At what age did you feel "physically old" and cranky?

[cyber888]

Just curious ... at what age did you feel the physical old ? Like your body is not youthful anymore and you are feeling the brunt of age. Like muscles not recovering fast, arthritis, chronic pains, back pains, blurring eyes, knees creaking when you climb the stairs, feet not working, arm and shoulder muscles getting stiff, joints aching ...

For me, it mostly became pronounced at 54-55 years old. I'm still wondering if I should push my body .. like running 6 mph and more intense weigh training. MY DW keeps telling me not to exert too much. Anyway, I found supplements which could help and so plan to continue.

I'm still amazed at some people i see in the news who are pushing their body in their 70s and 80s and even 90s. Are you also gifted genetically, like these people ? or do you feel it in your 50s or earlier?

 

[MissMolly]

I started noticing small changes probably in my late 50's. After turning 60 I definitely noticed a difference. After turning 65 it was unbelievable the difference I was feeling - I definitely was feeling old. I can't imagine 70...

 

[austin944]

In my mid-50s I acquired achilles tendonitis and pain in the bottom of the heels which made it difficult to run without pain. However I found that one foot had a collapsed arch, so now I wear inserts with arch support, which has helped. And I temporarily laid off running for 6 months which cured the heel pain, and found some running shoes that have more cushioning. The minimalist running shoes I had been using were terrible for my feet. I am slower now, but I'm still running.

Spend a lot of time researching your pains, and keep researching until you get solutions that work. Be patient, it will take some time. And never settle for becoming old.

 

[aja8888]

I'm 75, slowing down a bit, but nowhere near as bad as described in the OP's first post below.

at what age did you feel the physical old ? Like your body is not youthful anymore and you are feeling the brunt of age. Like muscles not recovering fast, arthritis, chronic pains, back pains, blurring eyes, knees creaking when you climb the stairs, feet not working, arm and shoulder muscles getting stiff, joints aching ...

 

[pdxgal]

After menopause at 51, it was like somebody had flipped a switch in my body. Which was basically the case, as estrogen functions as a sort of natural lubricant or something like that. I started feeling stiff in the mornings. But developing double vision around 53 was a game changer. Makes it much harder to work at a computer screen all day. The good news is that it has given me a lot more motivation to retire early.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

I'm 57 next month and run 3 miles every other day. I've slowed down from 8 minute miles to 9. I can still race 5 miles at 7:30 pace. I lift weights twice a week. A little yoga. And walk the dogs every few hours.

Something new hurts all the time. Pain comes and goes. Nothing chronic, back and knees are fine. No arthritis.

Also not taking any meds nor supplements. I eat well.

My day will come but I've held it off up to this point.

 

[W2R]

I noticed some definite increase in the rate of physical decline after age 67 or so.

But I seldom feel cranky! Just on some days, the same as when I was younger. Most of the time I am happy instead of cranky.

 

[Lakedog]

Haven't started feeling old yet (at 63) as I still lift weights 3 days a week and run 4-5 days per week (up to 8 miles some days but probably average 5-6 miles). I think it helps if you continue a somewhat arduous exercise routine - most folks don't seem to do that as they quit exercising altogether or significantly reduce exercise intensity as they age.

 

[razztazz]

I noticed some definite increase in the rate of physical decline after age 67 or so.

But I seldom feel cranky! Just on some days, the same as when I was younger. Most of the time I am happy instead of cranky.

I wasn't sure how to answer this. I started noticing those "can't quite do it like I used to" changes around 57/58. That's what I started making adjustments to workouts and whether or not I was willing to do certain things like heave-ho something or climb on ladders etc.

I never perceived myself as getting "old" or kranky though. Just recently, and I mean like weeks/months a medical situation manifested itself that has me thinking about the ultimate cold hard truth. A compressed disc in my neck is causing some intermittent pain and numbness/discoordination in my hands making it hard to grip things.

It's that kind of thing, life altering, not recoverable like a sprain or even a break, and increasing in intrusiveness over the next 30 years that has me starting to feel old and kranky.

 

[Souschef]

I'm 75, slowing down a bit, but nowhere near as bad as described in the OP's first post below.

Same here at 81.
Our son commented,"He has got a lot of tread left"

 

[MarieIG]

14

 

[COcheesehead]

I am 56 and still have no problem with 2-3 hour bike rides or 4-5 hour hikes. Based on what I have seen in others, I just want to keep rolling. I feel if I cut back, then the problems begin.

 

[Nemo2]

Turned 76 last September.....as of this March, before the sepsis and associated crap, was doing ~ 2,000 risers a day stair climbing. Now, I'm trying to work my way back......not easy...ah well, two months to go before I'm 77.

 

[jollystomper]

At 61 I do not yet feel it. Being not that good an athlete when I was young seems to have kept my body from wear and tear.

It is sad to see some of my friends who were star athletes on my high school and college football teams now struggle with many physical issues, which not playing as much as they did probably saved me.

The sport that took the most toll on me was volleyball, I fractured a thumb and tore finger ligaments, never had anything close to that playing football, basketball, baseball, or softball.

I know it will happen someday, but so far so good... I'm going to to keep my aerobics/weightlifting regimen and hiking/biking/golf/bowling/intimate activities for as long as I can.

 

[MRG]

I was doing awesome until 62 and I've hit a wall. Hopefully after a surgery or two I'll be back to the gym 6x a week.

 

[NW-Bound]

Like your body is not youthful anymore and you are feeling the brunt of age...

Yes.

Like muscles not recovering fast, arthritis, chronic pains, back pains, blurring eyes, knees creaking when you climb the stairs, feet not working, arm and shoulder muscles getting stiff, joints aching ...

None that bad. Generally, I get tired more easily, and do not trust my balance to climb trees or walk on the roof top. No constant pain yet.

When things go downhill slowly from 35 or 40, it is not possible to put down a clear time mark.

 

[Midpack]

It happens slowly so there isn’t a particular age, but I didn’t really feel physically old until about the 60 yo milestone. Now at 65 it’s pretty obvious, I just have to move a little slower and more cautiously than in my younger years, but I can still do everything I want to thank goodness. I still sail competitively and it’s really annoying what I can’t do (as well) on a boat anymore, I’m just not as strong, quick or agile (balance), but I get by.

I’m convinced making a point of staying active is critical to maintaining physical ability, especially as we age, so I exercise regularly and just generally choose to do yard work, household projects, ride my bike, walk the neighborhood, etc. at every opportunity. We just moved into a new (to us) house so there’s an endless supply of projects - I just hung two ceiling fans yesterday.

While I agree more old people are afflicted with “cranky” than younger generations, I’d like to believe cranky doesn’t have to come with age. We are careful not to hang out with cranky people, and we rejected living in a 55+ community for exactly that reason. The last thing I want in my life is to listen to people complain about anything and everything (often poorly informed)...YMMV

 

[joeea]

Just curious ... at what age did you feel the physical old ? Like your body is not youthful anymore and you are feeling the brunt of age. Like muscles not recovering fast, arthritis, chronic pains, back pains, blurring eyes, knees creaking when you climb the stairs, feet not working, arm and shoulder muscles getting stiff, joints aching ...

I'm 65. And I don't feel like that yet.

Sorry if you do. I'm sure everyone is different.

 

[Dtail]

At 59, definitely feel more soreness by playing Pickleball 5x weekly plus some swimming.
Back and knees are holding out overall, so okay for now.

 

[Gumby]

I've been cranky my whole life. I still don't feel old.

 

[misanman]

I noticed it to some extent this year - at 73.

 

[donheff]

I turn 71 in a month and notice enough of a change that I worry that my activities may start getting too limited by the time I am 80. For now I have noticed significant changes but not to the degree described in the OP. I ride my bike for 20-25 miles 3 or 4 days a week and lift weights at the gym twice a week. Both of those activities continue without pain but I have noticed a slow slackening off over the past few years. I used to often ride 30-35 miles, now 20-25. My weights have gone down a few pounds. Squatting or getting down on the floor aches from mild arthritis. As Midpack says, it happens slowly so you don't really feel like anything significant has changed in the last year or two. You (or at least I) adjust to the changes so they are not depressing. Still, I worry about what will come next - eventually we are all going over a cliff.

 

[street]

I (62) feel the aches and pains but it is mostly after working hard at the ranch and other physical work I do. I was the roof the other day cleaning out the gutters and cut trees from a extension ladder, with a 15 foot saw blade on the end of the extended stick. I will be helping a guy pour two 4 foot basements starting today. Yesterday I drove 20 T-posts that I'm fencing off to plant trees in the spring, and it was hot. Lol

The reason I do these things is to keep in shape the best that I can. I'm sore and stiff some but not bad and after these projects are done, I don't have the sore mussels. Lol

I bike and walk. In the spring of the year I spend all day hiking hard country with really no side affects.

I think aging is all what you make it to be. Our body starts dying the day we are born and starts the degeneration of life.

 

[DayDreaming]

I'll be 59 soon and still feel good in general.
The past couple of years it seems that it's easier to injure myself - pulled muscles, sore back, etc from doing strenuous yard work, but then I'm doing more yard work than ever due to some projects I have going on here.
I don't bicycle the long distances I used to, but I think that's more due to shifting interests than lack of ability, and I'm tired of riding these same roads decade after decade.

 

[Dawg52]

I'm almost 65 and still feel pretty good. I don't hit the golf ball as far as I used to and recently started wearing an elbow support band. But other than that.....don't feel much different than 30 years ago.