Having trouble keeping your balance?

I'm a little "disconcerted" right now. At age 87 I've never had balance issues - my background includes both ballet and fencing - however recently had a
ct scan which showed spine degeneration. Also I saw a Rheumatologist recently with a thumb pain issue and now my wrist hurts. Also have neck pain and
frequent headaches with a sense of imbalance that I never had before. I'm going back to see the Rheumatologist to discuss the thumb/wrist connection and also ask for a physical therapy prescription and recommendation for where to go for that. I do walk a lot and do minimal exercise daily. I guess I'm fortunate in not ever have fallen, but I'm concerned now about going forward and keeping active. This aging is the pits!

Hi @sapphira, you mentioned that you were going to ask your Rheumatologist for a physical therapy prescription. There is a great discussion here on Connect that you may want to read through and join in which might provide some relief for your symptoms.

> Groups > Neuropathy > Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain
-- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/

I'm 75 soon to be 76 and am hoping to have mobility like yours at 87. I think you are doing great. Aging is the pits for the body but it's the mind that keeps us young ☺ You might also be interested in the following website with short positive videos to keep you going.

Did your doctor give you any suggestions or treatments for the thumb and wrist pain?

My doctor felt I had tendonitis in my thumb and to get a small ball and exercise (I didn't do it) - thumb is slightly better with all the cooking and opening bottles,etc. I do, but the wrist is a new issue and I'd like to get an xray of it, if she agrees. Also want to find some good physical therapy - I like it with music and that's hard to find (goes back to my ballet days). Movement should be accompanied with music in my world. Need to find a special place for this. Don't
appreciate this neck/back/head syndrome either. Not sure it's a Rheumatology arena. She may guide me on where/who to see. Thanks for your advice and wonderful optimism ....

Walking is not enough as I found out. Active all my life- 25,000 steps a day at least for years. Also a bike rider. I had a bad fall last year at 63 and I went to a great Physical therpyist. Stretching and varied movement is the key. Some weights

Ask your doctor to explain stenosis to you, for your back issues. Or see a good back specialist who does something besides give you pain pills or says "come back in two weeks." With your desire for music and movement you ought to be able to improve your back with something besides surgery. Unfortunately, even though I had scans, I was forced to have five vertebrae fused and a metal cage put in. It is a miracle that I can bend over in my garden, so I am grateful to not be in a wheelchair. It took over two years for the pain to go away, and that included bowel pain from constipation which I had to learn to solve on my own, without pills. I am doing "better than expected" and still wanting to find a place for dancing lessons at age 83, but my daughter says I will hurt myself.
I push myself to walk very far at one time. Your ability to dance and enjoy it will lead you to helpful therapies for your old age. Keep at it. I use my paraffin treatment for my finger joints and play the piano. I wish I could find exercise that is "play." I never did sports. I used to do water aerobics and enjoyed that but it is difficult to find good teachers for that as well. And my bladder doesn't cooperate in the water. We are working on it, aren't we? Dorisena

The more I think about it, you are correct. Walking is not enough for a dancer. When I was 40 I tried school figures at the ice rink because it was slow and I wanted to try something new while my daughter was training in figure skating. Wow. It was terrific for balance because although I could barely skate, I learned to do controlled moves on one foot and my balance improved tremendously. Unfortunately the pain in my tailbone was awful from the strain and I had to give it up. The arthritis was already causing damage but I thought I could work it out in a few weeks. I did discover that my ankles were strong and I had no problem holding an edge as a beginning skater, but I purchased expensive boots which helped.
Now that I am older and wiser, I believe that a constantly stressful life, without resolving marital issues, does the most harm to our bodies, and we pay for it in our older age. I am a financially secure widow, with a loving family nearby, but my body is never going to be anywhere near normal again. Dorisena

Stretching, biking ,walking,and some weights as well as a time at Physicisl therapy ( helped me balance myself after not dealing with my injuries correctly ) really made me soar more than I ever thought possible. I was so scared and I am so much better than expected. Simple little stretching/ movements is making a big difference. I am going to be 65 this year and in some ways I am better than my younger years. Also wearing the right shoes makes a difference. Being hearing impaired, older , leftie, curly haired - independent thinker makes falls more likely ( first two is real causes)

I finally found an expert shoe person who did therapy for back problems some time ago. She said I needed better shoes, and sent me for expensive, imported orthotic shoes. After I got over the sticker shock, I handed the salesman my credit card just as I would in the drug store, because if I needed it, I needed it. I have a closet of those shoes now and got rid of my dress shoes. I used a rubber band for stretching on my feet during the nightly news and in no time my feet problems were gone. The doctor wanted to do surgery, and I said, no, God made my foot that way and I wasn't going to have it cut. Sometimes the grandchildren would pull on the stretch bands for me and they thought that was great fun. They all became athletes.
At this time I have some neurologic damage in the left foot from the back and/or knee surgery, but I deal with it with stretching. And those shoes never wear out. Nothing is bad about being an independent thinker. It keeps you trying new ideas. I get it!
Dorisena

@sapphira
87 is a great age and kudos to you for walking and wanted to pursue PT.....very important. As a former dancer you know stretching is so important to do everyday throughout the day when you think of it. Maybe some light weights. Keeping you pain free is your goal now and keeping your balance and stability is a forever goal. We all “break down” as we age and it’s hard not to let any pain overcome your efforts. Go strong lady....you sound like a positive person....

Regards from Florida Mary

@bookysue
Great and important post! I’m 78 and also think I am in better shape than when I was younger...lucky to have no pain...and also hard of hearing (which is why I am crazy about balance exercises ). I’ve been attending exercise classes for nearly 6 years and incorporate many of the stretching, strength and cardio into my daily routine...throughout the day. What a difference in quality of life.

Regards from Florida Mary