Are you afraid it’s too late for you to start exercising?
Isabel D. Price asked that question in her blog. What did it bring up for me? Not just the age issue even though I am 78.
It was the “afraid” word. That was where I realized I was being controlled – by my fear.
Or have you told yourself you will think about exercising another day – just too busy right now?
Yours may be different but I invite you to go a bit deeper. I had to. And realized the impact of my life events — I was just a week out after my hip replacement surgery. I was so focused on how I could move, or should not move. Including what movements caused pain and which ones lessened it. Lots of fear of “displacing” or “hurting” the new equipment put in place in my hip. And lots of just “operation” pain.
As time passed, more movements were allowed – in fact, mild physical therapy started in the first few days as the assigned home health therapists appeared. I found myself asking thousands of questions focused on how I could move safely, what I needed to avoid, what I needed to do to “recover” or “get back to health”.
Okay – patience is another piece. I have often found myself lacking in that.
But I realized my fear of injuring or displacing the new hip equipment was driving me to every source of information I could find – online, in person, friends, etc. Desperately. And at the same time, looking for what was not going to be too hard or difficult. I was exhausted and honestly just wanted to sit in the recliner with an ice pack.
I remembered a case my P.T. person shared with me. A guy post-surgery just decided it was too painful and too hard to do any movement exercises so he practically sat in his recliner, not moving, not exercising, for 2 weeks. He was in terrible shape after that. Prolonged sitting with no exercise was the worst thing he could have done. He was almost “locked” into being unable to move and walk without pain.
As one source (Fairview Rehab) put it – “physical therapy after this surgery [hip replacement] is crucial for both mental and physical health…. Physical therapy has huge benefits as it strengthens muscles and joints, is good for your blood circulation, and prevents pressure sores.”
Did you catch that “mental” part? That was where my “fear” was lurking.
And one of the videos I watched with 2 surgeons sharing the “Top 3 Mistakes After Hip Replacement” identified the #2 mistake as “not doing proper physio and rehab”, They said there are specific muscles around your hip that are really important – called your abductors – and you want them really strong before surgery and definitely want them strong afterwards. They capsulated this as “do your exercises before and after” hip replacement.
Did you catch that “before and after” part? If you are not even getting a hint of need for hip surgery, that is great! But I suggest you realize you are still in the “before” category.
After 2 weeks post-surgery, and the basic home health movements I was doing, I was back in the twice-a-week program with my trusted and capable physical therapist who worked with me pre-surgery. I had a lot of faith in him. We had worked together over 2 months trying to turn my painful hip around without surgery. When I accepted surgery was going to be necessary and met with a surgeon, the Physical Therapist and I focused on strengthening as best I could in prep for the surgery. Turns out, that was a good move and set me up for a supposedly quicker and easier rehab after surgery.
In case you smugly had a thought cross your mind of “that surgery is not something I will ever need”, let me share how hard it was for me to finally accept that I needed the hip replacement. A year earlier, I would have told you I will not ever need to do that. Just a little hip pain, I will work it out, etc. And yes, I tried it on my own picking out exercise programs etc. and finally asking my doc to send me to physical therapy. And even though I saw the x-ray with my femur jammed up against the socket, it still took a month of working at PT for me to finally say “I’m ready for the surgery”.
So, what’s my point? Exercise NOW, not later, in a beneficial way and prior to painful body parts barking back at you.
As Isabel D. Price put it in her blog, “No matter if you’re currently in your 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, or 80s, it’s never too late to start!” I would add to not wait for signs of painful parts that need rehab – get ahead of the game!
Isabel was sharing about her dad starting his exercise at age 70, after he retired. Even though he was careful with his health and his work kept him somewhat active each day, she said “working out” at a gym and exercising was never on his radar.
But at 70 he and her mom did join a nearby gym –mostly to help her mom – her dad just saw himself being supportive of her. But after a few weeks they were both “hooked” – she on the pool classes and her dad doing cardio and lifting weights.
Great follow-up – her dad is now 86 and still goes to the gym 4 times per week plus stretches at home and walks outside other days.
Now here is the kicker: when Isabel asked him what keeps him motivated to keep going… even when it is hard, he said…. “Because it’s fun and I look forward to it.”
As Isabel observed – ‘right there is the secret sauce’.
That is my challenge to you – what is going to make your “fitness” routine FUN? So much so that you do it regularly enough to make a difference?
We all know the possible options:
- Walk with friends (or if you prefer solitude, or listening to an audiobook or podcast, do that)
- Join a group exercise class
- Follow an online program (but this often requires more accountability attached to it)
- Create an accountability group and check in with them regularly
To these, Isabel added the wisdom of starting off slow and gently if you have not ever done this before.
I would add that I have so valued the wisdom of my trained Physical Therapist, and how he fitted the exercise and routine to me, my situation, my body, etc., I would highly recommend you ask your primary doc to send you to a good P.T. person for evaluation and outlining of a good program that fits you.
What’s motivating me? Its an interesting combo of “fear” and “fun”. FEAR: of getting into the painful place I was this past year with my hip. I am truly motivated to strengthen and mobilize my hip and the rest of my body well so it can continue to support my body’s movements without pain. FUN: I want so badly to get to play Pickleball again, I am carefully and faithfully following the program to get there!
Call to action time! What FUN or FEAR is going to get you into an exercise routine? Or wait, do you have one already that is working well? Hurray – pat yourself on the back and thank the Lord!
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