Many people are quick to blame aches and pains on age as they get older. But according to professional sports physio Connor J Flynn, “it’s not normal to be perpetually stiff, sore or aching”.
The most prevalent reason a person starts to experience aches and pain with age is due to “de-conditioning”.
Flynn explained: “We live in a society where it’s commonplace to become increasingly sedentary as we age… and that’s the problem.”
Our bodies are designed to move, said Flynn, which is why sitting down for most of the day is not good for you.
“The more active we are, the easier daily tasks become and we reduce our risk of all-cause mortality.”
Flynn is basically saying that by not being active enough, which can lead to aches and pains, the risk of disease increases.
“Regular exercise and mobility reduces the likelihood that we will succumb to injury, disease, cancer or early death,” said Flynn.
“It also increases your lifespan and stimulates serotonin release which positively impacts our mental health and wellbeing.”
If you are not active enough, your body will let you know, eventually.
“The less active we are, the more de-conditioned we become,” warned Flynn, giving a good example to illustrate this point.
“That means if we generally don’t do much exercise or stretching, when we go for that once monthly kick around, or play on the beach with the kids, we are likely to suffer the next day with soreness from an overuse injury.”
The good news, however, is that if you increase how much you move ever so slightly every day, these aches and pains will decrease.
“There is, however, a limit,” cautioned Flynn. “Overtraining is still a thing, and the lower your conditioning is, the easier it is to overtrain.”
Flynn advised: “The easiest way to avoid the aches and pains creeping in is maintaining your strength and mobility.”
Activities recommended include stretching, lifting, and using a massage machine.
People should do at least 150 minutes of exercise per week, the NHS says.
The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests stretching for two or more days per week.
By remaining active, you are lowering your risk of disease, including cancer.