EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK: Is this aging?

Ever since I hit 30, my body hasn’t been the same.

First, it was the traumatic incident that messed up my tailbone after I took a hard fall when I was rollerskating outside. My coccyx had curved inward on itself so badly that sitting down was painful. Eventually I had to see a pelvic floor physical therapist who had to manually fix the situation… from the inside. 

Then, a few weeks ago, it was my elbow.

I had switched to new tennis rackets — supposedly ones that are supposed to be arm friendly! — and my elbow started flaring up. At first the pain started further up my forearm, but by the next day, the pain was radiating out from the outside of the elbow bone.

I promptly drove to Dick’s Sporting Goods and bought this thing and have been doing exercises daily with it ever since.

And then yesterday, I went on a 2-mile run with Sam and a friend and a few minutes into it, I stepped on a crack the wrong way and my left ankle took a turn. I had sprained it. I ended up finishing the run but after I got home, I could see that it was swollen. I iced it, wrapped it, elevated it. I gazed upon it with sadness as I completed my elbow exercises at the same time.

So I have to ask: Is this aging?

I’ve always considered myself a pretty active and athletic person.

I’ve played tennis throughout my life and the other day, I got up and ran 9 miles on a whim (and stubbornness).

I’ve always had a knack for accomplishing things through sheer willpower. 

But lately, my body doesn’t seem to be keeping up.

Maybe it’s just a random series of unfortunate events.  

Because come on! Some of those Olympic athletes were 5-10 years older than me! 

This can’t be the end! It can’t be downhill from here!

But as I limp around on my left foot while wincing from pain in my right elbow, I can’t help but wonder: Is this just aging? 

I sure hope not.