Building a Better Me with a New Knee

if only we all looked younger as we got older...

I've gotten curious about something lately:  is it possible to get back into the kind of shape I was in during my 20s? And by that, I don't mean being as thin, fit or having the same kind of endurance. I mean being able to do the things I want, like hiking or alpine touring, and keeping up with my fit friends. 

Listening to podcasts like Becoming Ellie and Gabby Reece's, I've come to the conclusion that my goals should be to increase durability in order to create longevity. I was listening to an episode of Gabby's podcast when she had her husband Laird Hamilton and their trainer, Kelly Starrett (who, incidentally, I found to be obnoxiously egotistical - I would NOT recommend his advice that you know more than your doctor does) as guests to discuss their joint replacement surgery (Gabby and Kelly had their knees replaced, Laird had his hip replaced).  I did find that a few things that Kelly said resonated with me:

1) You'll know you need a joint replacement when you turn down invites to do active things more and more until you are basically sedentary (this was me - no, can't go hiking today turned into no, can't go for a walk); and 

2) The goal of your fitness program after your knee replacement should be durability.

This really hit home:  I want to be able to ski at Mad River Glen and take ski trips all over the world for a LONG time, and I'm 51.  

With professional athletes competing into their 40s more and more, it's clear that there are decisions that we can make that will allow us to play sports longer, and to be active as we age. 

Most of what I have read agrees on a few basics:

- Move more.  Increase your movement gradually.  Incorporate both cardiovascular training that pushes your heart rate into the out-of-breath, can't chat right now phase for at least 10 minutes every day, or regularly.  Taking it easy leads to taking it easier - and while you do need to work out smarter not necessarily harder, you do want to get out of breath.  For me, that means walking hills instead of running on a treadmill, or running at all.  Or doing a spin class instead of mountain biking on a slippery trail. 

- Eat to fuel your body.  This means eating fruits and vegetables and thinking about the vitamins you are getting (or not getting) - I am not an advocate of "clean eating" as I think it's just the 2021 version of the 389 diets I was on in the 80s and 90s, but I do think there's a reason we feel better when we add in whole grains, and a rainbow of veggies and fruit.  And water.  Experts like Jeff Bertovici, who wrote Play On - a book about staying fit after 40, also recommend bone broth, and avoiding fad diets.  

- Stretch and recover.  In my 20s I almost always skipped stretching to get in another 20 minutes of cardio.  Not anymore. There's a reason Tom Brady is obsessed with "pliability" - there is some truth to bending not breaking.  Incorporate yoga or something similar into your regular practice. 

- Have fun.  It's time to find what you enjoy. I've always hated running, but made myself do it for decades because it was the fastest route to fit for me.  Now I'm not allowed to run, and I'm really glad.  Winter is easiest for me (we live in Vermont) because I can cross country ski out my back door, and my family and friends all downhill ski, and skin (also known as alpine touring, skinning is basically going uphill on downhill skis by using special bindings that allow your heel to release, and using "skins" - scratchy lengths that used to be made of seal skin that you put on the bottom of your skis to keep them from sliding backwards as you go uphill).  I also happen to LOVE these activities - I could ski (when I am not having knee pain) all day every day and never feel like I was working at all.  

Summer is a bit trickier for me.  I do like stand up paddle, and I like walking and hiking.  I also love dancing, and the pandemic was great for the advent of online classes.  I'm going to try some once my knee is ready. 

And with that...it's time to go work out! (At almost 5 weeks post total knee replacement, that means another 5-10 minutes on the bike, baby squats, and some posterior chain work...followed by stretching.  Already took my 30 minute walk today - and it gets easier every day!).