 Poster: A snowHead
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| DB wrote: |
Must admit after seeing the thread where people are having to inject their knees with acid I started to get worried about what old age means (I'll be 50 later this year).
Started wondering how many of the injuries are down to ......
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I've broken a lot of bits....mainly my fingers repeatedly. Mostly down to 'hold my beer' My mind hasn't progressed beyond 16 so I will continue to believe that I am 16 and behave like a 16 year old. I don't get the same hangovers now. Haven't worked out if that is because I don't drink as much as I used to or my liver is screwed.....but you don't worry about that shit when you are 16 so why worry about it when you have had a few extra birthdays. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I am horribly close to seventy two but still skiing off piste.
I do my best to keep fit as I am sure most skiing veterans do however a lot of it I feel is down to luck. I played rugby until my late thirties and had a few injuries and lots of squash into my mid fifties, yet I have managed to come away with no arthritic conditions or dodgy hips etc.
I once read the three components of fitness are strength, stamina and flexibility. The first two I feel are straightforward to achieve. It's just down to self discipline. Flexibility is a different matter however. If your hips or knees start playing up as you get older there may not be too much you can do about it. Flexibility is so important in skiing and for those that lose that it must be very frustrating.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I have a young chocolate labrador... no way I can sit down & relax! When I went to fetch him the lady placed him into my arms, smiled, and said 'Sie werden noch was erleben'. And here was me thinking labs are quiet gentle beings! Wrong, so wrong.
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We are now 73 and 68 and for the last ten years have managed to spend most of the winter, bar February, skiing. Nothing fast and furious, not off piste, but unless it is tipping down with rain we have skied for a few hours every morning. After the dog has had a walk. And we tend to take the dog out for a longer walk in the afternoon. We have found that we don’t like crowds so seek out quieter places. No major injuries luckily. Back in Sussex for the summer and swimming, sailing, walking. We got the dog nearly three years ago and she has been terrific for getting us out and about.
Still intending to carry on skiing, we have found over recent years that our friends are falling by the wayside though, particularly the women. And maybe as you get older just tipping up for one week every year or so is not enough. I think if I now missed a year or two for one reason or another I might find it hard to pick it up again.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Steilhang, I've had a yellow and a choc. Half trained gun dogs though. Good luck with the relaxing LOL
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I watched a film about Laird Hamilton last night - a pioneering big wave surfer. He's 54, hobbling around from arthritis in his hips which need to be replaced, but still super fit. The guy is an animal who refuses to slow down, and is pushing new boundaries all the time. His tow partner looked to be about 70.
Kind of inspired me to have a spoonful of concrete, harden up, and stop complaining about sore bits 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laird_Hamilton
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0801510/
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My knees are a bit knackered and I need to lose some weight. The only thing I've noticed is that I can't party as hard as I used to.
I'm 'only' 45 though, this thread is making me feel quite young!!
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Just back from Canada numerous backcountry ski tourers in their 80s. If you keep fit, you'll stay good 😁
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Do you get a senior discount in all resorts in France?
A ski buddy of mine goes to Andorra as he gets a free lift pass now.
I'm going to continue as long as I can and still take lessons ...perhaps I'll get the hang of skiing one day.
I would hate to wake up one day and find I was getting bored with this wonderful past time.
That will be the time to curl up and give up the lot.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@HoneyBunny, Just keep nibbling knobs and you’ll be fine.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Graham Warren wrote: |
I know what you mean, I turned Fifty two weeks ago and have been noticing aches and pains in the knees and such.
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The clever move, as with Awdbugga, is to wait until you have all the aching joints already: then feeling like you've been in a car crash after a day's skiing, is like, well Monday evening in June. Or July, or Tuesday, or... You get my drift!
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| Charliegolf wrote: |
| Graham Warren wrote: |
I know what you mean, I turned Fifty two weeks ago and have been noticing aches and pains in the knees and such.
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The clever move, as with Awdbugga, is to wait until you have all the aching joints already: then feeling like you've been in a car crash after a day's skiing, is like, well Monday evening in June. Or July, or Tuesday, or... You get my drift! |
The tumbles which caused my cracked rib and torn tricep were all down to my poor pole planting technique. (Needless to say, I don’t do it any more). Happily, neither my legs or knees ached at all, all week. Other than my tumble due to my poor technique (well it was my first time skiing on a mountain) I felt fine. I wasn’t tired at all. I can’t wait until the next B.B. Happy days.
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You know it makes sense.
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My theory is that, if you're skiing properly (at least on less gnarly stuff as I do), it doesn't take too much effort. So I'm hoping to keep skiing for a some years yet. Up till now that has worked, with only a few twinges here and there (and that's without any real exercising except a little walking in the summer).
My other incentive is that I aim to keep my lift costs down to €10 per day. And that means I have to ski more days every year as the prices go up 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I love this thread! I'm early 40s and only properly took up skiing (having never had the opportunity before but always wanted to) about five years ago. I have no intention of hanging up my boots any time soon now I finally have the chance to get out there! It's great to hear these stories.
My dad was a huge one for staying fit, sailing was his big passion. He had a loss in the genetic lottery, giving him stupendously high cholesterol despite the fact he was one of the fittest people anyone knew. Never smoked, rarely drank, turned vegetarian. This probably bought him many extra years (fortunately, this gene was something I did not inherit from him!)
Late 50s and his heart was stopping him from doing much physically at all (massively out of breath) but it didn't stop him trying though. He went out at the far too young age of 62 having just been gig rowing, the plonker. So he could probably have got a few more months maybe if he hadn't been pushing himself having fun, but I think if he could have chosen, he'd have picked this which is fine with me.
Most of all, I know he would want me to still be skiing into my 80s if possible! Which is my intention 
Also, I had horrendous joint problems in all four of my pregnancies, leaving me on crutches and in a wheelchair at times. Means I'm a lot more tolerant of aches and pains post skiing now!
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Poster: A snowHead
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You can certainly keep going to your eighties.
One of my fondest ski-ing memories is skiing with a couple called Bar and Denis.
They had learnt to ski in the sixties! (Yes - 1960's) when Denis was in the Commandos. Actually, he was in charge of one of the Commando Groups!
When I met them in the mid-1990's they were still going strong in their early 80s. We might have had a few extra hot chocolate stops and skied on Piste - but aside from that you'd never know.
RIP Bar and Denis
PS You wouldn't beleive the stories he told
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| esaw1 wrote: |
| Should I grow up or just carry on through the pain barrier? |
Growing older is inevitable. Growing up is optional. DON'T DO IT !
Carry on until they close the lid ...
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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We skied with someone a few years ago who was 91 then. What an elegant skier he was.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I am skiing better at 50 than when I was 20, but that's because I'm focusing more on feelings rather than smashing my way down the mountain as fast as I can.
Main problem with me is that a decade of mtb racing caught up with me at age 40, resulting in degenerative hip issues, bolt in shoulder after repeated dislocations, and knees that make horrible crackling sounds. As much as I love skiing, I've had to give up bumps. Just can't do it any more. I think as I get older -- assuming I make it to 65, I'll probably switch to XC skiing, road biking and swimming.
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I am still enjoying my skiing at almost 74 and I am intending to go to the Birthday Bash next year. Been fortunate enough to avoid any serious illnesses or injuries so I am hoping to keep skiing for the foreseeable future. I suspect the limiting factor will be the increasing cost of winter sports insurance in the future. A torn ankle ligament last season made me realise that accidents can happen.
Training and keeping fit I achieve by mucking out our horses and walking our dogs. Can still manage a full days skiing.
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Everyone has their own definition of "slowing down" or "pushing through the pain".
I don't "push through" ANY pain. Pain has a hideous way of getting worse if one "push through" it.
At my age, it's not the "getting stronger through pain" stage any more. My understanding, pain is the body's way of telling me I'm doing it wrong. It's time to 1) figure out the right way of having fun without the pain, or 2) figure out what's wrong with the body and stop it from getting worse.
So far, as long as I took care of #2, it's possible to do some of #1 to avoid the pain. For me, fun is incompatible with pain.
If modification of #1 is a definition of slowing down, I have been slowing down all my life. Even as a youngster, I've been couched to be aware of the correct technique to ensure efficiency and longevity even at peak performance, in whatever activity I engage.
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@abc, at my age if I didn’t push through any pain I wouldn’t get up in the morning. Pain is what lets me know I am still alive. However there is a difference between the mild aches and pains I have routinely and which fade as soon as I have warmed up and the acute pain from an injury which as you say will only get worse if you ignore it.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| abc wrote: |
| I don't "push through" ANY pain. Pain has a hideous way of getting worse if one "push through" it. |
You should. I used to race motorbikes semi-professionally. In an era where the conventional wisdom was to rest and recuperate we, of course, were back on the bike almost immediately, almost irrespective of the level of pain.
It turns out that this is now the best recommendation. As soon as you can stand the pain, you know when it's 'bad' pain and damaging - don't do that, get back to it. The body recovers far faster, and better, when pushed to do so quickly.
And, now, there is some evidence to suggest that the more you push yourself, even in later life, the better. For example, the best cure for a bad back, for most people, is to be active. It WILL hurt - but you'll be fine.
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| abc wrote: |
I don't "push through" ANY pain. Pain has a hideous way of getting worse if one "push through" it. |
That sounds like a runner colleague of mine who was always "beasting it" and "going through the pain barrier"
finally he couldn't any more and went for an MRI on his knees. The doctor said he had no cartilage (or something) left. "how do we fix it?" asked my friend "You don't your knees are fubared" came the reply "take it very carefully now, maybe a knee replacement someday".
Friend got very fat with no exercise and too much beer ! He seems to be just back on his feet now after 2 years rest but I'm worried he's going to go to excess again.
Generally if you have pain skiing you are probably not doing it right.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@davidof, I tend to be more in the @Blackblade school. I have always found that pushing it, especially with my back, leads to better results. No exercise simply isn't an option as far as I'm concerned. I have also recently found that one result of my recent weight losing scheme, which has involved doing a lot of indoor cycling, has lead to my knees becoming a lot more stable. I often used to get sudden and unexplained pain in the knees. No more. No idea why, I assume simply because the muscular apparatus has become stronger.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Do not sit down or lay down for more than 8 hrs a day i.e (sleep only) and to eat.
Do not use a Car.
Never use elevators or Lifts
Walk , Cycle
These things are simple
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I have one group of clients I ski with whose average age last year (from memory) was 62.5. We ski & tour pretty hard, one of them in particular will skin as fast as i care to push myself...
The key talking to them appears to be a combination of several things - 1) don't stop activity as it is really hard to regain fitness you have lost, 2) be lucky - if you get injured then 1) becomes much harder... and the older you are the longer it takes to recover from injuries...
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You know it makes sense.
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@Steilhang, I understand what you are saying, but you probably know your own body well in that case but I think there are other times when you need to take into account signs. It is maybe not the effort but the recovery time that is important as you get older.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Yeah, I have a pretty good idea from marathon training as to the sort of pain you should pay attention to, particularly knee related. Very useful skill to have!
At my age, most pain for me is still something to be pushed through. Losing fitness is far worse! Going for a first run again after a break is the most miserable and unpleasant and uncomfortable thing, it's enough to put anyone off trying to regain fitness!
A running friend was sure she had stress fractures. Doctors told her not to be daft, and to just push through it. So she did for a while, but was always in pain and ended up having to take a break. A few years later after she returned to running, she finally had an MRI in that area over something else.. but yep, there were signs of healed stress fractures. This made her very happy, and a lot more confident in the messages her body was giving her.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@davidof, and I think some pains are rather different from others...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Injury is by far the biggest factor I think.
Currently have a very good friend not too far from me who has had an absolute nightmare nine or so months.
Ex county squash player late 50's and knee been playing up for past five or so years. Last Sept I think, went for partial knee replacement. All going well till late Dec when she awoke to massive swelling of the knee.
It settled down quite quickly, then they traveled out here early Jan and again serious issues with knee occurred. An MRI evidently is not an option because of the metal work in the knee but there are different opinions on that, trouble is she was paranoid of having simple keyhole with a camera to see what could be the issue.
Fast forward to April and all was good, she even went back to the UK for a follow up with her knee consultant, she's been running and cycling on the turbo and even skied for the last four days of the season, whilst her hubby did his ACL!
Last week, knee went again, massive swelling and severe pain, she was admitted to hospital and was on morphine.
They said that they would not operate and that she should go back to England for exploratory surgery.
Two days later (on her birthday) pain and knee swelling so intense she was rushed to hospital and later on they did operate.
Prognosis severe arthritis causing the cartilage to rapidly disintegrate and fluid / blood from bone without protection of cartilage.
Only option new knee!!
I really hope that they've managed to clear up the cartilage that was causing the problem and that things will settle down and that they are being extremely pessimistic.
In the meantime hubby is now 7 weeks in to his ACL and is going to try to get away without having the reconstruction op, but will be another one on the scrap heap if next season he finds his knee is too unstable to ski.
I'm popping down later to see how she's getting on but as you can imagine, so depressed.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| offpisteskiing wrote: |
I have one group of clients I ski with whose average age last year (from memory) was 62.5. We ski & tour pretty hard, one of them in particular will skin as fast as i care to push myself...
The key talking to them appears to be a combination of several things - 1) don't stop activity as it is really hard to regain fitness you have lost, 2) be lucky - if you get injured then 1) becomes much harder... and the older you are the longer it takes to recover from injuries... |
Certainly does take longer to recover, though that's not just age; it's friends and even doctors telling you to "slow down", "it's too much for your age". The older we get the more negative peer pressure we receive. Other factors include:-
Less available time to devote to rehab.
Most of us are carrying too much weight
We like our food to be more calorie condensed
We really like to relax with a bucket of wine/beer/triple of choice and have far less will power to resist our social group dynamic.
It takes longer to recover because we tend to make it longer ourselves.
There are some infirmities that we can't control but for those lucky boogers that don't develop wear related degradation or have a genetic predisposition to bone loss etc., recovery time shouldn't be significantly different as we age.
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The two main age related problems I have with skiing are 1) I am not as brave as I was and so I can find myself dithering on Lemming Ledge instead of getting on with it and 2) If I fall without my skis coming off I find it difficult to get upright again unless it is very steep.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Rabbie wrote: |
| The two main age related problems I have with skiing are 1) I am not as brave as I was and so I can find myself dithering on Lemming Ledge instead of getting on with it and 2) If I fall without my skis coming off I find it difficult to get upright again unless it is very steep. |
You did pretty damn well at the BB Rabbie; apart from that short section of black on the second to last day, which did for your ankle. There's plenty of life in the old dog yet.
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I am 67. 2 fairly major ski upsets. 1st about 20 years ago smashed the top right off the top of the Tibia and damaged the MML, 2 pins still in knee as souvenirs. 2nd 6 years ago put me in hospital for 6 weeks, several ribs gone, punctured lung, triple spiral fracture of the humorous, lost 3 1/2 litres of blood, died on the operating table, but still here! I still ski 3-5 days a week ALL season. Does help of course that I generally work for a ski TO in the winter. Hey they might as well pay for me to ski as me give them money!! Work hard in the 'off' season to compensate for the natural aging process. I've skied with many 80 plus skiers and will join them I'm sure. Maybe even go on to ski in my 100's. I have good genes. grandfather 99 before he went and mother still going strong at 94
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| Blackblade wrote: |
| abc wrote: |
| I don't "push through" ANY pain. Pain has a hideous way of getting worse if one "push through" it. |
You should. I used to race motorbikes semi-professionally. In an era where the conventional wisdom was to rest and recuperate we, of course, were back on the bike almost immediately, almost irrespective of the level of pain.
It turns out that this is now the best recommendation. As soon as you can stand the pain, you know when it's 'bad' pain and damaging - don't do that, get back to it. The body recovers far faster, and better, when pushed to do so quickly.
And, now, there is some evidence to suggest that the more you push yourself, even in later life, the better. For example, the best cure for a bad back, for most people, is to be active. It WILL hurt - but you'll be fine. |
Different school of thought. See the other horror stories.
It's up to individual to choose which school of thoughts to follow. A lot of times, past experience helps to decide.
I had been lucky for a long time avoiding any injuries at all. But eventually, luck caught up to me. I had to learn what pain is "healing pain" vs "damaging pain". Fortunately, I had a really good physio, whom I asked before I "push through" even "healing pain". So far, so good. I managed to get through the healing period without causing excessive wear and tear by compensating.
When in doubt, I err on the conservative side. It's totally possible to remain active without pain, even when recovering from injuries. Those who had many injuries may already learn to differentiate the different type of pain. Others needs to work with a good physio or ask your doctor, so you don't end up doing more damage than good.
Apart from injuries, pains are usually a reliable indicators you're doing some damage. It's easy to tell if the pain got worse or better as you continue. If it's the latter, your body's healing power is on top of the damage. You're good to continue. If it's the former, continuing will one day land you in the surgeon's table. 
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| Old Man Of Lech wrote: |
| 6 years ago put me in hospital for 6 weeks, several ribs gone, punctured lung, triple spiral fracture of the humorous, lost 3 1/2 litres of blood, died on the operating table, but still here! |
That must have been one hell of an Apres Ski night out.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I started when I was 44. I'm now 67  I'm still getting better. And faster.
Hell, 60 is the new 40, anyway.
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Muscle imbalance - once had knee pain and realised my quads were much stronger than my hamstrings resulting in a lopsided tension on my knee. Probably caused by biking. Maybe this could be causing joint problems in others. Stretching and exercises for the weaker muscle group relieved the pain
Vitamin D / Sun - My parents live in spain and have said that the increased amount of sun appears to result in less joint problems, instead the intense heat gets them. Summers here in Austria are longer and the sun is stronger than back in the UK so I hope that will be an advantage long term.
Active recovery - If I know it's muscle pain I'll push it a bit (no pain, no gain). If it's joint pain I'll do exercises that don't put too much strain on the joints (e.g. cross trainer instead of running, longer flat bike tours instead of mountain biking) that maintains my fitness and gets the blood pumping to aid recovery.
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