It's not just because you're old... maybe

We all hear it whenever we start griping about our sore backs or creaky knees. You know the drill: "You're not a spring chicken anymore," or "That's what happens as you get up there in age." It's like everyone's got this explanation ready to roll, whether it's your partner, your folks, your buddies, or even that little voice in your head. But, hold up a sec, is that really all there is to it?

I mean, come on, these excuses sound like the easy way out of the real deal going on in our bodies. Now, just so we're clear, I'm no physical therapist or doc, and I'm sitting pretty at 29 myself. But even with that, I've had my own taste of those achy moments. What I'm talking about here is mostly based on my time helping out folks who are anywhere from 35 to 83 years old.

Let's think about it like this: remember how your car runs all smooth and sweet for the first couple of years? Then, outta nowhere, it starts acting up like it's got a mind of its own. Like, there are these basic things you gotta do to keep it cruising nicely—oil changes, swapping out the transmission, messing with the timing belt, you name it. Problem is, that stuff costs you both a bunch of cash and a chunk of your time. But guess what? You gotta bite the bullet and get 'em done sooner or later if you wanna keep that car chugging along without a hitch. Do you kind of see where I am going with this?

Just like cars, our bodies need their regular check-ups too. And yeah, it's gonna take some money and a slice of your time. Besides all the exercise and good grub, I've got this hunch that one of the best things you can do is get a deep tissue massage. Now, here's the scoop from what I've seen with my client: the ones who stick with those massages and do some foam rolling (look at the pic below) tend to moan and groan less about their backs, their knees, and whatever else is acting up. When your muscles get all stiff, they shove more strain onto your joints instead of spreading the load like they should.

Here's my sneaky shortcut: if your joints are giving you guff, aim your attention at the muscles around 'em. Or, think about hiring a top-notch massage therapist. And if you're into the whole prevention game or you're itching to sort out some joint pain, just send me a message below.