IRRITATING INJURIES AND CREAKY KNEES

I love running but since turning 40 I’ve pulled both calf muscles endlessly and my right Achilles heel, which took three months to mend.

‘In my experience, as soon as you turn 40 these injuries become more frequent,’ says Tim Allardyce, a physiotherapist and osteopath at Surrey Physio.

The timing is partly because such injuries are cumulative (after running more than 700 miles a year for 25 years, my calves were perhaps destined to protest) and degenerative — muscles shrink as we age. After 30, unless we exercise, we lose up to 5 per cent of our muscle per decade, making remaining muscles weaker and more likely to strain.

Declining levels of testosterone — which stimulates muscle growth — in men and women can exacerbate muscle loss, as can oestrogen depletion in women. ‘Oestrogen works to strengthen the muscles, which support bones and joints,’ says Dr Roger Wolman, a consultant in rheumatology and sport & exercise at Spire Bushey Hospital in Hertfordshire.

Tim Allardyce adds: ‘The nervous system doesn’t function as efficiently after 40, with reaction speed reducing, making us more prone to injury, and our bodies take longer to heal.’

Many people experience sore knees by the age of 40, caused by the wearing down of cartilage.

HOW TO FIX IT: When it comes to avoiding injuries, ‘varying workouts [incorporating swimming, cycling and cross-training, for example, into routines] is beneficial to your nervous system because it challenges different muscle groups, as is incorporating balance training with a wobble board or Swiss ball’, says Tim.

As I haven’t been able to run for three weeks thanks to my injured calf muscle, I’ve been cycling on an exercise bike and lifting weights three times a week, which has helped maintain my fitness and a better mood. Doing stretches to warm up before a full workout makes the connective tissue around muscle more pliable and can reduce injury, adds Tim.

For sore knees, losing weight can ease strain on the joints, while exercise will strengthen muscles and bones. Avoid low chairs to minimise knee strain.

Treatments include injections of hyaluronic acid into the knee every six months to lubricate it. Another option is platelet-rich plasma treatment, where your own blood is re-injected into the knee to stiumulate healing.