Ageing and post training aches

Hi,

I can sympathise with you on this one as at 35 I was struck with Achilles tendinitis without warning after a lifetime of high level physical training without any major injuries or problems. 11 months later after various failed NHS physio attempts only now is it beginning to correct largely down to self-rehab using information off this great site.

If you have not had any medical causes ruled out then I suggest an appointment with your GP should be the first course of action just to be on the safe side.

You mention lots of football and cardio work, but no resistance or sport specific strength and conditioning within your training?

The importance of a structured strengthening and lengthening of muscles as one ages through appropriate resistance and flexibility work cannot be overstated especially if one is regularly engaged in sports such as football that call for a lot of high intensity sprint work with regular changes of direction.

Another major factor that seems to be jumping out at me is over training?

If both these are correct and you receive the all clear from your doctor, then I would firstly suggest taking at least 10 days off any sort of formal training and just carry out some light activity such as walking to enable your body to fully recover.

Following this also take a detailed look at your nutrition. Are you getting adequate carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vit/min within your diet from natural sources as opposed to synthetic shakes?

Lastly you do not indicate what you weigh but given the amount of training you are doing you may also need to considerably increase your water intake.

Insufficient nutrient intake and even slight levels of dehydration through a shortage of water intake can all hinder post exercise recovery.

Even with optimum nutrition glycogen restoration levels peak at 7-10% per hour so an adequate intake of carbohydrate (probably a lot more than you might give credit for) supported by sufficient rest is critical in aiding ones recovery.

Good luck and don't despair getting older should not mean more aches and pains, you just have to pay more attention to your REST PERIODS, nutrition, pre (dynamic)and post exercise (static) stretching, and most importantly strengthen yourself through structured full body compound resistance training.

Kind regards

Simon

Simon Vincent
Sports Performance Analyst
Body Bullet Dynamics!
Aberdare
South Wales

This from Nick on Facebook, 'Prevention. Foam rolling, dynamic stretching, light corrective exercise (activating atagonists) and P.R.I.C.E. protect, rest, ice, compression, and elevate.'

David adds this comment, 'Hi, at 47 I've found similar issues but find that a dynamic warm up to start, static stretching afterwards helps. I've also found that I need longer breaks between intensive exercise to allow the body to repair. This doesn't mean you lose out, just that you need more time. Hope this helps.'

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=103504456424106&id=6140642631

Training needs to be specific to the event you want to be "best" at. Anyone who just ran a half marathon will be a little sore afterwards for a day or longer if the training before (for 6-16 weeks for example) was not sufficient for the event. General fitness is great for health, but being specific helps those muscles, organs and joint structures prepare and adapt for the task at hand. Preparing by using a gradual build up, including rest days, easy weeks and recovery as suggested in the other posts will all help, but you have to do the specific work during training. So I would recommend that your training be based on goals and pick one at a time and work towards that, so periodise your training over the year or longer period. With specific training for that goal, you should find the aches and pains reducing. Dont get into the ibuprofen habit though. The body has natural painkillers, let things work themselves out first.

Ice baths also help in pain reduction, adding Epsom Salts can help (although not proven) also with recovery. And finally dont do too much too soon. Hope that this helps.

yours, Dai

Dai Roberts, Senior Coach, Dai Roberts Group Inc. Virginia Beach, VA.

Also, check you have a good supportive bed.

I know that sounds daft, but if you subject tired muscles to a lumpy, unsupportive mattress, it isn't going to help matters much! You're in bed for 8 hours a day, that's a lot of time, so it's worth considering.

Daiatwork23 touched on this technique and it's something that rugby players use all the time.
Sitting or standing in a post training ice-bath after your training helps to process the waste products, and helped me a great deal. (I am also 37)
This is done by the constricting action on your blood vessels helping to squeeze out the lactic acid etc...and a rapid cooling effect on the micro tears in your muscle. (Like putting an ice-pack on an injury).

I strongly recommend this technique.
Practically speaking it can prove a little awkward. We used household plastic flip top bins which are about waste height.

I believe they were 12-15 degrees and we stood for 10-15 minutes.

Richard.

Loughborough Sports Science Graduate
& Former Rugby player.

Thanks for the advice Richard. I like the idea of improvising an ice bath - that's a great image of tired rugby players standing in bins too, cheers.

what wonderful advice!

Has any of it helped?

I too am highly amused at the thought of rugby players standing up in bins! Still, if it works, whyever not!