“Can you pass the old-man-test?” asks a cheeky, muscled-up personal trainer on YouTube. Let’s just call him Chad. Of course, none of us even know what ‘the old man test’ is. So, we watch his clip.
Chad stands barefoot, and bare chested, in front of his shoes and socks on the floor. He lifts a foot, bends down, picks up a sock and puts it on. Then, keeping his foot off the ground, he picks up his shoe, puts it on, and ties the laces. He hops to swap feet, then repeats the same thing. Through it all he stands, without support, on just one foot. That’s it — the old man test successfully completed. Chad looks about 24. Perhaps it would be more interesting to watch his dad, or his grandad do the test.
“You have to expect that, at your age.” Perhaps you’ve heard this said? Perhaps by a well-meaning friend or health professional. There is a kind of perverse fatalism in this comment. Oh, it’s the arthritis. Oh, it’s an old injury. Oh, it’s genetic. Oh, it’s…
Many have come to expect declining health and especially loss of mobility over time. I’m rebellious against this kind of perversely self-fulfilling prophecy.
Rather than ‘know’ that we’re all ageing and going to decline, I’d rather not ‘know’ and ask questions instead. Is there anything we could do to recover our capacity? Is there anything we could practice to regain lost movement, or strength, or balance, or bone density? Is there something we could learn and do about weight gain? Is there an alternative to pain-medications? Is there a way to age with joyfulness rather than becoming a grump? Is there anything we could do to improve our sleep? Is there something we can do to change our posture?
The answer to such questions is “Oh yes! Yes there is.” What questions would you have asked in that list?
Chad’s ‘old man test’ implies that loss of essential physical functions is an expected part of ageing. It lacks understanding. You do not need to lie down and become old, weak, stuck, grumpy…there is much you can do instead.
At nyuu! Chiropractic, we work to help you restore and develop your health potential so you can live your life fully. Alongside restoring your biomechanics, you can learn to pull four powerful transformative levers:
1. Developing movement.
2. Developing nutrition.
3. Developing effective rest/recovery practices.
4. Developing focussed clear thinking strategies.
At nyuu! Chiropractic, we’d love to welcome you to a transformative 2023. Join the rebellion, work to develop your new you!
