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.

It’s a real issue for my DM as she just sits all the time. She gets a lot of pain in her hips and knees so refuses to exercise - even walking! - and won’t accept that exercising will actually make the pain better even if it is worse for a few days while her body gets used to moving again. It’s sad as she is much older than her age physically now.

Do you never get delayed onset muscle soreness, OP?

I’m 52, do weights & cardio 3 times a week & don’t drive, so quite a lot of walking. I never normally ache unless it’s a bit after exercising, but I have a sore hamstring at the moment & that’s an eye opener. I’m lucky that I can WFH for a few days & rest it, but I also suspect I’m being a bit of a drama queen because a lot of people put up with much worse.

I agree exercise is a good thing. I still think you sound smug and sneery about your friends.

I’m in my fifties, lots of the people I know who have exercised all their lives are now getting hip and knee replacements, or have issues with their backs.

Exercise, eating sensibly, getting enough sleep etc are all important for your health - but it doesn’t necessarily prevent you from
aches and pains, joint problems as you age.

A significant number of my friends have suffered major health problems as they have hit fifty (cancer, heart issues, etc) and a lifetime of regular exercise doesn't seem to have helped prevent it.

Look after your own health, mind your own business about everyone else.

Weight training is far more important than cardio as you age.

I've far fewer aches and injuries than DH.

I’m 50 and have been going to the gym for 2 years - terrible DOMS at first but now I ache MUCH less than before.
WLIs have enabled me to reach a healthy BMI after losing 40lbs. I couldn’t have done this simply by going to the gym. So maybe lose the judgement here op. I’m sure plenty of people using the jabs are saving the NHS £1000’s down the line!

Same here, sadly.

Many of my chronic aches and pains have been caused by exercise. Running gave me plantar fasciitis which has been a gift that keeps on giving for 17 years and counting. Dancing gave me dodgy knees and hips.

It’s so important to realise that doing everything ‘right’ doesn’t protect us from the effects of ageing.

I’m late 60s, overweight and gradually losing weight by following a non-UPF diet. After a lifetime of rarely exercising, I have started a video fitness course: all very gentle and less than 30 minutes per session.

Im currently on holiday in Rome and have been standing for hours every day without issue, and find that sitting for just a few minutes and doing ankle exercises works wonders. I put that down to the video classes because I could never have stood that long even at a lighter weight.

I have arthritis and know that I need to do regular stretching / gentle strength exercises to build up muscle supporting the joints, and keep them lubricated. I couldn’t bear spending hours in gyms or swimming or at Pilates classes: like an earlier pp commented, I would rather read books! So this way of exercising in the home helps.

On a day to day basis, we don’t have a car so I do lots of walking without thinking about it and my DH carries really heavy loads when shopping and he’s mid-70s!

Maybe you're more prone to aches and pains than other people? I don't get anything like that at 40 and can walk miles when I want to (despite rarely doing so). I don't gym or exercise atm.

I can only talk from personal experience. I've lost 3 stone in the last year and weight train at least 3 times a week. I walk a fair bit with my dog.
I've just come back from a week abroad. Loads of walking around cities and, for the first time I've had no aches or pains. Whether it's the weight loss or the fact I'm fitter I don't know. I'm nearly 50 and do notice a lack of stamina and a lot of moaning about aches from friends.

I'm 59. I walk up to 5 miles a day as I often walk to work (2.5miles each way).

Aches & pains when I get into positions that my body isn't used to, like in gardening with all that kneeing and crouching, digging, etc. I normally feel it later when I am sitting down to watch TV.

Generally, I feel better when I am active and moving. We all have different rhythms and it is a question of finding yours. I don't feel good if I am sedentary too long. I'm very much a believer in use it or lose it, however, I don't really believe in gyms (probably a generational thing) as it feels like you are expending energy unproductively: I'd much rather hoover the whole house, wash windows or climb a ladder to clean a light fixture for a workout. A friend of mine calls it extreme cleaning! lol.

What OP might be getting at is:
If, in a scenario where you had the choice of (a) looking good whilst being unhealthy, or (b) looking less appealing whilst being healthy, you’d choose (a), then a lot of people would find that surprising.

Do you work ? How on earth do you fit all this in?

The only exercise I do is going to work which racks up around 20000 steps 4 days per week. Outside of that I just go for long walks on occasion.....don't drive so walk everywhere anyways.

I'm 44, don't get aches and pains aside from sciatica flaring up on occasion and neither my feet or legs ache even after a 10 mile walk but that's down to the trainers I'm wearing !! (( ancient pair of Adidas for work which are more hole than material and a pair of orthopedic vans for day to day ))

I've got a few long term injuries/worn out/overused joints caused by the exercise hobby I've done throughout my life.

I wish I'd done more knitting & reading when I was younger - my body would have lasted longer !

If you are normally and decently active in general, either no different at all or some might even be better than those going to a gym.

I'm 48 with minimal aches and pains so far 🤞 and I've never been into a gym, jogged etc in my life.
But I have always had a physical job, being constantly on my feet all day, and spend 2 hours a day walking the dog 🤷🏽‍♀️

I am in my mid 50’s and am a sporadic exerciser. I don’t really have any aches and pains and am very flexible. I do think I should start going to the gym again soon so I make sure I don’t lose muscle tone.

I know exactly what you mean, OP. I’ve exercised consistently for most of my life, but had a lazy period a couple of years ago. I started to get a very stiff back and assumed it was my genes, as both of my parents have back issues. After 6 months of no exercise, I went back to the gym and running and…poof! No more back ache. I’ve mostly exercised for generic health and vanity reasons, but it was revealing how important it is for strength, too.

And then recently I went for a walk with a colleague and afterwards she commented on the speed and that she had to work hard to keep up…for me it was a steady speed and she’s younger than me.

So yes, I think easy for us all to forget that exercise can improve health right here and now.

I’m 49.

i go to the gym regularly and swim a lot.

i can’t walk more than a few steps after an accident ten years ago,

before the accident I went to the gym and exercised a lot and my body always always hurt the day after an exercise session. To be honest my body has pretty much hurt on and off since I was about 16 (I have endometriosis and also had various cysts),

how much your body hurts isn’t really related to functional fitness.

I was very sporty in my 20s and as a result my knees are completely wrecked. I think people who exercised less/more lightly have less wear and tear!

What are these aches you speak of?

I'm 75 and exercised for five years between the ages of 60 and 65, never before and never since.

I've got a myriad of health issues, but the only ache I get is the one in my back where surgeons had to remove part of three ribs in order to remove the tumour in my lung.

apart from that, no real aches to speak of.

45 don't go to the gym and no aches & pains whatsoever. HTH 👌

DH who has been a runner all his adult life on the other hand…

While exercise helps, I’ve noticed that keen excercisers can have a blind spot when it comes to things like sheer misfortune and genetic predispositions. For instance, everyone I know who’s into running has buggered themselves up doing said running at some point and road running is very hard on the knees. A friend is a keen gym goer and cyclist, at the ripe old age of just 46 he’s recently had a hip replacement.
So yes, do the exercise, it’s good for you, but don’t get cocky and think that it’ll stop you from getting aches and pains as you get older. Life’s a roll of the dice and nothing is guaranteed.