Have you ever been walking up or down stairs, experienced a weird pain in your knee and thought, "I'm too young for this,"--? Well, depending on your age, that may or may not be true.
We're all familiar with creaking joints and cracking bones and the all-too-familiar-realization that, 'I'm getting too old for this." But while age means an increase in certain aches and pains, it doesn't have to mean slowing down or giving in to pain.
Here are some common aches you may experience with age and the best ways to power through and stay active (and safe) no matter how old you are.
Note: Always consult your physician before beginning any exercise program. This general information is not intended to diagnose any medical condition or to replace your healthcare professional. If you experience persistent pain, consult your healthcare provider.
Back Pain
Back pain in the most common type of pain in America. If you're under 50, your back pain is probably from sitting too much for too long.
Between long commutes, workdays spent at a desk, and evenings spent in front of the TV, the average American spends 7.7 hours a day sitting...that's too much! No wonder people younger and younger are experiencing back pain.
Sitting for long stretches puts too much pressure on the discs in your back and can lead to pain. So while there are a number of different ways to ease your back pain, the first thing to try is to stand up.
Give yourself breaks from sitting by taking walks or stretching. Give your back a break by stretching the muscles and relieving pressure.
Strength-training and cardio exercises are also helpful both in treating and preventing back pain. They both get the blood flowing and help build up your core muscles which will help you support your spine.
Some people find using a heating pad eases pain, too.
Also, if you experience chronic back pain, you might want to check out your footwear. Learn more in this post and then find the Orange Insole that is right for you.
While back pain is normal, you should call your doctor if you're in serious pain that lasts more than a week.
Hip Pain
We joke about breaking hips as we get older, but the truth is that as we age, the cartilage that prevents friction between the bone and its socket wears down. Muscles and tendons in your hip can get overused and become sore and bones in the hip can break or ship in a fall.
If you have hip pain, there are a few things that could be causing it.
Misalignment of the hips can cause pain at any age. Poor alignment in your gait or a leg discrepancy (where one leg is longer than the other) can pull your hips out of whack and cause pain. If this is what's causing your pain, adding insoles to your shoes could help.
Hip pain can also be caused by arthritis as we age. Arthritis can lead to inflammation of the hip joint and breakdown the cartilage. This is when fractures and breaks become more common.
If you're active, hip pain could be caused by a simple case of muscle or tendon strain or even tendinitis. Both of these can be caused by repetitive stress from overuse.
If your pain is consistent or severe, you should check with your doctor. If you're active and think your pain is activity-related, you can try stretching to keep your hips flexible and ease the pain.
Joint Pain
Once we hit 50 years old, our muscles, ligaments, and tendons are not as strong as they once were and normal wear and tear can begin to impact them. At this point, it's normal to experience some pain and discomfort where the protective cartilage around our joints begins to break down (like in our hands, knees, or hips).
Even between the ages of 50 and 70, some discomfort or restriction of movement is normal during some movements. But if these pains interfere with your everyday life, your joints could be aging prematurely and you should see a doctor.
Not 50? It's still normal to experience pain in your joints but it could be tendinitis. This can be treated by scaling back on the activity that is causing the pain, icing the joint, taking an over the counter pain medication, and finding an orange insole to fit your lifestyle or your ache.
Osteoarthritis (OA)
This common condition happens when the protective cartilage between your joint and bone breaks down, causing pain in the hands, knees, or hips. Osteoarthritis is most likely to hit in your 60's and 70's and is often the result of age-related changes. It could also be caused by the wear and tear from a sport or activity.
Again, to prevent OA, staying active is key. Healthy circulation keeps your joints healthy and reduces pain and strengthens the muscles around the joint.
Helpful Tip: If you have arthritis, it’s usually tough or painful to get moving. If it's tendinitis, the more you move, the more pain you have.
Muscle Pain/Strain
As we get older, the more likely we are to experience muscle strain. As we age, our muscle fibers are less dense which makes them less flexible and more susceptible to injury.
The best way to deal with muscle strain is to try and avoid it altogether. Activities that are stretching focused like Yoga or Pilates can keep your muscles long and limber and help safeguard you against a strain.
A good stretch can also help when you're feeling sore.
Most of these aches and pains can be put off significantly by exercising and stretching regularly and staying in good shape. The likelihood of many of these pains increases significantly if you are overweight.
Whatever exercise you should do to stay in shape, it's important to invest in shoes that fit right, support your muscles, and promote proper alignment.
If you need extra support for any of these activities, give our insoles a try. They'll help keep you feeling young!
