It doesn't get any better at 40 : comicstrips

[-] SupraMario@lemmy.world 18 points 7 months ago

I mean this in all positivity. Move around and lose weight if you're sporting it. I'm over 40 and I'm in better shape than I was in my 20s because I move around a lot (owning a farm helps) but it's no excuse to not move if you don't. Stop being sedentary. Move and eat less. You will be surprised how little it takes to feel good again.

[-] turtlesareneat@discuss.online 6 points 7 months ago

Also quit smoking, vaping, anything with nicotine, which causes your discs to degrade faster.

I have degenerative disc disease at 42, I'm looking at multiple fusions.

[-] Unbecredible@sh.itjust.works 4 points 7 months ago

OK well my counter story is that I move a lot for work too and I'm only slightly overweight but my upper back feels like it's going to break in half when I wake up in the mornings, and my lower back tingles like a 9 volt battery to the tongue just always. 32 yo.

I guess just do whatever and maybe your back will feel fine and maybe it won't. Just like all health advice.

[-] altasshet@lemmy.ca 9 points 7 months ago

You might need a better mattress if that's how you wake up like that. Especially if it gets better during the day.

[-] RBWells@lemmy.world 13 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Yoga & lifting but mostly yoga. I got in a pretty bad car accident 10 years ago and did not get hurt, I mean got banged up but my back did not get hurt at all. Everyone told me "just wait" but that shoe never dropped, and I'm sure it's the yoga. Fell on my ass the other day (enthusiastic dog knocked my feet out from under me on a slippery surface) and didn't get hurt, and I'm old enough one of the questions the doctor asks is "any falls lately"

Move it in every direction, strengthen all those little muscles and yes, core but not just abs, every side of your core. Bodies are use it or lose it systems.

[-] Zink@programming.dev 4 points 7 months ago

I feel you there. I’m in my 40s and have never been super healthy, but I have at least tried to take care of my joints.

Now, this year, my hobbies have had me doing manual labor like construction and landscaping in my yard. This is the strongest I’ve felt in a long time, and when slipping in a muddy yard or tripping over a toy or dog I seem to have the reflexes and supporting muscles to always catch myself without getting hurt. It’s been excellent for my mental health too.

In my 20s and 30s I mostly just wanted to be my recluse nerd gamer self (with my partner who I met at 19 by sheer dumb luck) but now after actively working for years to figure out wtf is wrong with me and how to get better results out of this body and brain I’ve been given… yeah it’s no surprise but things like fresh air and other people and petting an animal are all good shit!

[-] colourlesspony@pawb.social 11 points 7 months ago

I'm personally convinced that the cause of back problems is sitting way to much.

[-] Plebcouncilman@sh.itjust.works 11 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

That’s one aspect of it but the main cause is weakness of the lower back muscles. This is in the case of office workers, if you have a manual job the causes could be many. But all of the causes can be addressed to a certain degree with deadlifts to strengthen to lower back muscles. But people don’t want to lift weights so 🤷🏽‍♂️

[-] logicbomb@lemmy.world 9 points 7 months ago

There are plenty of body weight exercises like squats and lunges that can strengthen the back. I think more than weights, people simply don't like to do targeted exercises.

[-] abbadon420@sh.itjust.works 2 points 7 months ago

Running also strengthens the back

[-] prettybunnys@sh.itjust.works 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Truth.

I do what I call the morning dump before runs now, squats + good mornings and then a 5k, my sore back is because I made it sore and it’s a good sore.

[-] Trainguyrom@reddthat.com 5 points 7 months ago

Dude, I picked up biking last season and on Monday I biked a new personal best of 12 very hilly miles without a rest. I decided literally the night before to join a local 4th of July 5k without any training (literally said "I can bike 12 miles, what's running 3? Those are similar enough muscles!" and I've been riding the high since because my leg muscles are still all sore and tight in all of the wonderful "I pushed my limits and achieved something!" kind of ways that make me feel so alive!

[-] vikingtons@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago

squat and deadlift are key to success. Really, anything that develops your posterior chain is a healthy bet

[-] prettybunnys@sh.itjust.works 2 points 7 months ago

Squats, deadlifts and good mornings are the key to a back you made sore and strong instead of a hurt back,

[-] MotoAsh@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

I'd say stretching and familiarizing yourself with what the edge of acceptable motion is goes A LOT further with not hurting yourself. You can deadlift all you want, but if you don't know how to deal with shifting weight or an odd position once you start doing some generic activity that doesn't mirror the lift, you're still going to hurt yourself.

In fact, overconfidance with being able to lift a heavy amount vs dealing with shifting forces can be the reason someone tries to move too much weight in the first place. Think lifting a solid, easily grippable mass of a steel bar vs moving a heavy-ass wobbly mattress. The mattress might be a fraction of the weight but it's still a pain in the ass. Don't know how to deal with weight suddenly shifting? That's a pulled back anyways.

[-] prettybunnys@sh.itjust.works 2 points 7 months ago

I assumed, obviously incorrectly because this is the internet and I’m always correctable, that it would be understood I wasn’t saying “hurting yourself by exercising incorrectly” when advocating for strength training.

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[-] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 3 points 7 months ago

This is why I never sit down. Not even to poop. I just stand above the toilet, and hope it goes in.

Sometimes it does!

[-] Szyler@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago

Do you have a poop fork next to the poop knife to help pick them up?

[-] diptchip@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

The human body wasn't designed to sit all day. We're walkers. Best to appreciate a job that keeps you moving. Haven't had back problems since I started doing manual labor. Before that, there were days I couldn't tie my shoes.

[-] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 2 points 7 months ago

Also bending your back for a job hours on end does more damage

[-] HubertManne@piefed.social 1 points 7 months ago

My dad and brother had back problems and they were brick layers and then janitors. Only sat at breaktime.

[-] MotoAsh@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

Repeated motion injuries can happen even in very fit people. The body needs time to heal even from low impact/low stress movement. Especially if it's at the edge of what's "easy".

A good example is a food server. Even if you can handle the weight of a fully loaded tray easy enough, unless that weight is like throwing a nurf ball around for you, you're going to need a healing period after a long shift. Most likely longer than any asshole shift manager would ever allow if you're a small pretty gal.

[-] Nomecks@lemmy.ca 1 points 7 months ago

Adults don't know how to bend and squat properly. Watch people and you'll see that practically everybody bends at their back anytime they're reaching down.

[-] Track_Shovel@slrpnk.net 1 points 7 months ago

In my case, it's the combo of way, way to much walking in work boots and then later doing a lot of sitting. gotta shorten up those hip flexor, bae

[-] ansiz@lemmy.world 8 points 7 months ago

100% encourage anyone past 30 to start working on your core strength, a sore back can frequently be caused by a weak core. I only take started focusing on that when I turned 40 and it's made a huge difference! Just a few minutes a day or every couple of days is all it takes. Get a kettlebell, do 30 swings, then a 1-2 minute plank, then 30 more swings and you're done. It will really help with the back pain, believe me!

[-] BlackPenguins@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

What exactly is a swing? Cause I just imagine spinning in circles letting it go and destroying my TV. I assume back and forth? Or in front of me? Over my head? 90 degrees?

[-] meliaesc@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago

If you have 60 spare TVs to break everyday, that works out perfectly. Otherwise, I recommend watching this tutorial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSxHifyI6s8

[-] Valmond@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

I do like 10 kettlebell swings, no plank (because I hate it) and my back has magically just become young again. It feels a little bit cool to swing that bad boy too.

I do sincerely recommend.

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[-] pastermil@sh.itjust.works 7 points 7 months ago

I used to think this, until I started going to the gym.

[-] GissaMittJobb@lemmy.ml 5 points 7 months ago

Strength training helps, a lot.

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[-] MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 4 points 7 months ago

Do some sports.

[-] bricklove@midwest.social 3 points 7 months ago

Other comments mentioned squats and deadlifts but the upper back is important too. Pullups and especially dead hangs are great for countering the effects of sitting at a desk.

Once you get your grip strength up you can hang and just let your spine decompress. It feels great. You can also do the opposite and keep your core engaged (AKA hollow hold) to build strength.

I played sports growing up but never had a strong core until I did this in my 30s. It was kind of shocking because I could suddenly do things like V ups with ease which used to make me shake uncontrollably.

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[-] gandalf_der_12te@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 7 months ago

It's not so much that your spine is old at 30. it's more that our body is not really adjusted to our fucking modern lifestyle. and also it seems to me, a lot of backpain is psychological. i.e., anxiety and stuff leads to lower back pain and such.

[-] deathgrindfreak@awful.systems 3 points 7 months ago

I'm basically 40 and deadlift in the 700s pretty frequently. You can bulletproof your back if you have the will

[-] veni_vedi_veni@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

I don't know how some people do it. The max I can do without being incapacitated in bed is like 185 lbs, which is a farcry from what I heard you should be able to deadlift twice your weight.

[-] technomad@slrpnk.net 2 points 7 months ago

Yoga helps 👍

[-] bent@feddit.dk 2 points 7 months ago

I started doing pilates a few tears ago. I hate it, but really, 15 minutes a week make a huge difference for my back. All it takes is a yoga mat and some pilates instructor lady on YouTube. Curtains is recommended since even if you get good at it you're gonna look ridiculous.

[+] Hackworth@sh.itjust.works 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

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[-] mad_lentil@lemmy.ca 2 points 7 months ago

Not medical advice, but I got used to wearing shoes indoors after years of office work, but taking off my shoes when indoors and actually using all my muscles to hold myself upright, has lead to a real reduction in discomfort.

If you're used to shoes all the time, it HURTS at first to go without and you have to take frequent sit/stand breaks. This is GOOD and you should listen to your body and continue moving in ways that make you feel better.

Your point just reminded me that if you're capable, that one of the simplest mediations you can do is work with your muscles to keep yourself straight.

[-] exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 7 months ago

As this thread shows, back pain isn't caused by just one thing, so each specific person's back pain won't be cured by the same one size fits all approach.

If your back pain is caused by poor posture exacerbated by a weak posterior chain, lifting weights at the gym or doing other strengthening exercises/physical therapy can be helpful. As plenty in this thread can attest, gym time to offset laptop time can go a long way.

If your back pain is caused by repetitive stress from physical labor, adhering to proper form/technique and rest/recovery cycles to the best of your ability can help.

If your back pain is exacerbated by the weight you carry, losing weight (or in certain circumstances, breast reduction surgery) can help.

We're all just trying to get through life. Sometimes other people's tips can help, so it's worth sharing, but we also shouldn't get too tied to a particular solution that worked for us, as a the solution for everyone else.

[-] someguy3@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

Air squats. Do them.

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[-] wavebeam@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

I’ve been suffering from severe sciatica for 6 months now. I am 33. I am in shape, exercise every day including running, yoga, and lifting. Gunna get steroid shots to hopefully help me break the cycle.

[-] confusedbytheBasics@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago

I got sciatica at 37. I exercised regularly, running, yoga, lifting... What fixed it? Regular walking. Yep. Just an hour of walking around fixed the issue yoga and weight lifting couldn't.

[-] Damage@feddit.it 1 points 7 months ago

Got sciatica a few years ago, it was sudden and excruciating. Luckily it went away by itself, and so far it hasn't come back.

I couldn't even lift my foot 10cm

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[-] Strider@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

Lol, at 46 my heart said 'nah man, let's just stop'. 🤷

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