Body Aches and Pain

Question for GOCGs (Grumpy Old Climber Guys). I just cracked the big 6-oh; started climbing at 45 (rock & ice); been pretty active my whole life (racquetball, soccer, softball, running, cycling, skiing); pretty much climbing only these days (and training); 4 knee operations but I’m OK (don’t run anymore).
My question is… I'm always pretty stiff and sore in the mornings and somewhat sore the entire the day. Any tips on reducing the aches and pain? I’ve tried many things, massage, stretching, hot tubbin', hydration, diet, yoga, aspirin. While they all help somewhat it seems nothing really knocks it way back. I’m kinda assuming it’s “just the way it is” considering how much I’ve used and abused the ol’ bod.

(Even if I lay off ALL exercise ('cept stretching) for 3 months I'm still pretty consistently sore)

Comments??

i think you're spot on. it's just the way it is. i'm a year older than you are and started climbing at 20. that's a lot of wear and tear. some kind of dull nag hangs with me all the time. on the other hand, compared to non climbers my age i'm nimble and lithe. you probably experience that too. so i stay careful with workouts, let joints recover before the next burn and stay away from routes that have sustained sections of 5.11. i know i'll end up on the shelf eventually but i want to make another decade. i tell myself 'be patient but persistent". so far it works. best regards.

if you never stop climbing you won't ever get sore. Time to take it up a notch.

I climb with a guy in his 60s that climbs .12a he attributes it to hot yoga

Try Tumeric and Ginger root. Natural anti-inflammatories. Work well for me.

I'm 58 & climb regularly. I lift weights 4-6 days/week and go hard. I get aches and pains but the herbs help.

Also recomend fish oil and maybe glucosamine

youtube.com/watch?v=VWdztr9…

Those symptoms fit with my experience, starting around 49. I came to the conclusion that stress was probably the major factor.

One difference with my case is that it is almost exclusively my legs that get sore. After biking a short distance, they tend to be less sore or not sore at all for that day and maybe the next, whereas taking it easy for days may make them quite sore. It all seems rather random. So, I think Keenan is onto something...

Re. Jim's suggestion, I enjoy turmeric and ginger root, but they don't seem to do anything but add color and spice (which are good enough reasons to use them).

To be effective, one needs to take fairly large amounts of tumeric and ginger.

I take 1-2 capsules of tumeric, 720mg, twice a day and two 550mg capsules of ginger root twice a day. They are not miracle pills but do help a lot.

I'm usually pretty skeptical of herbal "medicines" but these work for me and have no side effects at the doses I use.

Doesn't mean they will work for everyone, but it beats popping ibuprofen every day.
If I'm really sore, I take 400-600mg of ibuprofen but it tends to irritate my stomach, so I only take it occassionally.

Vitamin I. I take 400 mg in the morning and 400mg at night. Been doing that for 15 years. Good maintenance dosage and my doctor says that's below the threshold for problems (liver, kidneys).

Ibuprofen works wonders!

I'm going through something similar in my late 40s. I have one knee and one shoulder that are devolving into chronic issues. I can still climb and train with only minimal discomfort. However, when I am done and cool down, I am left in almost constant low level pain. YMMV, but I have found that a low dosage of prescription pain killers in the evening works wonders for getting a good, pain free sleep. The morning after, I have found that some light stretching and full range of motion exercises help to make the rest of the day tolerable.

I have a few friends in my age range that are still getting after it. I know a lot more that have given up. All of us that are active, to varying degrees, have similar issues. One friend swears by cortisone, another gets therapeutic (and highly painful) sport massages. To some degree, I think pain is just part of having lived a seriously active life. You choose to deal with the pain, or retire. I would rather keep on going with a little pain that get fat and watch life from the sidelines.

This is a great thread. I hope that others will chime in on their strategies for staying active, dealing with pain and aging gracefully!

Cheers!

FrankPS wrote:Vitamin I. I take 400 mg in the morning and 400mg at night. Been doing that for 15 years. Good maintenance dosage and my doctor says that's below the threshold for problems (liver, kidneys). Ibuprofen works wonders!

Frank, I have to ask. I assume that you're serious about your Vitamin I routine? I wanted to know if you drink alcohol at all?

Even if you don't drink I'd say you've got an amazingly effective liver. I'm not sure most folks would tolerate using that dosage of Ibuprofen daily without some kind of side effects.
cheers,
BA

Brent Apgar wrote: Frank, I have to ask. I assume that you're serious about your Vitamin I routine? I wanted to know if you drink alcohol at all? Even if you don't drink I'd say you've got an amazingly effective liver. I'm not sure most folks would tolerate using that dosage of Ibuprofen daily without some kind of side effects. cheers, BA

Brent, I don't drink and haven't for many years. The dosage I take is relatively low, although it has been for a long time. I think 2400 mg/day is the max recommended. I take the ibu for my partially frozen, arthritic shoulder.

Frank

Edit: I took Vioxx for several years and that worked the best. I was bummed when it was taken off the market because of the side effects.

400 Vitamin I 2x is pretty low..i unfortunatley took more than that for a LONG time and it got to my heart..now no more..ever. Sucks because the stuff really works.

Movement, hydration and positive attitude

Thanx for all the replies (think I'll be trying the Badger Milk for sure).

If you can milk a badger, you are the ultimate hardman and probably don't need anything for pain....

1. Keep moving.
2. Get used to hurting.

Great topic. I am slowly approaching these issues. At 39 I don't heal like I used to. Now I get a simple road rash and it takes 3 weeks to heal. Shoulder surgery, ACL, finger surgery, collar bone. It all takes a toll. Keep on truckin.

Seems like as long as your tolerance increases with your age, you are alright. It is when your tolerance plateaus that you have a problem.

I definitely don't like the Ibuprofen idea. It's not a solution, it's a band aid. But I'm not 60 yet..

I have a prescription for 600mg of slow release Vitamin I, 3 times a day. Generally, I take one a day and it helps a lot. 51 years young.

Ray Lovestead wrote: I definitely don't like the Ibuprofen idea. It's not a solution, it's a band aid.

No real solution for aging. The Band-Aids help, though.

I'm 40 and it's a constant battle of some sort of chronic bullshit. Wrists, elbows, arms, shoulder etc.

I'd recommend yoga and stretching, ibuprofen, sleep and water. Fucking sucks man...just gotta power through it though.

And like Steve said...keep moving. Man I lay on the couch for 2 days and I have the back of a 90 year old. Stay in the gym and I'm fine. My elbows are the biggest bitch these days.

Jim Fox gave you the best advice higher up. Turmeric and foods rich in Omega-3 (walnuts, flaxseeds, avocados). If you are not buying Turmeric in capsules, make sure to eat a lot of it (at least a tblsp) with a pinch of black pepper to help absorption.