I attribute aches to age

[street]

I retired about a year ago at age 58 and my plan along was to do a part-time summer only job. I also wanted a job that consisted of some physical labor for the benefit of keeping my body in tune. Well last summer I found the perfect job and was asked back this summer as well. I started a few weeks ago and I can tell I'm not that good of shape. I hike hundreds of miles a year in back country so leg strength is fair good.
The job is working on a Ag experimental station. I help plant and take care of the grounds and will hoe, till and harvest plots and is done with a lot of manual labor. I love it but man I ache from the work.

My question is do you think some of the muscle aches etc. comes with age or am I just that bad of shape. I'm not over weight and consider myself pretty good shape but really haven't done a lot of labor work in the last 15 years do to my job I had. Lol

 

[W2R]

You're 58 and you haven't done a lot of physical labor work for 15 years? I'd be surprised if you didn't ache a lot, no matter what your age!


How did you feel when you did that same job last summer?

For me, the aches and pains of aging were pretty mild in my 50's but increased a lot in my 60's. But that probably varies a lot from person to person.

 

[braumeister]

I hate to say this, but your description sounds to me like what I would call "hard physical labor" and at 58 you are most definitely at the tail end of people who can handle that.

Do you routinely take something like aspirin/ibuprofen/naproxen to help you through the day while doing that work? If not, consider it. If so, maybe the time has finally come to be done with it.

 

[street]

I just turned 60 and last year I also had muscle aches. It's not to the point that I need to take pain pills or any thing like that.
Like yesterday I pitch forked small branches for a couple of hours into truck. I di a couple of hours of trimming branches with a long handled pruner. I pushed mowed a few spots and mowed with the rider for the rest of the day. I have been helping marking fields which consists of driving stakes and up and down measuring etc.. I also ben driving a lot of small farm equipment do many different tasks.

Today I went hiking in the high country for about 4 hours and feel good once I start going aches disappear. Lol

I'm sure it is age and of course I'm no young chicken any more either.

 

[mamadogmamacat]

56 here have had RA since mid thirties. Now have some age related OA as well. I enjoy hiking also , with my dog, and occasional garden work. I have no interest in a job because I like my time to be my own now after working since childhood, but if I ever did work again an outdoor part time job would interest me. Suggest you give consideration to taking occasional medications, either pills, or perhaps better something topical for specific joint aches. I can accept pain, but our joints will recover faster and sustain less long term damage (which can lead to more serious conditions as cartilage fails) if we take/apply something to reduce inflammation.

 

[Red Badger]

Hi Street. Like you, I hike a lot - 3-4 miles most days (also right at same age). I also ride a bike 30 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. I supplement that with my "prison workout." I do push ups and crunches 3X per week and 3 sets of each (no time, money, or inclination for any membership nonsense at a gym).

However, when I do serious garden work for my DW ( building beds with 4x4 timbers, post hole digging, etc), I can be achy the next day. Luckily, we've got a garden tub / Jacuzzi. I don't much care for baths, but have learned that it is my best friend after a hard day. If that's not an option, maybe some topical ointments or OTC anti-inflammatory options? One other possible option - a few years ago, I used a massage therapist. IF I did in conjunction with a chiropractic session, insurance covered it. Anyway, good luck!

 

[Fedup]

I wouldn't take any medications. I consider them the good aches, particularly after hard physical labor. My husband had massive aches from his arms after using a saw for a few hours. He has been doing this kind of work for years. DYI here. I did give his arms massage, deep tissue massage. Get blood to circulate in the aching area and you'll be fine.

 

[street]

Interesting reply's and thanks. I was trying to remember when I was in my 40's I may have had aches when doing manual labor also. I can't really remember. Lol

I have a small cabin and land in the high country and started to add on a 5 by 10 addition. I got the 2 foot holes dug and poles sets and tamped in. The cabin is built in a canyon and all material has to be packed by hand to get to the cabin. It is 140 yards all up hill and two long up hill curves. Any way I got the 4 10 inch logs 4 foot long up there by carrying one at a time on my shoulder. I took my time and stopped a few times also. The next day I was sore and tired but didn't need any pills for relief.
Now to get the plywood/lumber and tin up there I do believe I will find someone to help me. I can do it but will be a better decision. Lol

 

[Meadbh]

I contribute aches to age

This thread has me quite puzzled until I realized that the OP attributes aches to age!

 

[Nemo2]

This thread has me quite puzzled until I realized that the OP attributes aches to age!

I was tempted to point that out earlier, but refrained.......which, (refraining), is something that I rarely do.

 

[street]

Yes that is what I meant. Lol Can I blame that on old age??

 

[W2R]

Yes that is what I meant. Lol Can I blame that on old age??

OK, I changed the title since that is what you meant.

 

[braumeister]

Aches are an attribute of age.

 

[Nemo2]

Aches are an attribute of age.

Nature's way of exacting tribute.

 

[Texas Proud]

When I started to go to the gym and do some of the workout classes I had muscle aches.... one of my sisters said that I need to have more protein... then another... then a third!!!

So, I went to Sams Club and bought some of their 30g protein shakes... I usually drink half of one when I do a 'hard' (to me) workout... it has helped... I still have aches and pain, but not as bad...

 

[Aerides]

Anytime you use a muscle that hasn't been used much and exert it, you'll get aches. At 30, 40, 50, or 60. When I've taken a new class at the gym it's not uncommon to be sore.

Your hiking doesn't prepare your frame or muscles for lots of upper body work that you describe. And since this is a job, you won't have the luxury or waiting a few days to rest those worn out muscles ready for next time. So your recovery will not be ideal. Rest on your day off and it should get easier. And next year if you go back, incorporate some exercises that work the whole body into your regular routine at least a month before you resume work. (not a bad idea to have a bit of that all the time tbh).

 

[jollystomper]

If you haven't been active for 15 years, I would suggest you get a comprehensive physical exam. Maybe even a cardiac stress test as well. Just because you are not overweight does not mean you are in good physical shape. There are too many stories of us "older" folks getting into very physical activities after long periods of inactivity and getting into trouble or worse.

 

[street]

Thanks and thanks for the change and advise. I always have been very active and working hard in extreme weather conditions was my bread and butter for 20 plus years.

The thing that I have to start to understand is that I am getting older and can't and shouldn't be doing what I did 10 years ago. I feel I can but do need to take more time doing and less of it. I'm not a gym type person and it would not work for me but a great idea. Cardio workouts would be the thing to get involved in.

 

[FlaGator]

Cool that you're getting out where the food is actually grown

Since you're hiking on a regular basis, I wouldn't default to attributing your discomfort to age. Maybe more that you're using muscles you haven't in a while.

That work requires a lot of bending over, which wasn't natural for me when I was younger (57 now, with recent history of disk problems) and that much challenging given my current circumstances.

Suggest one not resign issues like this to "getting older" until one has worked through some core strengthening and stretching. Both have helped me manage what is looking like a deteriorating situation.

 

[street]

I wouldn't take any medications. I consider them the good aches, particularly after hard physical labor. My husband had massive aches from his arms after using a saw for a few hours. He has been doing this kind of work for years. DYI here. I did give his arms massage, deep tissue massage. Get blood to circulate in the aching area and you'll be fine.

I also consider them good aches. Lol It feels a lot better being tired physical then mentally.

 

[Dreamer]

I just turned 64 and I have had some aching at the top of one leg and right below the knee on the other leg. It has bothered me some, when I am lying down to go to sleep. I have rubbed Bengay on my legs. I have also noticed that I am not going up the stairs as easily as I used to before this year.

My girlfriend was just diagnosed with bursitis of the hip and she is only 62.

I would say that it is probably a combination of getting a little older and a physical job.

 

[grasshopper]

A little pain reminds me that I am alive.

 

[HadEnuff]

Most likely, the aches are due to BOTH, getting older AND doing physical activities your body is not used to.
I took 10 years away from playing golf, from ages 48-58 I barely ever picked up a club. Before that I would play, walking and carrying my bag, 3-5 times a week, during the season (April-November here).
When I picked the game back up at 58, (I'm 63 now) I went through a myriad of issues. Although I had done a lot of walking, golf course walking is different, so my legs took a little while to catch up. But my golf swinging muscles still aren't what they were at 48.
I went through some pretty serious tennis elbow and "golf" elbow problems in both elbows, a nasty bout of plantar fasciitis in each foot, and issues with knees, hips and wrists.

30 years ago my buddies and I would go on a 4 day golf trip and play 36 holes a day. Now, if I'm walking, I stick to 9 holes. I can play 18, but the last 4 are not really any fun.

I agree that easing into new activities, and doing other "occupational therapies" such as core strength exercises, will help, but I would not expect your body to respond to new physical challenges as it would have a decade ago, let alone 2 or 3 decades ago.

 

[street]

Interesting hearing your life story's and what you have learned about your body in doing physical work as we age. The mind says I can and the body wants too but in most cases it is to much for the body to do to much.

 

[Dawg52]

I certainly have more aches and pains at 62 than I did in my 50's. But not complaining as I can still golf and bike. A neighbor who is 3 years older has had knee and hip replacement surgeries. Two days ago had rotator cuff surgery. Nope......I'm not complaining.