# A cautionary note.



## Docb (Aug 14, 2020)

Such a nice day today that we went for a walk up the valley from Dunsop Bridge.  On the way back, whilst Mrs B sensibly kept to the road, I thought I would get closer to the river to see what birds could be seen.  As I followed the river on my left, I became more aware of a stream on my right which clearly was going eventually flow into the main river.  Me, I just blundered on thinking, it's not much of a stream, I'll have to cross it to get back to the road but I've done that a million times before so what's the problem.  When I finally decided I must cross it, the stream was a bit wider and a bit deeper and the banks a bit muddier than I expected but fortunately there was a stone in the middle which would provide a perfect stepping stone (or so I thought).  

I went for the crossing, missed my footing on the "stepping "stone and went full length, bottom half in the stream and the top half in the muddy bank.  Picked myself up only to find that between me and the road was a bog.  In for a penny, I went for the road but by the time I got to it,  I was very wet, very muddy and a just a little bit smelly.  That left a very uncomfortable half hours walk back to the car.  Rather spoilt the icecream at Puddle Ducks and tonight my leg is stiffening up.

The moral of the story is exercise is great but when partaking of it, remember your age because if you don't you might be in grave danger of losing whatever is left of your dignity. And no, there are no photos or videos, thank goodness.


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## Eddy Edson (Aug 14, 2020)

Not necessarily age. I've managed to fall over myself with varying levels of injury and dignity loss at every age and in every different kind of setting, usually for no apparent reason apart from clumsiness. 

I'm still haunted by the noise the back of my skull made when it hit the pavement on 2nd Ave in NY, startling passersby after I slipped on "black ice".


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## Lizzzie (Sep 2, 2020)

You don't look old enough to give up falling into bogs quite yet!   (Is there actually an upper age limit?)   Hope it's only your dignity that's injured and that you're ready to get on with risking it again soon.....


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## Docb (Sep 2, 2020)

Very kind of you @Lizzzie, but looks can be deceiving!


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## Ditto (Sep 2, 2020)

Eddy Edson said:


> Not necessarily age. I've managed to fall over myself with varying levels of injury and dignity loss at every age and in every different kind of setting, usually for no apparent reason apart from clumsiness.
> 
> I'm still haunted by the noise the back of my skull made when it hit the pavement on 2nd Ave in NY, startling passersby after I slipped on "black ice".


Ooo  nasty. That's how Dr Atkins died and in NY too.


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## chaoticcar (Sep 2, 2020)

If run must lose your dignity there is no nicer place to do it !
Carol


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## Eddy Edson (Sep 3, 2020)

Ditto said:


> Ooo  nasty. That's how Dr Atkins died and in NY too.



I never knew that! Fortunately I have either a thicker or an emptier skull than him.

It was a really disurbing "BOINK!!!!" sound ... : shudder :


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## everydayupsanddowns (Sep 3, 2020)

Ouch!


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## eggyg (Sep 3, 2020)

I’m a clumsy clot and as I get older the worse I get, but I think my most spectacular “ incident” on a walk was crossing a fast flowing stream, getting disoriented and slipping off a rock and bashing my head on said rock splitting it open, my head not the rock!  Of course I was also soaked to the waist, as we were in the Lake District we were up high and it was a long soggy and squelchy walk back to the car. We drove home with me just sitting in my knickers! I refused to go to A & E as I was so embarrassed. Mr Eggy was thinking he was going to have to call Mountain Rescue! I’ve still got the scar! I now have walking poles, they are a Godsend!


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## trophywench (Sep 3, 2020)

I smashed my kneecap 2 years ago by catching my left foot on the uphill section of the vehicular speed bump just before the carpark exit - we'd been in the Club the carpark belongs to all morning manning a prostate cancer charity PSA testing event so my legs had had too much standing by the time we left (legs are a lot older than me apparently) so that was that.  69 years old and first broken bone in me life.  Oh well if you're gonna break summat may as well provide a leisure activity for the surgeon doing the  jigsaw!


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## HenryBennett (Sep 3, 2020)

@Docb not a nice experience. I hope you’ve not done any damage.


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## trophywench (Sep 4, 2020)

PS a friend said it proved I shouldn't walk so fast.


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## Docb (Sep 4, 2020)

Thanks @HenryBennett.  No permanent damage done but I have learned from the experience.  Next time it will be shoes and socks off, roll up the trouser legs and go for a paddle.  At my age you can behave like a three-year-old and get away with it so why not!


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## everydayupsanddowns (Sep 6, 2020)

Yikes @eggyg  and @trophywench those sound horrendous!


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## trophywench (Sep 6, 2020)

It wasn't an experience I'd recommend Mike.  Happy to show you the scar, LOL


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## Perfect10 (Oct 2, 2020)

Know how you feel. We went for a walk on Sunday on a path we had not tried before. The path suddenly ended after about half a mile, the sensible thing would have been to go back and find another way, but no, we just kept going realising too late that it was just bog and we ended up picking our way through this for a further mile before reaching the path we had set out to walk on! My husband twisted his knee and is now limping, fortunately I am still in one piece (I did make him lead the way though so he could test the ground out first!)


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## helli (Oct 2, 2020)

Sounds like you guys have had some really really horrible experiences. I hope it doesn't put you off walking and exercise. 
Talking of exercise, would some core/balance exercises help with regaining your confidence and reducing a future risk. 
My 79 year old mother does tai chi and is incredibly stable on her feet.


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## Renmer (Oct 12, 2020)

Tai Chi is wonderful both for balance, strength and calmness of the mind.  I practiced for many years before moving to this area 15 years ago and I can't find a suitable class here.  I do have a couple of DVDs, but it's not quite the same as being in a class.


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## Perfect10 (Oct 13, 2020)

helli said:


> Sounds like you guys have had some really really horrible experiences. I hope it doesn't put you off walking and exercise.


Nothing would put me off walking! Getting stuck in a bog or getting soaked is all part of the fun!


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## Annemarie (Oct 13, 2020)

@Docb Oh dear, I thought I’d had a bad day but you win today. I’m high up on the clumsy list though. Last January while sitting in the theatre with my Grandsons I managed to break my fibula, tibia, cuboid and calcareous in my left foot. I just slid my foot to the right to reach my handbag. @trophywench It was my first broken bone in 70 years.
Today I woke 6.8, 5 minutes later 8.6. Had 1 1/2 extra units of Novarapid as I wanted toast. Twenty minutes later a coffee and 1slice with marmite and I overtook 17. I keep upping the NR but it’s either not enough or far too much.


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## trophywench (Oct 13, 2020)

Dunno how you feel about your breakage(s) - but I rather think I felt insulted by mine.  What a damn cheek!!  And then the hospital seemed surprised that I healed so well - even more of an insult - how very dared they?


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## Annemarie (Oct 13, 2020)

@trophywench Quite the opposite in my case, the largest of my operation sites just wouldn’t heal, “That’s because of your diabetes!” Then with lockdown my weekly hospital appointments stopped, GP nurse changed the dressings but it got worse and worse, “That’s because of your diabetes” No it wasn’t it was because of MRSA but (guess what?) yes, THAT was because of my diabetes. Like you I survived all the knocks, bumps and falls for 69 years with nothing worse than a bruise, then a year after diabetes was confirmed I hit the jackpot. Could it be “because of my diabetes!!!”


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