38 years old...everything hurts !!

esrb

esrb

Rookie
I'm a tennis freak, running freak, biking freak and weight lifting freak. Cardio 3 times a week, incluiding 5K running and 15k on stationary bike. Tennis twice a week (2 hours each session) and had a Plantar fasciitis injury recovered (8 months).
Now, my achilles tendon hurts (like a needle on it): the doctod told me that I'm no longer a kid, so I have to slow down.
Is that ok? I feel full of energy!!!! Wanna Rock!!
 
S

simi

Hall of Fame
Hey, you're just a kid!

Seriously, I started to really notice the change in my body when I hit 40. Biggest difference is that the body does not recover as quickly as before. Instead of a good night's rest, and then being ready to go at it again the next morning, it now takes a good 24-hours to feel on top again.

Don't slow down...but also don't push as hard as before.
 
O

OrangeOne

Legend
Forget about the doctor, and find a good sports physio. Any good sports physio will work with you to keep you as active as possible.
 
Moz

Moz

Hall of Fame
esrb said:
I'm a tennis freak, running freak, biking freak and weight lifting freak. Cardio 3 times a week, incluiding 5K running and 15k on stationary bike. Tennis twice a week (2 hours each session) and had a Plantar fasciitis injury recovered (8 months).
Now, my achilles tendon hurts (like a needle on it): the doctod told me that I'm no longer a kid, so I have to slow down.
Is that ok? I feel full of energy!!!! Wanna Rock!!
Click to expand...

You think that's bad at the age of 38?

Wait until you hit 35 - I'm in constant agony!!
 
T

TonyB

Hall of Fame
Seriously, you need to figure out your body's limitations. Which usually means cutting back on your activity and allowing more time for recovery.

I ignored my body and continued to push myself, playing late-night tennis 3-4 times per week and really going all-out at a high level. It took 3 months of complete recovery time (absolutely NO activity) to heal my knee problems and at least 8 weeks (of NO activity) to recover from my shoulder injury.

After those setbacks, I'm 100% healed and playing regularly again. But I will always listen to my body when it tells me I've overdone it. If *ANYTHING* hurts besides simple muscle pain, I just let it recover and don't push myself. You're really doing yourself a serious disservice if you don't listen to your body and allow it to heal.

It definitely takes more time than it did when you were 18. But so what? Let your body heal at its own pace and you'll be able to enjoy sports for a lot longer than if you continue to suffer through constant injuries.
 
couch

couch

Hall of Fame
Tony B definitely makes some good points. When you get older you also have to get smarter in your activities and your recovery time. Recovery time when you get older is just as, if not more, important as training. Also as you age weight training becomes even more important as we lose more muscle mass the older we get.

Throw in kids, work, etc. and it makes things even harder. I'm 38 also but I don't plan on limiting or cutting back my activities. I try to play tennis, exercise, or workout about five times a week and rest the other two. This seems to be working fairly well for me at the moment but is always subject to change. ;)

I just ran a mini-marathon this past weekend and when I was training over the last five weeks I cut back on my tennis and working out because I just wasn't going to be able to do everything and keep up my performance levels.

Anyway, I wouldn't say slow down on the court, etc. but make sure you are allowing yourself enough recovery to go full speed when you do play and make sure you're including some weight training in your routine.
 
albino smurf

albino smurf

Professional
I'm in the same age range as you all and found that training for tennis over the winter and maintaining my conditioning from the previous year has really paid off. I coasted through two winters ago and it seemed like June before I got it going, footwork and strokes, but this year I was full speed in March. It seems to me like a lot of people get inspired as it warms up and aren't quite ready for the spring reality check. Not that that is what you are going through as you sound very active, I've just got a number of people I know telling me about their intense runs/workouts followed by their intense pains/ailments.
 
bluegrasser

bluegrasser

Hall of Fame
Moz said:
You think that's bad at the age of 38?

Wait until you hit 35 - I'm in constant agony!!
Click to expand...

??? 38 -35 - join the middle age party, it only gets worst - just keep that Advil gel tabs handy and a nice stiff drink after a good hard match.
 
Moz

Moz

Hall of Fame
bluegrasser said:
??? 38 -35 - join the middle age party, it only gets worst - just keep that Advil gel tabs handy and a nice stiff drink after a good hard match.
Click to expand...

I'm hoping to be 34 next year!

I must admit I was expecting to need the stiff drink before, during and after pretty soon! Advil is already a good friend.
 
Loco4Tennis

Loco4Tennis

Hall of Fame
esrb said:
I'm a tennis freak, running freak, biking freak and weight lifting freak. Cardio 3 times a week, incluiding 5K running and 15k on stationary bike. Tennis twice a week (2 hours each session) and had a Plantar fasciitis injury recovered (8 months).
Now, my achilles tendon hurts (like a needle on it): the doctod told me that I'm no longer a kid, so I have to slow down.
Is that ok? I feel full of energy!!!! Wanna Rock!!
Click to expand...

i am also with the pains you mentioned, but the only thing i can offer, if you havent already figured this out, get the right kind of shoe for the right kind of activity, their is no 1 shoe that will halp with all your sports mentioned
shoes cost money, and good shoes cost even more, but they are worth their money to prevent pain
 
Kaptain Karl

Kaptain Karl

Hall Of Fame
esrb said:
I'm a tennis freak, running freak, biking freak and weight lifting freak. Cardio 3 times a week, incluiding 5K running and 15k on stationary bike. Tennis twice a week (2 hours each session) and had a Plantar fasciitis injury recovered (8 months).
Now, my achilles tendon hurts (like a needle on it): the doctod told me that I'm no longer a kid, so I have to slow down.
Is that ok? I feel full of energy!!!! Wanna Rock!!
Click to expand...
I'd *kill* to be 38 again ... you whippersnapper!

For me, it was like God "flipped a switch" in my body at age 36. It took me until 38 to really pay attention to my body's "signals". Up until 36 I was competing in 10k races most weekends ... volleyball tournaments at least once a month ... karate tournaments monthly ... skiing every weekend I could ... and lifting regularly, just to "hold everything together."

Now? Just tennis and lifting ... and skiing about six times a winter.

- KK
 
F

fuzz nation

G.O.A.T.
I'm on board with the "don't overlook your shoes" crowd. The right ones make a huge difference.

I know that a few of the pros endorse the idea of avoiding any pounding on their legs when they're off the courts. If tennis is your priority (you freak, you!), I'd consider limiting the running. Cycling on the other hand only seems to make my legs better - best tennis maintenance I know of.

The one thing that's also paid off since I've gotten away from my "warrior years" has been taking more time to stretch immediately after I play - even before I get in my car. You can also try the occasional anti-inflammatory before you go to the courts. When we were kids, we could take the hammering without having to worry so much about good warm-up rituals or down-time maintenance, but now it has a much bigger role in keeping healthy. Since you're still plenty active, I'd say just be a little smarter with your day to day planning. It doesn't sound like you're doing way too much, but when something hurts, it needs a little time off.
 
hollywood9826

hollywood9826

Hall of Fame
Well according to TV Cialis fixes evrything. Just if its high noon on the sundial for over 4 hours call a doc :)

I would reccomend cutting down on the running/jogging. Thats a huge burden on the joints that you may want to look into replacing. Then again if you enjoy doing it do it.
 
Joeyg

Joeyg

Semi-Pro
That is my favorite line in all of the ED commercials! "For erections lasting over four hours, please consult a physician". I wish someone would tape a conversation between a physician and someone who OD'd on Cialis or Viagra. That would be too funny!!
 
G

Gemini

Hall of Fame
Similar boat here in terms of age and feeling the "pain" somewhat though I'm still a few years shy of 38. I've been playing tennis since I was 6. Mix in competitive soccer through my late 20's, track and field in high school, swimming in high school, basketball in high school, collegiate tennis and then Open level tennis after that. I also do a lot of lifting now along with martial arts (really take a beating there).

Now with it being Summer, I've got martial arts once a week, tennis 3 times, lifting 3 times, bowling once along with at least 30 mins of cardio every day that I don't play tennis (running or cycling).

I've learned that I have to listen to the EARLY signals that my body's sending to me. I redline a lot quicker than I used to and like many have said it takes about 24 hours before I can hit hard once again depending on how much I've beaten myself up the day before. Naproxen's my friend as is the ice bath....

Funny thing is that I still play singles, doubles and mixed in just about every tournament BUT generally only commit to the doubles events because I have to work less.
 
G

gb93433

Rookie
esrb said:
I'm a tennis freak, running freak, biking freak and weight lifting freak. Cardio 3 times a week, incluiding 5K running and 15k on stationary bike. Tennis twice a week (2 hours each session) and had a Plantar fasciitis injury recovered (8 months).
Now, my achilles tendon hurts (like a needle on it): the doctod told me that I'm no longer a kid, so I have to slow down.
Is that ok? I feel full of energy!!!! Wanna Rock!!
Click to expand...

Ever try swimming? It is easier on the joints and demanding physically.

When I was a top cyclist and my knees hurt from time to time. I think that goes with the territory. The more you push yourself the more likely pain will occur.
 
R

ringer

New User
I'm 35 and sometimes I don't feel like a spring chicken either. I've found anti-inflammatories help, but don't overuse them - they'll hurt your stomach and be less effective with time.

I also do yoga and lots of stretching before and after any fitness activity. Yoga has helped immensely in so many areas of life.

If its achilles tendonitis you suffer from tape up your ankles - that's the only thing that helps me. Plus it helps stabilize my ankle when I play. I have to do this for everything athletic I do, except my general gym workout. But I tape them for tennis, basketball, softball, etc. At the gym I do recumbent bike and some weights so no need to tape, but if you run on a treadmill you might need to.
 
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