Damned if you do, damned if you don't. 2018 Edition

[Vintage VFer]

Way back in 2012, I started a thread with this same title. A recent post about Margaret Richard having hip replacement surgery reminded me of it.

Some can blame high impact aerobics for instructors like Margaret and Jane Fonda having joint replacements. But, I know folks who never worked out a day in their lives who have had joint replacements.

As a vintage VFer, I do take much more care about the moves I do. I was never much for high impact, dancy workouts, so I don't miss them.

As I wrote in the old post:

"So, it seems that whether you work out or not, you will wear out."

All you can do is do what you love - with mindfulness and moderation.

[susan p]

I believe that you are right.

We're all going to degenerate and die eventually. I hate to see blame placed on people for things that no one can help. I've seen plenty of active people get joint replacements, and the sedentary tend to say "oh, it's because they exercised so much." But I've seen plenty of sedentary people get join replacements, and the active tend to say "oh, it's because they don't take care of themselves."

Hey, we are all aging. And we all have different genetic inheritances that make us age differently.

I like it that exercise can slow some things about aging. We can stop muscle loss, retain strength, resist fat deposits, etc. That's all good! But it doesn't make us invincible. Heck, I have been a cardio queen all my life, finished a marathon and a half, and you know what? I just saw my cardiologist because I have a dilated left ventricle, an atrial septal aneurysm with a PFO, and a left bundle branch block. I am asymptomatic because, I think, my heart is at least STRONG! But I was born with what I was born with.

And whether I work out or not, I am wearing out. My echo and 12-lead EKG from 2018 look about 8 years of degeneration worse than my echo and 12-lead from 2010. Well guess what, EIGHT YEARS HAVE PASSED.

The best we can do is all we can do! Work out, eat right, manage stress, get enough sleep, it's wonderful to age gracefully, but there is no fountain of youth. Not even exercise. Place your bets and run your race, peeps.

[cataddict]

Thanks to both of you for your posts. I also have been thinking about this topic since the Margaret Richard hip replacement thread. I’m not sure she exactly was posting about the evils of high impact, but there were some implications. Exercise philosophies have changed and gone back and forth among the various formats, and some are cited on this board as supporting ones own opinions and patterns. As has been said here many times before, one size doesn’t fit all and there’s no ‘right’ exercise for everyone. We all decline, and my goal is to live the best quality of life for as long as possible. I can’t prevent aging or death. The best exercise is what I will actually DO. In my case it’s NOT yoga. Or Pilates.

[Izzy]

Part of what happens to you body is based on what you do and what you don't. But the other factor is your DNA and genetics. You could be a very healthy person, live a healthy life style, do all the right things but your body make up could be all that healthy active activity wears out your bones and joints. My mother was a perfect example. She was pretty active, played tennis, golf etc and I can honestly say her life style choices were fairly good. But, if she bumped into a table she was going to break a bone, somewhere. Her genetic make up was that she had very weak bones. I can't even tell you how many ribs she cracked over the years. The broken ankle, bumped into the coffee table; the broken wrist, bumped it on a bed frame, the list goes on. It's not really fair to say how we age is all about our lifestyle choices. Some people can run up into their 70's and have no issues. Others have knee issues by the age of 30. We know our bodies. We know what we can and cannot do. Our best choice is to do what we can and do the best we can.

[hch]

Originally Posted by Vintage VFer

Way back in 2012, I started a thread with this same title.

Damned if you do and damned if you don't!

(I'll read it again when I have more time.)

Originally Posted by Vintage VFer

But, I know folks who never worked out a day in their lives who have had joint replacements.

Originally Posted by susan p

I hate to see blame placed on people for things that no one can help. I've seen plenty of active people get joint replacements, and the sedentary tend to say "oh, it's because they exercised so much." But I've seen plenty of sedentary people get join replacements, and the active tend to say "oh, it's because they don't take care of themselves."

Remember, folks, if you are sick or hurt, You Must've Done Something Wrong!

Also, if someone whose habits differ from yours becomes sick or hurt, it's because they're not as wise as you, but if someone whose habits resemble yours becomes sick or hurt, there must be some other explanation.

[TinaT]

I would rather wear myself out because I was active and moving...rather than sitting and dwindling away. Yes, I've done high impact moves when I was younger and it was appropriate and right for me then. Now, not so much. I find other ways to be effective in the areas of impact.

Yep,.. I've also had folks pick apart why I might have a pain or two. If you only did this, or stopped that. Listening to our bodies mean constant change of what it needs. I'm trying to be a better listener.

[bzar]

I think of jill miller's hip replacement. that just blew me away, not to take away from the significance of Margaret's surgery.

[wendug]

Story time! My friend went out to eat with her husband, didn't step off a curb properly and fell. Her hip shattered. She's in her 40s and never was very active so that isn't to blame. Not overweight so that didn't contribute to it either. Just bad luck? Genetics? Who knows!

The doctors didn't want to replace her hip since she is so young so she lived with pins holding her hip together for a year. She was in constant pain and used a cane to walk. She finally had a full hip replacement a few weeks ago. She's still in pain, but hopefully she'll be on the road to recovery soon.

Our bodies break down. Some sooner than others. I just hope exercise helps my body last longer. And I agree some high impact is fine, but my body tells me when I'm overdoing it.

[sciencelady]

Well I'm having knee replacement surgery come October 3rd. I had meniscus surgery in 2009 which removed the cushioning of the cartilage, so this replacement surgery wasn't unexpected. I hoped it would come later in life (I'm almost 57), but happy its coming at an age that I can still recover and use the new knee. I'm happy with all I've done actively in the past, and hope I can continue some lower level activity for the rest of my days without the pain I currently have. I'm grateful that I am an exerciser and know what I've lost and how to strengthen what I've lost in the past year or so (I will be listening to PT people also).

[bubbles76]

Originally Posted by Izzy

Part of what happens to you body is based on what you do and what you don't. But the other factor is your DNA and genetics.

True. No matter how well I eat and work out, I have borderline high cholesterol. It's genetic. I hope not to need medication down the road, but we'll see. In the meantime, I do what I can with what I've been given