Shrinking worlds, the ‘vulnerable’ over 50s and a bit of life balance

 I had a conversation over WhatsApp recently about shrinking worlds.  Decisions being taken to give up skiing and sailing (or at least the boat) seemingly due to knees (though granted those of my correspondent’s spouse).  That was enough for me to be following the advice on an over 50s physio short on YouTube re knees - mobility and balance.  All good advice I’m sure and I really ought to try harder generally and perhaps use my weights at home for something other than propping doors open…….  It is just this whole ‘over 50s’ thing.  It wound me up with the pandemic when apparently the over ‘50s were “vulnerable”.  Now we have to actively maintain our mobility and balance.  I don’t feel “vulnerable” and my mobility and balance are just fine, thank you.  

To be frank I’m not sure who this over 50s physio is treating.   How much over 50 are they exactly?  I can’t remember when I last stepped foot in a gym (though the garden can be quite some work out on occasions) but the exercises being suggested were not testing in the slightest.  The hardest part was putting my phone stop watch on.


All that said maybe I am guilty of living in my own little invincibility bubble.  Maybe something will crop up and I will get my comeuppance for being overly smug?  I do accept anything around training my midriff may be trickier!  S has had an issue with his foot recently which required some temporary adjustments, a couple of friends have already given up skiing, in part, due to injuries which is rather a ‘there but for the grace of God’ thing.  Another friend has just had a steroid injection which hopefully will stave off threatened possible surgery for a while.  


Inevitably there will be a point when something has to give to accommodate no longer being in the first flush of youth though I was rather hoping that would not be until after we have had some proper time to indulge.  It is, I suppose, something of a reminder that we should not put everything off until retirement.  All well and good in theory.  Trying to cram everything in is easier said when there are only 24 hours a day, 2 days at non bank holiday weekends and 25 days holiday a year.  Can’t say we have been out on our GP14 sailing dinghy this year and a few other things have slipped out of /not made the calendar also.


In the case of my WhatsApp correspondent (and their spouse), whilst their news came as a bit of a surprise, shock even, it seems their world is not shrinking that far.  They have a trip to India booked for next year!  Me? Long haul?  Not so much!  I suspect all my joints would be feeling stiff after that flight!




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