You know what no one tells you about your body when you’re 13? (Don’t worry, we aren’t having THAT conversation). That spending your teens, twenties, and even your thirties doing “action sports” will make your knees feel prematurely old. Over the years, I transitioned from riding BMX to skateboarding and snowboarding and even ice hockey. Now, as a grown man, I still do all these activities, but I have self-described “old man knees”.
And I’m not the only one affected by this. When I was about 20, I worked at a skateboard summer camp and had an odd conversation with a visiting pro. He wished that he could detach and turn in his ankles to some joint repository to exchange for fresh ones. I’ve always loved the visuals in my head of such an exchange.
Then, on a recent vacation, I was reminded yet again after my 3rd consecutive day of walking over 12 miles. I did all the typical methods to ward off the fatigue. I wore a flat shoe one day, namely these: (Check them out here)
Adidas Adi-Ease Premier Skate Shoes
(They’re work very well, especially for the price).
Then I switched it up to a running/walking shoes, namely these: (Check them out Here)
Under Armour Verge Low GTX Running Shoe
(It was a nice change of pace and rearranged the pressure points on my feet).
The shoes performed very well, and neither my heels nor the balls of my feet were in pain. But, by the end of day number three, I had switched back to a flat shoe. And like the final scene from the movie “Babe” I looked at my knees and said in the hotel room that night “That’ll do pig, that’ll do”.
The real issue was my knees. The lifetime of abuse was making itself known. It was then I thought of the joint exchange concept, but re-imagined it as literally any other rental experience.
(Curtain Rises)
RENTAL CLERK: Hello sir, how can I help you?
MAN: I have a reservation to rent some new knees for the next 3 days.
RENTAL CLERK: What size, sir?
MAN: Five foot eleven and a half, but I can do 5'11" or 6 foot.
RENTAL CLERK: Let me check...
(endless typing)
... We have a 5'10" and a 6'4".
MAN: But I made a reserva-
RENTAL CLERK: Sir, we had the annual meeting of rodeo clowns come through town yesterday... we're a little overwhelmed at the moment.
MAN: Well, if I do the 6'4", my balance will be off... and if I do the 5'10"-
RENTAL CLERK: Ooh!, we also have a 5'11" but it's covered in tattoos.
MAN: But... all I've packed are shorts... What are the tattoos?
RENTAL CLERK: It says dragons, barbed wire, and "NO FEAR"
MAN: Really? I'm going to look like a... alright fine, I'll take them.
RENTAL CLERK: Ok, would you like the full insurance coverage? Just detach them from your femurs and crawl away. Only $45 a day.
MAN: How's that going to work? I just carry my shoes and bags and drag myself away from them?
RENTAL CLERK: You could do that. People have. Also, make sure to return them with a full shave or we'll have to charge you for every hair growth we need to remove.
(END SCENE)
In any event, take care of your body. It's the only one you've got. Don't waste your time or your money on low-end fitness clothing. Proozy.com has what you need to keep you moving whether it's compression gear from 2XU, quality shoes and boots from Under Armour, and clothes made for your active life from your favorite brands.