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Just first thing in the morning when I'm really stove up. After some coffee and ibuprophen, I can then successfully bend or squat enough to pick things up off the floor even with my bad back.
I've been doing a lot of DIY construction type stuff around my new apartment, in particular on my balcony and have fallen in love with my knee pads from Home Depot lol. I strap those puppies on, and I can get down on the ground and back up much more easily, because my knees don't hurt. I also learned to get on all fours and then I can get up from there, either by grabbing something or just by getting my feet under me and bending back up.
Too many years of carrying kids on hips and falls off horses and car accidents for me. I was never a sports participator or heavy-duty exerciser, but was always very active with kids or gardens or livestock, etc. But, fall on your head enough times off a horse, or onto your hip, or get whiplash several times, throw disks out of place, etc....there's no magic formula to keep you from what life may throw at you.
And by the way, for women who spent many of their younger years with a kid on their hip - it really messes up your back and knees. Just in case you wondered why you have problems and couldn't figure out why. I was the oldest of four, then became a nanny, babysat, had my own - many years of holding my hip at a bad angle and kids are heavy, and we lift them and put them down and twist and turn with them in all the wrong ways.
Newcomputer, I was just going by a friend, also a senior, who said she and her DH had gotten to the point they could no longer cut their own toe nails and she was the one who said medicare paid for them to be cut. Now, she has diabetes, so I wonder if that had something to do with it?
I think my long standing back problems come from the fact that in my 30's for many years I lifted a disabled 1st husband to transfer from chair / bed to wheelchair. I spent many years going to Chiropractor, but don't think it helped much. Fortunately I don't have pain much, it's just stiffness. My hips also get stiff if I've done a lot of walking, especially on hard surfaces.
I think couples could do each other's toes, if they trusted each other. I've done DH's when he wasn't able. Yeah, picking up stuff from the floor isn't as easy as it used to be.
I know there are conditions, many hereditary, and some injuries that contribute to prematurely losing physical abilities.
But otherwise it's not inevitable. I'm 68, DH is 66 and neither one of us have any trouble at all bending or stooping.
I started working out regularly when I was in my early 50's. DH has always been and remains physically active but only began actual exercising (walking, lifting weights, stretching) several years ago.
Neither of us are fanatics about it, we just try to keep moving as much as possible. For 24 yrs we lived in a 3-level house and I'm sure walking all those stairs helped. We just moved to a 1-level house but it's on a mountain side so daily walks give a good workout. I enjoy jogging but can't do it regularly here because there's no level ground close by.
Going by family history, DH has great genes, me not so much. My mom and grandmother both suffered from arthritis, the latter was a semi-invalid by her 50s.
I regularly practice yoga and credit that more than anything with keeping me very limber and reasonably strong.
This is not at all criticism of those who are experiencing difficulty, often it's beyond control. But I'd hate for anyone to think it happens to everyone and that's there's no way to prevent or at least delay it.
Swimming, yoga, pilates, even 15 minutes of stretches before you get out of bed, can help. How many people are really doing any of those things? As you said, some people have difficulties that are more serious, but most people aren't even trying. I just bought a FitBit Flex 2 about 3 weeks ago. It tracks my swimming and steps. it is a great motivator and holds me accountable (to myself.).
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe
Just first thing in the morning when I'm really stove up. After some coffee and ibuprophen, I can then successfully bend or squat enough to pick things up off the floor even with my bad back.
I've been doing a lot of DIY construction type stuff around my new apartment, in particular on my balcony and have fallen in love with my knee pads from Home Depot lol. I strap those puppies on, and I can get down on the ground and back up much more easily, because my knees don't hurt. I also learned to get on all fours and then I can get up from there, either by grabbing something or just by getting my feet under me and bending back up.
Too many years of carrying kids on hips and falls off horses and car accidents for me. I was never a sports participator or heavy-duty exerciser, but was always very active with kids or gardens or livestock, etc. But, fall on your head enough times off a horse, or onto your hip, or get whiplash several times, throw disks out of place, etc....there's no magic formula to keep you from what life may throw at you.
And by the way, for women who spent many of their younger years with a kid on their hip - it really messes up your back and knees. Just in case you wondered why you have problems and couldn't figure out why. I was the oldest of four, then became a nanny, babysat, had my own - many years of holding my hip at a bad angle and kids are heavy, and we lift them and put them down and twist and turn with them in all the wrong ways.
I used knee pads this past weekend, and they are a big help. The problem with them is the way the elastic straps start cutting into the back of the legs when wearing shorts. I prefer not to wear jeans when it's in the 80s. My wife is thinking about a way to make some kind of padding to go over those straps.
I have to get down on my hands and knees to clean out the goldfish pond filter. Cleaning the filter isn't the problem -- it takes a couple minutes. Assembling everything I need, getting the kneeling pad, stumbling around on the rocky pond edge, using my old handy-dandy ski pole as a third leg, getting down to where I can reach below ground level to the filter to clean it and then doing the whole process in reverse when I'm done is the challenge. I fell in the pond once so I know that is a possible outcome each time. Luckily no neighbors can see this process...they would be taking bets. Stupid fish.
Newcomputer, I was just going by a friend, also a senior, who said she and her DH had gotten to the point they could no longer cut their own toe nails and she was the one who said medicare paid for them to be cut. Now, she has diabetes, so I wonder if that had something to do with it?
I think my long standing back problems come from the fact that in my 30's for many years I lifted a disabled 1st husband to transfer from chair / bed to wheelchair. I spent many years going to Chiropractor, but don't think it helped much. Fortunately I don't have pain much, it's just stiffness. My hips also get stiff if I've done a lot of walking, especially on hard surfaces.
I think couples could do each other's toes, if they trusted each other. I've done DH's when he wasn't able. Yeah, picking up stuff from the floor isn't as easy as it used to be.
You bring up a good point about Medicare and toenail cutting. I know some of the people in my senior apartment building have it paid for. This is what I found when I GOOGLED it. You are right about your your friend's diabetes playing a part in this.
Swimming, yoga, pilates, even 15 minutes of stretches before you get out of bed, can help. How many people are really doing any of those things? As you said, some people have difficulties that are more serious, but most people aren't even trying. I just bought a FitBit Flex 2 about 3 weeks ago. It tracks my swimming and steps. it is a great motivator and holds me accountable (to myself.).
Unfortunately, I agree with you. We've ll seen creaky old people. We've all said we don't want to be those people. Yet, at age 40, 50, or even 60, folks aren't doing regular stretching or functional exercises. People make interesting choices.
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