Staying Active 40+

Your body may be changing. Your ambitions don't have to.

You still want to run. Play padel or tennis. Go to the gym. Practise yoga. Ski. Golf. Walk for miles. Garden all weekend.

And you certainly don't want someone telling you that the answer to every ache and pain is simply to "slow down".

I'm Simon Palmer, a registered osteopath in Chichester, and I've spent more than 35 years helping people stay active.

Many of the women I see aren't looking to become elite athletes. They simply want their bodies to keep up with the lives they want to lead.

That's something I understand.

Staying Active After 40

There isn't a magic birthday when your body suddenly starts falling apart.

But things do change.

You may notice you're a little stiffer in the morning. Recovery after exercise takes longer. An injury that once disappeared in a few days hangs around. Or something you've done happily for years suddenly starts to hurt.

For women, the years around perimenopause and menopause can bring additional changes that may affect muscles, joints, bones, sleep, recovery and how exercise feels.

But getting older doesn't mean giving up the things you love doing.

Sometimes the answer is treatment. Sometimes it's changing how you train or recover. Sometimes it's getting stronger or improving mobility. And sometimes it's simply understanding what is happening and having the confidence to keep moving.

What Are You Trying to Get Back To?

When someone comes into my treatment room, I'm interested in more than simply:

"Where does it hurt?"

I want to know:

"What is it stopping you doing?"

Because those are two quite different questions.

A painful shoulder matters because you can't serve properly at tennis.

A stiff hip matters because walking the South Downs has become uncomfortable.

Back pain matters because you're avoiding the gym.

And that niggling knee matters because you've just discovered padel and you're absolutely not going to give it up now.

The goal isn't merely to treat an aching body part.

It's to help you get back to your life.

Padel, Tennis & Racket Sports

Racket sports are brilliant exercise.

They're also very good at exposing bits of your body that aren't quite as enthusiastic about your new hobby as you are.

Padel and tennis involve repeated rotation, acceleration, sudden changes of direction and plenty of reaching — often after spending the rest of the week doing something considerably less athletic.

Shoulders, elbows, backs, hips, knees and calves can all complain.

As someone who has played racket sports for many years and now plays padel myself, I understand the temptation to ask:

"Can you just fix it so I can play on Thursday?"

Sometimes we can.

Sometimes we need a slightly better plan.

#SIMONSAYS: TOP ATHLETES

Running, Walking & The Gym

You don't have to choose between exercising through pain and stopping altogether.

Often there's a sensible middle ground.

If something hurts when you're running, walking or training, we'll look at what movements provoke it, how your body is functioning and whether there are useful changes you can make while it settles.

The aim, whenever appropriate, is to keep you moving rather than simply telling you to rest.

Menopause, Movement & Musculoskeletal Health

Perimenopause and menopause are a normal part of life, but the hormonal changes involved can coincide with changes in muscles, tendons, joints, bone health, sleep and recovery.

Not every ache in a woman over 40 is "the menopause", though — and it's important not to assume that it is.

If you're experiencing a new or persistent musculoskeletal problem, I'll assess what's happening from an osteopathic perspective and explain what I find.

Where something needs investigation or expertise outside my scope of practice, I'll recommend that you speak to your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional.

Good healthcare sometimes means knowing when not to treat.

35+ Years of Experience

I've been practising as an osteopath for more than 35 years and have carried out over 30,000 treatments.

One thing that experience has taught me is that there is rarely a one-size-fits-all solution.

Two people can arrive with apparently identical back pain and need quite different approaches.

Treatment may include soft tissue techniques, joint mobilisation, stretching or manipulation where appropriate, together with advice about movement, exercise and managing the problem yourself.

I'll explain what I think is happening and what I think we can realistically do about it.

And if I don't think osteopathy is appropriate, I'll tell you.

What My Patients Say

"I have been seeing Simon for at least 25 years through various life pursuits as an athlete, Yoga teacher and now hobby gardener! There may be years between visits but he really is my go-to to get sorted."

Sarah Odell – ★★★★★ Google Review

For me, that's what successful treatment is really about.

Not creating patients who feel they need treatment every week.

Helping people get back to doing the things they enjoy — and knowing where I am if they need me again.

READ MORE REVIEWS

#SimonSays

Straightforward advice for keeping active

After 35+ years as an osteopath, I've been asked quite a few questions.

So #SimonSays is my collection of short videos answering the ones I hear most often.

No complicated medical language. No miracle cures.

Just practical advice based on more than three decades of treating people who want to keep moving.

Topics include:

• Should I exercise when something hurts?

• Why am I getting more injuries as I get older?

• Why does my back spasm?

• Should I stretch my back?

• Is Osteopathy safe during pregnancy?

• How much rest does an injury really need?

WATCH #SIMONSAYS

Ready to Get Moving Again?

If an ache, pain or injury is stopping you doing something you enjoy, come and have a chat.

We'll work out what's going on, what you want to get back to doing and whether osteopathy is likely to help.

Simon Palmer
Registered Osteopath
Fishbourne, Chichester, West Sussex
35+ years' experience | 30,000+ treatments

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT

Not sure whether you need an osteopath?

CONTACT SIMON