Age is Just a Number (Until the Day After Sledding When You're 40 Something).

By Erika Fehrenbach Prell

Ever hear the phrase “age is just a number”? Or, “act as old as you feel”? These are how I have always felt about age; it is all about your mindset or viewpoint on your age! I have always tried to find the right balance of living younger than my actual age by trying new things and being open-minded to adventure and opportunity combined with the wisdom of learning lessons from experience. Spending time with my kids and seeing the world from their perspective definitely helps to keep that spirit going!
I saw this great quote that sums it up perfectly:

This is an amazing mindset and perspective that will serve you well! That is, until you do something that reminds you of your actual, chronological age. Anyone near 40, or over, knows exactly what I am getting at here. 

You line up at the top of the slow hill like Chevy Chase in “Christmas Vacation”; you are going to show those kids how to really get this sled going! You hurdle your middle-aged self down the icy hill, and of course, you take that jump the kids made. This is fun! You feel like a 10 year-old again!! Then, you make the mistake of going home and sitting down on the couch. You attempt to get up but your body rebels. You are so stiff and sore that you can’t even move; you didn’t even know you had muscles to hurt in those areas.

Apparently, 40 is NOT the new 20 when it comes to body-pounding activities, or, let’s be real, playing any kind of sport you haven’t attempted in years without ample stretching before hand. AMIRITE?!?

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Before you over-Google, remember WebMD is NOT a real doctor, or hobble to the nearest Urgent Care, here are the typical first steps for this type of insult. The exception here is if there is an obvious deformity or serious discoloration, then, do not pass Go or Collect $200 and proceed immediately to a medical professional. These conservative treatments should give some relief nearly immediately, which confirms this is not a serious injury. 

Steps to Recover from Sledding for Adults

1. Rest the area you suspect to feel pain or are already experiencing it
   
2. Over-the-counter pain reliever, like ibuprofen or acetaminophen (use as directed)
   
3. Apply ice to the affected area to reduce pain and inflammation (rule of thumb...ice is for INJURY, heat is for HEALING)
   
4. Gently stretch the muscles
   
5. Light to medium massage to affected areas
   
6. Avoid high-impact activities until pain has resolved
   
7. Stress-relieving activities like yoga and meditation to relieve tension
   
8. If the pain is not improving or worsening despite these treatments, it’s time to bite the bullet and get evaluated!
   

And, perhaps, the most important...
Come to terms that you do not bounce back like a 7 year old. There are great things that comes with aging but body resilience is not one of them. This does not mean you can never sled again. It just means you should, perhaps, go a bit slower...and maybe pre-stretch.

Shine on!

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