Old man gym soreness

mulecanter
mulecanter Posts: 1,792 Member
edited December 4 in Fitness and Exercise
Any older guys (50+) who lift struggle with shoulder and knee soreness? I think I'm having tendonitus in my shoulders. What do you do to stay healthy--layoff? lighter weight/more reps? Advil?

Replies

  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    I am with you on this topic! Problems will come and go with shoulders, knees, ankles, etc. You got to roll with the punches and stay active.

    - Consult a PT about problem areas (no real need for "treatments," good advice about how to treat various problems can be very helpful)
    - Get a personal trainer for a while to bust you out of bad habits
    - For lifting: Be careful with the weight. No need to max out all the time. Can always do more reps.- Use ice and heat first, take ibuprofen when necessary
    - Stretch (static-type) daily, use dynamic stretching to warm up before workouts
    - Add non-weight-bearing exercise (cycling, swimming, jogging, kayaking, SUPing, etc.)

    Best of luck!
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    I need to find a doctor (not an easy task in itself) and get my one knee checked. It's fine when I'm running or lifting but hurts if I sit too long. Other than that, just what I would expect from activity.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    I have shoulder and lower back issues. Advil every night before bed... advil most mornings upon waking. A good warmup before all workouts.
  • Panthers89
    Panthers89 Posts: 153 Member
    Stretching before AND after a workout has helped me a lot (along with the occasional Aleve). It's just part of our bodies getting older - knees, backs, shoulders, and other joints need a little more care and time off than when we were 20-30 year-olds. As another post said earlier, make sure to consult your doctor before self medicating or self diagnosing.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    edited November 2018
    Echoing the advice about seeing a doc. The pain I have been trying to rehab for a year is a 65% torn rotator cuff, a smaller tear in the labrum and some bone spurs. Surgery will probably be in January. I had a knee and the other shoulder done in the last few years. All checked out by doc, then sent for an MRI before deciding to do anything. I have had various joint ailments for decades and most I could work through. The first shoulder that got scoped was obvious in being way worse than anything prior. This one not so much until it started getting worse recently (pushing a little too much on chest press, I think). I wouldn't have known it was a serious tear until it got even worse if I hadn't gotten it checked out. I turn 60 late December, BTW.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,598 Member
    Can an old woman (63) weigh in?

    When I have joint problems, I try to get diagnosed, and wangle a physical therapy referral. The PT folks usually help me figure out how I should modify my routine (if that's the issue), or give me exercise to remedy imbalances or problems with activating certain muscles, etc. I love a good PT referral! (I pester the PT for as much advice as I can get within their scope of practice, whether it applies to the currently-referred problem or not. ;) This usually works.)

    My most recent PT referral was for the general sort of thing you're talking about: Shoulder problems when doing some lifts. It got diagnosed as nerve impingement, PT told me to lay off one lift, do others instead, gave cautions for still others, suggested some adaptive rep strategies for getting back into things, gave me exercises & stretches to help the underlying problems. It's been helpful.

    I've also gotten some good advice (and other help) from a good massage therapist (emphasis on "therapist"), and from my osteopath (major university based, no woo).

    I also think folks have a point with stretching. I'd add foam rolling for some issues, plus intelligent use of ice, heat, etc. I ice my knee after pretty much every workout these days (OA/torn meniscus for which I'm deferring surgery), whether it urgently needs it or not. It helps.
  • jamesdevaney
    jamesdevaney Posts: 3 Member
    mulecanter wrote: »
    Any older guys (50+) who lift struggle with shoulder and knee soreness? I think I'm having tendonitus in my shoulders. What do you do to stay healthy--layoff? lighter weight/more reps? Advil?

  • jamesdevaney
    jamesdevaney Posts: 3 Member
    Stay away from leg extension machines and leg curl machines. Do bodyweight Bulgarian squats.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited November 2018
    I'm 50 I was diagnosed with shoulder/tricep tendonitis after getting an MRI in September. I've been to a PT and also went the betamethasone steroid shot route (these are temporary and have side effects, I don't recommend it). It began around March of last year. I am unable to do things like pressing or lateral movements. I took 3 months off of all lifting (June-Sept) and that did not fix it as this is super slow healing, but my pain was chronic and fairly intense for a quite a while, its about 90% now.

    I still do physical therapy exercises 4-5 times a week and they help immensely, I warm up using these exercises each time I work out and also do them on rest days. I stay away from all direct movements that cause pain and I still apply ice and take NSAIDS as some of my upper body workouts will aggravate it, but the pain usually subsides.

    I'll probably have some form of this or likely subject to re-injury from here on out, I have range of movement issues that may never be 100%. If I had of backed off when it started it would have healed quicker. You can go the lighter weight/higher reps or stay away from all exercises/specific movements that cause pain, use NSAIDS and ice and see if this helps. If it gets worse may be time to get to your doctor.
  • Dilvish
    Dilvish Posts: 398 Member
    something not mentioned here but it could also be arthritis. It too can affect a person in their 50's. Best to go get it diagnosed by a trained physician and at least rule out what it is not....
  • mulecanter
    mulecanter Posts: 1,792 Member
    Thanks all. I'm 59 fyi, when I say old I mean "old". I cling to my youth. Advice to see a doc/PT is fine. I've had surgery on both shoulders so I'm pretty confident about my current issues being just nagging soreness. Anti-inflammatories are pretty typical I think, I'm also taking tumeric and chondroitin but I fear they are more placebo than true help. I'm glad to know I'm not alone which tells me it's just a normal cost of keeping in shape later in life and I should whine less. I will look up Bulgarian squats. I intend to do more swimming. Great advice, love the MFP community threads.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    pondee629 wrote: »
    "and I should whine less" You could, of course, wine more. ;-)

    The concern about whining too much can get you in trouble; it's a tough thing to get right. This will be my third joint scoped and each time there were 3 or more issues identified before surgery. I always get the speech about how I should have come in and got the first pain addressed and it is possible I wouldn't have done as much additional damage, making the repair simpler and recovery faster.
  • OddDitty
    OddDitty Posts: 248 Member
    mulecanter wrote: »
    Any older guys (50+) who lift struggle with shoulder and knee soreness? I think I'm having tendonitus in my shoulders. What do you do to stay healthy--layoff? lighter weight/more reps? Advil?

    I hope its okay for a lady to input?

    I am in the over 60 crowd and yes, I get soreness. Some is from prior injuries, like the lower back injury I sustained catching a man who was falling into a seizure. But at least he didn't hit his head!

    I'm scared of pain medications because of addiction. So I use a portable tens unit when I go places (if I need it) and a plug in one at home.

    But the joint pain? It happens in our age for various reasons. Hang in there though! Us oldies but goodies are still able to work it out! :)
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    I am 57 and was being a little aggressive about moving up in weight when I felt something while doing an overhead press. I slacked off a bit and when I later went to throw an apple core over a fence I realized I had nothing left to throw overhand. I just do light weights on machines for fitness and don't try to push it. It got me into running while I gave up lifting for awhile. It still hurts if I forget and try to throw a piece of gum out overhand. OP I say take it easy and focus on fitness instead of bulk in the gym. It is too easy to have something pop and it gets harder to rehab from injury IMO.
  • anothermfpuser
    anothermfpuser Posts: 84 Member
    edited November 2018
    A lot of good advice/thoughts here.

    At 52, I love to lift but I do not lift "heavy". I do challenge myself but within reasonable parameters. I try to lift 3-4x a week and do a sequence of 4 total body routines using dumbbells and body weight. Lifting has made many daily tasks easier.

    Pilates is the only other activity I do that has made a significant positive contribution on my aging body.

    Other activities I do, I totally enjoy and would be unhappy if I couldn't do them. However, at this age, lifting (in the manner I do) and Pilates are things I do that I totally believe I can do without age limit.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    edited November 2018
    https://www.theptdc.com/2018/04/rules-training-older-clients/?fbclid=IwAR2XOCQJ5ZlqapFHTVJ8q_akYKBobfHyz330B8Mk-azGu8zaqk0fPrY2p2s

    https://www.theptdc.com/2018/10/functional-training-older-clients/?fbclid=IwAR3j1Easuz27mcZTFWuayxkEEozNHOPuFe6WNNmRSBJ7kShtwb4z6xEeWgw
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    I lift under a powerlifting strengthening program that has load management tailored for me and my joint health.
  • mulecanter
    mulecanter Posts: 1,792 Member
    rileyes wrote: »
    https://www.theptdc.com/2018/04/rules-training-older-clients/?fbclid=IwAR2XOCQJ5ZlqapFHTVJ8q_akYKBobfHyz330B8Mk-azGu8zaqk0fPrY2p2s

    https://www.theptdc.com/2018/10/functional-training-older-clients/?fbclid=IwAR3j1Easuz27mcZTFWuayxkEEozNHOPuFe6WNNmRSBJ7kShtwb4z6xEeWgw

    Good articles. Key takeaway for seniors--keep working those glutes. I concur--keeps you mobile and makes your booty appealing! I remember my grandpa's butt disappeared later in life, he had lots of hip trouble. Nothing more attractive than an old guy with a cane and pants flapping in the breeze. :D
  • tbright1965
    tbright1965 Posts: 852 Member
    mulecanter wrote: »
    Any older guys (50+) who lift struggle with shoulder and knee soreness? I think I'm having tendonitus in my shoulders. What do you do to stay healthy--layoff? lighter weight/more reps? Advil?

    I'm 53. I don't try to push through the pain as recovery takes longer.

    Just last night 50 minutes into a 60 minute spin class, and I'd been at just under 90% MHR for the past 40 minutes and started to feel a bit of cramping in my left calf.

    Shut it down for about two or three minutes during the sprint portion of the class.

    I was able to get well enough to finish the class with a final climb and transitional work.

    I do have arthritis in my left shoulder, so crossfit has been off the table for the past few years. But I still hit the weight room a few times each week. Move it or lose it. I just don't go as hard as I did 30 some years ago.
  • mulecanter
    mulecanter Posts: 1,792 Member
    jamesdevaney wrote: »
    Stay away from leg extension machines and leg curl machines. Do bodyweight Bulgarian squats.

    I tried the Bulgarian squats. OMG my glutes are sore! I can really feel it--great tip!!
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    I am dreading starting back on my leg blaster workouts for skiing. I have not found a way to not get sore no matter how slow I start.
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