Staying Active as You Age and Not Slowing Down

Last Updated on March 8, 2021 by Ellen Christian

This post was sponsored by DePuy Synthes as part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. Staying active as you age can be a challenge. And, that’s something that I’m really starting to understand now that I’m on the other side of 50. Whether you’re dealing with exercising with knee pain or limited mobility while gardening or working outside, it’s all too easy to let aches and pains prevent you from enjoying the activities you used to. I don’t want to feel like I’m limited in what I can do as I get older. But, as I watch my parents age, I realize that this something that many people have to deal with.

Staying Active as You Age

With the return of the warm weather, I find myself outside exercising and working in the yard again. After spending several hours in the garden yesterday, I stood up and it hit me, the aches and pains I feel get worse each year. How many more years will I be able to continue doing what I enjoy doing? I know that my Mom (who is in her 70s) has difficulty going up and down the stairs due to knee pain. She cannot enjoy a walk around the neighboorhood any longer let alone spend several hours gardening.

Staying active as you age isn’t impossible. It’s a matter of making smart choices and pacing yourself. If you’re interested in yard work and gardening, here are a few simple tips to help.

• Divide and conquer. Don’t try to do the entire yard in one day or one afternoon.  Take a small section of your yard to work on each day. When you’re done with the whole yard, it will be time to start over.
• Get comfortable. Whether it means a knee pad, easy grip gardening tools or a yard cart rather than a wheelbarrow, look for what’s comfortable.
• Don’t let pain stop you. It’s inevitable that you’ll feel some aches and pains while gardening or working out. It’s important that you try to be active each day without pushing too much. Stretch regularly. Start slowly. Know when to stop for the day.

Not slowing down

I enjoy being active and working in the garden. I like starting my morning with yoga stretches and ending it with a long walk. One of the reasons we bought a home in the country is so we could enjoy these types of activities.  The thought that I may not be able to continue these activities as I get older makes me sad. If you’ve found yourself wondering how you can keep enjoying the things you love as you age, it may be time to speak to your doctor.

Did you know that 95% of women surveyed felt their life was on pause and cited avoiding activities they used to enjoy prior to having a knee or hip replacement? If you’re dealing with hip and knee pain, it can feel like your life is on pause. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. You can take a step to find out if joint replacement surgery can help you get you back to doing the things you love.

Now, find a doctor in your area that you can talk to about possible solutions to your hip and knee pain, including joint replacement surgery. Visit TimeToHitPlay.com.

It may be time to consider an orthopedic knee wrap.