The over 40 Disney Crowd

[anorman]

Hope you have a truly enjoyable time.

We are really going to try! Thanks....I'll have one for you!

 

[Tara8595]

Great advice from everyone. In addition to all that (not as a substitution), you may want to medicate....

A few years back I started asking my doctor when I had an upcoming trip to give me something because my back and ankles were killing me by the end of each day. He asked me how long the trip was and prescribed me Percocet for the duration of my trip. Now, I take it with me every time I go.

Makes you pee a lot, but you won't feel any pain!

 

[Silock]

Compression socks. Shoes are all nearly the same, once you reach a certain level of support and cushioning.

 

[laughinplace199]

Walking and getting in shape before your trip will certainly help. I don't think it has anything to do with your age.

I ran my first marathon at 40 (at WDW). I'm now 45 and have run 3 Disney marathons. When I visit WDW on a non-marathon trip, just walking around seems so easy compared to running 26.2 miles.

 

[momofboyz3]

Hi~ I have to say I don't really have much to add but had to read this thread when I saw the title! We went in May, I turned 40 in June. We are going back when I will be 41. Personally, I'm having a tough time "accepting" the 40's. I will say I had NO issues at all in WDW or do I in everyday life, so far. For the record I keep up with twin boys 13 & ds 9. I had an annual physical yesterday & the 20 something nurse said "so you r 40... Any changes? Do you go thru your regular cycle? Any problems walking?" Let me tell you I wanted to cry. Then I see this thread and again I wanted to cry. But, I'm in good physical shape. It's actually motivating me to start running rather than jogging & lift some weights.
I do suggest searching for some really great shoes..
I do hope you have a wonderful time!

 

[TxRabbit]

Addressing your back pain...

The shoe inserts that have been recommended can help.
Remembering to stand with proper posture can help.
Actively engaging your core can help.
Stretching your back periodically can help.
Shifting your weight from foot to foot (stork standing) can help.
Not holding the same standing position for too long can help.
Stretching your hips periodically can help.
Changing your shoes can help.
Icing your back can help reduce the inflammation that contributes to the pain.

In your hotel room, after a long day on your feet:

Stretch (be sure your muscles are warm before stretching). Specifically, stretch your spine to try to decompress it and open it up. Yoga poses like cat, cow, and cobra can be very helpful. I'm sure there are others.

Use a "roller of pain" (hard foam roller) or "The Stick" (runners use it. It's more packable than the foam roller). You want your leg muscles to stay as supportive as possible.

 

[CapeCodMouse]

A few suggestions I have found are helpful:
1) Alternate different pairs of comfortable shoes and don't wear shoes you haven't broken in.
2) Prevention - I take 2 Alleve in the a.m. BEFORE we even head out the door, whether I am in pain at the time or not. It goes a long way towards keeping the foot/knee/back pain down to take care of it ahead of time.
3) Peppermint foot spray - I take my sneakers/socks off at different points during the day and use this stuff on my feet and massage it in. I also use it at the end of the day to help my tired aching feet.
4) Soak your feet in COLD water -not hot. Cold water cuts down on the different inflammation - in your nerves, muscles, etc. Hot or warm water feels good, but can increase inflammation and irritation.
5) Walk, walk walk before you go. My husband and I do up to 3 miles per day as exercise and I found this a HUGE help when going to Disney. Definitely improves the stamina.
Hope this helps! Have fun.

 

[Mitzicat]

I find that it is not the walking but the standing in line. But I agree with all the other folks. Any combination of what people have suggested should help reduce your pain.

Someone mentioned peppermint foot spray, I actually have a lotion that I put on my feet after my evening bath/shower. I get in bed, slather that stuff on and my feet feel so nice.

Now there's always my other remedy...2 advil and an adult beverage of choice! I know I am going to get flamed for that comments. I know, I know..I shouldn't mix the two. Ok...skip the advil and go for the adult beverage. Half way around the countries at Epcot you won't worry about your back pain because you will be flat on your back!

 

[geek+nerd]

Two other posters have recommended yoga, and I agree completely. I am not 40 yet, but I have an orthopedic disability since birth and deal with various levels of pain/discomfort in my back, hips, legs and feet on a daily basis.

Yoga has done more good for my pain management than any OTC or prescription medication. Try doing sun salutations (arms up, fold at the waist, drop into a plank, down into an upward dog, and then roll into a downward dog, then step up back into the starting position). Doing several of these really help to stretch your back. Upward and downward dog are my favorite postings for stretching my back, especially the lower part.

These positions, especially plank, also help to strengthen your core muscles. And the stronger your core, the stronger your back!

Please don't think this is new age-y stuff. Go to YouTube and find some videos. Yoga can really make a big difference!

 

[PeterPanic]

First of all...to all you folks that are convinced that age has nothing to do with it, all I can say is...call me in twenty years. I think the story will be a lot different. What happens with aging is that things stop having the strength and stamina that young muscles and joints had. It is part of the fun that is aging.

The mistake that most people that are getting older (and make no mistake, 40 isn't even old yet) is that they are so damn determined to not act or feel any different then they did when they were twenty. Take ownership and control over your actual age. I will be 65 very soon. I cannot do what I did just 10 years ago. 10 years ago I couldn't do what I was able to do 10 years before that. The secret is knowing yourself and what you need to do to make your trip enjoyable. I have a weird problem with my hip. It doesn't always happen, but there are times that it hurts so much to walk that I have to sit down. The miraculous part of it is that I can sit for as little as 5 minutes and when I get up my hip no longer hurts and I can go on for hours before it bothers me again, if it bothers me again that day. I don't know why it works that way, but I do know that it does. So, I now listen to it and when it starts up I stop for awhile before it gets really painful.

I went to WDW and Universal just last January. I spent all day in the parks just like I used to. The difference was that I stopped more often, but not to the point that I really wasn't able to do what I wanted.

In the medication aspect...I find that a couple of Aleve takes care of the minor pains completely. Like many, it's my feet that bother me the most. However, that has always been the case even in my 30's. The degree of that problem has pretty much stayed exactly the same. I wish I did know the answer to that, but I haven't been able to unlock that secret. As a disclaimer, the last thing I could be accused of is being in shape. Never have been and will probably die without ever experiencing that joy.

 

[goofy4tink]

I'm old...period. And not that sort of old at 40+. Will be 64 this weekend!!! I've been going to WDW since I was 50! Okay...those first years were deadly!! I'm not hugely overweight, could stand to drop about 20 lbs, but that's not a big deal. Those early years were torture when I woke up the first few mornings in WDW...I was darn near paralyzed. My legs/feet hurt so badly it was hard to walk. I learned that lesson and now walk a lot more at home!!!
I have lower back issues, so need to be careful. I found that Crocs worked best for my feet but finally got tired of having Mickey Mouse feet!! So, last May, I didn't take my regular Crocs with me. I took a pair of birkenstocks and my Teva Mushes with me. Well, after 5 days my feet were, again, killing me. So, it was off to the gift shop and got a pair of Mickey Crocs. But, my feet felt better immediately!! They were fine for the rest of my trip.
I have very high arches....so I have to have as much cushioning as possible. Only the Crocs do that for me.
I just had to go to the podiatrist for a foot issue....he told me that the Croc sandals I had on were perfect for my feet. If I wear them, my feet are fine and my lower back doesn't bother me nearly as much.
Just wish the shoes were a bit more attractive!!

 

[angierae]

I find standing to be harder on my feet than walking, so when lines are bad it's so much worse. (I spent 4.5 hours at a concert twice this week and it was so much worse than the day I spent 6 hours walking around all day on Friday). I tend to take Aleve and just take it every 12 hours around the clock while I'm at Disney to try to "get ahead" of the pain. Make sure you take it with food, but I don't worry too much about my stomach because i don't take it like that at home, one week every year or two won't kill me.

 

[Bellamouse]

I can't find the St. Bart's style online! Tied Zappos, Amazon; looks like they no longer carry that style. I'm bummed! Looks like there's a similar style called Bali - wonder if they are as comfortable.

I know. They discontinue them every couple years, and then bring them back again. They're in the off period right now. I'm hoping they'll be back next year. You can usually find a pair on ebay or at some other online retailers like 6pm.com or sierra trading. But I always stock up when they have them since I know they will go away for a year or two and I need to have back up pairs.

As for the Bali, they are the same footbed as the St. Barts, but the top of the shoe stops way down by your toes, and they "flip" a whole lot. The St. Barts comes way up on the top of your foot and is more secure. I tried the Bali and didn't like them and sent them back.

 

[Cee]

I'm pushing 60 myself and I can't stress enough going at a more leisurely pace. For those of us that have been to WDW before and continue to go regularly, there is no need to rush now. We know where everything is and how long it will take to get there(more or less), what we really want to do and what can be left for the next go 'round. Frequent breaks, comfortable shoes and pain relievers when necessary.

The last trip I took with DH, we got out to walk early, took a nap/swim when the day was the hottest, and went back out after sunset. That alone, made a big difference in our fatigue level.

 

[LynnsGirl2027]

I swear by good socks. They've made a tremendous difference the last two or three times there. I am 49 and hubby is 52. I wore thicker socks that I purchased for hiking and he didn't. He was applying the moleskin on day 2 and I didn't need it at all!!

 

[amg35]

Hi~ I have to say I don't really have much to add but had to read this thread when I saw the title! We went in May, I turned 40 in June. We are going back when I will be 41. Personally, I'm having a tough time "accepting" the 40's. I will say I had NO issues at all in WDW or do I in everyday life, so far. For the record I keep up with twin boys 13 & ds 9. I had an annual physical yesterday & the 20 something nurse said "so you r 40... Any changes? Do you go thru your regular cycle? Any problems walking?" Let me tell you I wanted to cry. Then I see this thread and again I wanted to cry. But, I'm in good physical shape. It's actually motivating me to start running rather than jogging & lift some weights.
I do suggest searching for some really great shoes..
I do hope you have a wonderful time!

I'm laughing as I read this, I had the same reaction about this thread as you did. I'm not old and falling apart!

I turn 40 in October, and yes I don't have kids, but I am in better shape than when I was 30!

I'll be 41 when we go again (knock wood) and I'm not anticipating any difference than when I went when I was 38.

Guys, come on, 41 isn't that old....

 

[Seeker615]

I am 47 and I when I went two years ago with my daughter I did fine.

I brought three different type of flip flops (I love my flip - flops!) and changed them out each day. I buy the "good" flip flops like Teva, Nike or Yellow Box so they are very comfy to wear all day.

We took a lot of breaks through out the day. We would grab a snack or a drink and people watch or plan our next attraction.

I am headed to the Darkside in November with my husband and plan a lot of the same.

 

[momofboyz3]

I'm laughing as I read this, I had the same reaction about this thread as you did. I'm not old and falling apart!

I turn 40 in October, and yes I don't have kids, but I am in better shape than when I was 30!

I'll be 41 when we go again (knock wood) and I'm not anticipating any difference than when I went when I was 38.

Guys, come on, 41 isn't that old....

Amen sister!

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't think type of sock matters much in preventing blisters. If you get blisters the shoes don't fit properly to begin with.

I really disagree from experience. I used to be a cotton-only type of person, and I scoffed at the wicking socks, the polyester things, ew icky. Cotton cotton cotton! Got blisters ALL the time.

Finally was convinced to try some wicking socks (those people at Road Runner Sports are very good at their jobs, LOL) and it was a night and day difference. No blisters since. Same shoes.

Two other posters have recommended yoga, and I agree completely. I am not 40 yet, but I have an orthopedic disability since birth and deal with various levels of pain/discomfort in my back, hips, legs and feet on a daily basis.

Yoga has done more good for my pain management than any OTC or prescription medication. Try doing sun salutations (arms up, fold at the waist, drop into a plank, down into an upward dog, and then roll into a downward dog, then step up back into the starting position). Doing several of these really help to stretch your back. Upward and downward dog are my favorite postings for stretching my back, especially the lower part.

These positions, especially plank, also help to strengthen your core muscles. And the stronger your core, the stronger your back!

Please don't think this is new age-y stuff. Go to YouTube and find some videos. Yoga can really make a big difference!

Absolutely. I haven't found a yoga class that does it for me yet, but ONE CLASS helped my husband regain mobility in his shoulders that he hadn't had in even he doesn't know how long. He was blaming it on age and weight, but ONE CLASS changed it.

I've recently met several people who have had flexibility return to levels they hadn't seen in decades just from doing yoga. I'm sold. I just have a hard time going to the same hot yoga classes that DH loves. Gotta find somewhere else for me.

I turn 40 in October, and yes I don't have kids, but I am in better shape than when I was 30!

I'm 43 and am truly in better shape than I have been in since college, but that doesn't mean my knees are the same as they used to be. I have to be careful with them. (no mud runs for me!)

The OP feels a difference in her body; there's no need to laugh while reading her post. That's how she feels. And people here are offering tips to help her feel better, to help her BE better. Isn't that cool?

 

[amg35]

I really disagree from experience. I used to be a cotton-only type of person, and I scoffed at the wicking socks, the polyester things, ew icky. Cotton cotton cotton! Got blisters ALL the time.

Finally was convinced to try some wicking socks (those people at Road Runner Sports are very good at their jobs, LOL) and it was a night and day difference. No blisters since. Same shoes.




Absolutely. I haven't found a yoga class that does it for me yet, but ONE CLASS helped my husband regain mobility in his shoulders that he hadn't had in even he doesn't know how long. He was blaming it on age and weight, but ONE CLASS changed it.

I've recently met several people who have had flexibility return to levels they hadn't seen in decades just from doing yoga. I'm sold. I just have a hard time going to the same hot yoga classes that DH loves. Gotta find somewhere else for me.



I'm 43 and am truly in better shape than I have been in since college, but that doesn't mean my knees are the same as they used to be. I have to be careful with them. (no mud runs for me!)

The OP feels a difference in her body; there's no need to laugh while reading her post. That's how she feels. And people here are offering tips to help her feel better, to help her BE better. Isn't that cool?

I wasn't laughing at the original post, I was laughing at the post I replied to. Commiserating with accepting being 40.

But nice try.