm not overweight. I can't go out walking now due to the onset of arthritis.

Do I wish I'd exercised more? Maybe. It wouldn't make any difference with thyroid disease onset nor arthritis so any advantage would have been short-lived.

Yes I agree and was about to comment something like this.

I never go to the gym - I used to occasionally years ago but it's expensive and miserable imo - but I do a lot of steps everyday just getting to work and back or running around with my young kids or just sprinting up stairs out of impatience.

It's not really necessary to go to the gym to stay fit. They're so expensive

I wonder this too, OP, I regularly strength train, practice yoga, walk etc and often have some sort of strain/ache 🙄. I work out to hopefully stave off osteoporosis and frailty for as long as I can, but also to look good.

I have an overweight colleague who proudly does nothing! I do wonder how she’ll cope in old age.

I'm 52 and don't do formal exercise. I am overweight, but not obese and have no aches or pains. I do have a dog and live up a hill, so always get my 10000 steps in and feel pretty fit. I would hate to go to a gym, but do feel I should probably start doing some weights or something, but have no clue what that really means.

I'm disabled and can't exercise. I envy people who can. I worry about the future so much. I wish I could exercise.

I think aches and pains creep up on a lot of people and they don't realise it. A little different but I remember trying an IUD for a couple of years and when I had it removed I realised that the very minor but fairly constant back ache that I felt disappeared - I'd assumed it was just being older!

As others have said a lot depends on your day to day activity levels too. I find it a little surprising and sad when I'm out with work colleagues who are my age or younger (I'm mid forties) and they'll comment about having to walk up a flight of stairs or sit on a low seat. For someone without a disability they really are skills we should be able to retain otherwise the later years aren't going to be much fun.

It is frustrating that the gym based social media still gives the message that people have to train five times a week to get results. A consistent, once a week full body strength workout would have so many carry overs to every day life for most people. It won't magically make you lose weight but it would definitely help with how well you can manage day to day tasks, like carrying shopping, picking up young children, putting things in high cupboards etc!

I am early 60s and exercised regularly (3-5 times per week) in my 20s, 30s and 40s (tennis, gym, fitness classes, yoga). I think that set me up well for later life. I now walk daily (~15,000 steps per day), yoga once per week, and cycle short distances rather than drive whenever that is practicable. I have no health ailments, have never been obese (although have always been towards the top end of my "healthy" weight range) and can easily do a 8-10k walk, without repercussions, unlike some of my similar-aged friends.

In our 70s, have dabbled with the gym, but have kept busy with gentler exercising, walking, occasional swimming, housework, dancing. But nothing formal. We are both reasonably healthy, get a few aching joints in the morning, but nothing too bad. Over the years, I have found it has been the gym bunnies who have had replacement joints. We know of 3 men who dropped dead exercising, one was a squash instructor. Our daughter really got into weight training a couple of years ago. Did really well, but is now struggling with strained shoulders. Our philosophy is everything in moderation. A bit of exercise, but not to strain muscles, sensible diet, not eating UP foods. It works for us.

I worked in healthcare for 40 years and could not have deduced anything about someone's current exercise behaviour or previous exercise history from the extent and pattern of the aches and pains they presented with in the post-retirement years. It seems to have a great deal more to do with the hand you're dealt in life than with the choices you make regarding exercise.

(I exercise and in my 60s I'm not prone to musculoskeletal symptoms, but I wouldn't make any assumptions about the direction of cause and effect.)

Much more unlikely though. I picked those as obvious risks for people who eat badly, are overweight, drink alcohol.

But I agree, nothing is guaranteed and you may still develop it as someone fit and healthy.

However the odds are you're going to have a much more pleasant old age if you look after yourself physically.

I’m 71, never been to a gym in my life but I’ve always hiked, now it’s just walking though … or strolling and chatting if I’m brutally honest! … with friends 3 times a week usually 5 to 7 miles.
I camp at 5 festivals a year - carrying my own gear and putting up my own tent.

Never really thought about ‘exercise’, just enjoy being active and outdoors.

Only problem I have is with my knees - at the moment I have a loose body in my left knee and have previously had one in my right plus mild osteoarthritis. I don’t think that’s too bad for my age.

Same.
I'm 58, weights three times a week, spinning three times, the odd run, Boxing training twice a week.
I am very fit.
But I constantly ache, am constantly injured and constantly wondering if it's bloody worth it when I look at my non exercising injury free unaching friends.

@WhosGotTheKeysToMyBimma but the OP is talking about exercise not drinking?!

There is no guarantee exercise will prevent diabetes or heart problems or cancer. Many diseases have genetic elements.

Thank you. I have autism and I know my bluntness winds people up so I tried my absolute best to add clarification and to explain but I think the extra clarifications have wound people up more than anything else!

I’m very similar in that I don’t stretch enough but an example for me would be used to get a lot of back pain standing around whereas I don’t get that at all now.

Just literally go for a walk every day, don’t overdo it, just go for a walk round the block & then keep extending the length of the walk. Do it gently so you don’t get the massive aches from too much.

you will build up your stamina really quickly

push through the shin pain, it will get worse before it gets better but it will ease off. Get some gel for aching muscles if you need it or do some hot/cold therapy on the shins/aches as it will help your circulation.

once you can walk quite far with ease build in some strength exercises for your core. Just simple yoga/pilates type stretches. (google core strengthening exercises or NHS guidance as thats what a physio would recommend)

Not sure - all my 50yr old aches and pains come from old sporting injuries sustained in my teens/20’s/30’s. I was super fit until probably late 30’s. I’d have been better off doing Pilates or something a bit less energetic probably.

To answer your question OP… I haven’t done much exercise and I am getting a lot of joint aches and pains. My rheumatologist said my knees are weak and I should strengthen them. I really didn’t know where to start but my DH has given me some basic exercises and it’s helping.
I generally walk every day but I haven’t been to a a gym because I am completely unsure about how to approach it, I don’t understand where to start once I get in there. My mother is in her 70s and is extremely unfit and is now in terrible pain due to osteoarthritis. I worry I will head in the same direction but it isn’t easy to start if you’ve never done it.