In clinic I see a lot of patients who are in their 40s and 50s and doing their best to stay active. Some are trying to continue sports that they’ve done for a long time, others have recently taken up a new activity or are trying to train for an event. Often, the people I see have experienced a series of injuries and niggles that have interfered with their training. They feel like they’re getting older, and are discouraged that they don’t seem able to do the things they could when they were younger.
A lot of the time, when we talk more it turns out that many of the problems come down to trying to do too much, too soon. It’s not that their body isn’t capable of the things they’re trying to do; it’s that they’ve increased their activity levels, but their body hasn’t yet had time to catch up.
One of the big challenges is that different systems in the body adapt to exercise at different speeds. Your cardiovascular fitness (heart and lungs) and your muscle strength can often improve surprisingly quickly – many people notice a difference even within the first month or two of a training plan. At this point, you might want to push yourself even further as your fitness improves and you feel your hard work paying off. Unfortunately, your tendons and joints take longer to adjust (typically several months or more).
To put it simply: the gap between your muscles getting stronger and your tendons catching up can put you at risk of experiencing problems. Within a matter of weeks, you can go from being super-active and feeling fitter than ever, to having a bunch of little niggles, which can then turn into full blown injuries that can shut you down completely if they’re not handled correctly. It can suddenly start to feel like everything’s breaking down.
The good news is that you can fix – or avoid – a lot of these problems with a combination of a good strength programme, rehabilitation, and careful planning. In a world where everyone is trying to sell you some new miracle gadget or supplement that will give you a quick fix, managing your training load might seem slower and less exciting – but it has the advantage of being far more effective in keeping you active over the long term.
If you need some help putting a plan together, our team of experienced osteopaths, physiotherapists and strength and conditioning coaches is here to get you out of pain and back to doing what you love. Book an initial appointment online now.