Do We Really Fall Apart After Turning 40?
Do We Really Fall Apart After Turning 40?
One of my favorite things to do in Ellicottville is to hike the many beautiful hills that surround us. However, this past spring I felt something pop in my knee as I was descending a steep and ungraded portion of HoliMont. I had done this route many times and sometimes felt a twinge but could recover and proceed as normal. But, this time, I could no longer bend my knee at all and hobbled to the bottom. After going for an MRI it was decided that I had a tear in my meniscus; luckily it was not bad enough that I required surgery, however, it certainly did slow me down on my routine of working out at the level I was used to. Plus, it seemed to take much longer for my knee to feel “normal”.
That being said, hasn’t the thought crossed your mind? Haven’t you noticed that you maybe don’t recover as quickly as you used to? There are reasons for that. Read on to see what the heck is happening to us after 40 and how we can continue to be the go-so-hard athletes we were not that long ago.
The Merck Manual defines three concepts of age:
• Chronologic – Our actual age in years.
• Biologic – Our body’s age based on wear and tear, lifestyle and body maintenance.
• Physiologic – Our age based on how we act and feel. Our mindset.
Note to self: There is a lot of truth to the adage, “You are only as old as you FEEL”. It is so important to keep in mind that we have a lot of control over how we age. Starting now.
JOINTS: As we age, our cartilage wears down which means joints don’t slide as well as they used to. Joints also become stiffer and lose range of motion due to ligaments and tendons becoming more rigid and brittle. This is all due to loss of hydration within the joints and eventually leads to osteoarthritis. Unfortunately, the fix is not as simple as drinking more water. The best thing you can do to promote hydrated joints are:
• Move your joints through a full range of motion daily (i.e. arm circles, hip circles, ankle and wrist circles, etc.)
• Compress your joints under load often (i.e. squats, pushups).
• Avoid activities that cause your joints to swell or cause pain.
• Decrease dairy and sugar in your diet.
• Increase fish, oils, and cherries in your diet.
MUSCLES: Starting around age 30, we begin to lose muscle (don’t worry, it is gradual). The number of muscle fibers as well as the size of muscle fibers progressively decreases. This loss of muscle strength actually puts more strain on certain joints including the knee, which also increases the risk of arthritis and falling. The good news is that we can slow down this process by continuing to build muscle! The best ways to build muscle are:
• Strength and Resistance Training – Make it difficult; if it is too easy it is likely not making enough of a change.
• Increase protein in your diet (organic meats, chicken and eggs).
ENDURANCE: Endurance and stamina also decrease over the age of 40. The best way to maintain your endurance and even improve is with regular cardiovascular exercise:
• Rowing, biking and swimming will provide the maximum benefit to your heart and lungs.
• While walking is lower impact, it is also lower benefit. If you are able to walk fast and get your heart rate up, you can maximize the benefits of walking.
• Running is great for your heart and lungs and can be good for your joints. If you have a history of knee or hip pain that worsens with running, it may not be a good choice for you.
RECOVERY: Now that you have set yourself up to slow down the degenerative process of your body, it is important to pay attention to how often you are implementing your fitness and what you are doing on rest days. Athletes in their 20s and 30s can easily work out 6-7 days/week and even include two workouts/day in some cases! That is not a great idea for most of us over 40. Here are a few recommendations, see what fits you best:
• Work out every other day
• Alternate weight training days with cardio days
• Two days on / one day off
Body work should not be ignored! Paying attention to your joints, muscles and nervous system is invaluable to decreasing the effects of aging. I can’t say this enough – invest in your body, it is the only one you have!
A WORD ABOUT INJURY: You are only as old as you feel! Until you get injured. There is no reason to anticipate injury, however, it is statistically more likely to happen over 40. If you feel a muscle pull or a joint ache that isn’t resolving within a week, back off your fitness until it heals! Seek evaluation and treatment from your sports chiropractor, physical therapist or orthopedist before returning to fitness. They can also put you on a modified program to help you heal before returning to your favorite sports/activities.
Do we really fall apart after 40? Yes. Our body slowly, incrementally and decidedly degenerates around age 40 and there is no way to stop it. Hopefully, you now realize that with the right mindset, fitness plan, nutrition and body work you can drastically slow down the process. The good news – all of that makes life more fun anyway.
Kim Duke is a certified personal trainer and owner of Core Performance Fitness and Training located at 55 Bristol Lane, Ellicottville, NY. Kim resides in Ellicottville where she raised her two sons, Zach and Nik. For more information about her studio visit her Facebook page or www.coreperformancefitness.com. Kim can be reached at 716-698-1198.
