I have always been in decent shape. I've never been a great athlete, but I've always been relatively strong, have had good stamina, and worked hard to stay flexible. And I've always enjoyed moving, whether walking, playing tennis, swimming, or dancing.
But the last few years have really taken their toll. I was rear-ended at a low speed, which really fired up my existing neck problems. Then I totaled a car. Then I was hit in the lower back by a motorized grocery cart. (!!!) Then I was in another car when it was totaled and cracked a rib. Then I had carpal tunnel surgery and a couple of falls. So I have had several year s of low activity.
The fact that all of this happened as I moved toward and past fifty probably didn't help.
I have lost a lot of fitness ground the past few years, and I've decided that I need to start getting some of it back. Because I already have arthritis and quite a bit of chronic pain from an old neck injury and my ankle reconstruction, anything too vigorous is out, but I've been walking daily, spending quite a bit of time in my pool, and now after a couple of massages to help out with some of the worst pain and stiffness, I am getting ready to start a yoga class.
I don't want to be weak. Or stiff. I will definitely be in pain, no matter what I do, so I'd rather be hurting while I'm moving, instead of sitting still.
