Can you do the splits?

This has had me in random stitches for the last few days, I even told my daughter about it. She said, "Wellll...." And I knew exactly what she was going to say.
A few years ago, as I was walking from our dining room to the kitchen, my son had spilled some of his soya milk on the slate tiled floor.
That was the FIRST EVER time I did the splits, one leg in the kitchen, and one leg out, right in the doorway.
I hope never to repeat that painful time in my life. My daughter and husband had to gently lift me and place me on the sofa, and I was in agony for a few days!
I couldn't shout at my son as he had been getting a cloth to wipe up the spill.
I've never been able to touch my toes while my legs are totally straight - in my youth, I blamed the length of them. Now I blame arthritis! ?

No, and yoga’s not a competition, so do what you can.

No!

Willow68

I never could .. I love this article. Especially the yoga, and living abroad. When I was young in my 30’s I worked in a nursing home, the amount of old people that could not lift their arms because they had become stiff and immobile, was a shock to me. Since then I have always lift d my arms over my head everyday, sounds silly but, it was a real issue trying to dress them with no movement, unable to lift arm to even shoulder height. The older I am getting the more I want adventure, like time is running out. X

Some interesting responses - I'm sorry for those who have done the splits unintentionally!

Willow very interesting what you say about lifting arms - at the beginning and end of my jazz dance class we do arm stretching, when I first started realised that I rarely lift my arms above my head, never mind stretch them and rotate the shoulders.

My upper body strength is still a work in progress - I envy good swimmers.

Very nearly, used to be able to when I was younger but I did do a lot of gymnastics and athletics. Can still do a full lotus though which quite impressed my community nurse yesterday, I just find it a comfortable way to sit, always have.

I was never able to do the splits, although I did it last year accidentally when I slipped on the wet kitchen floor. Not recommended!

Definitely not my granddaughter challenges me I get stuck half way,

grandtante
I took up Pilates when I was 70.
If you have a good teacher it’s perfectly safe.

BlueBelle

Yammy I have quite long legs

I can touch my toes but not put my hands on the floor and walk them forward as my mother could.

I couldn't as a child so there's no hope now!!!

Practising being able to put my clothes on getting dressed without having to sit on the bed.
I've always sat down to put certain clothes on like tights and leggings. I can put them on standing if I wish but sitting makes life so much easier

I used to try when I was a child but never succeeded. Don’t think I’ll even contemplate trying now!

Oh yes- split ends, banana splits , split bills - but sadly not my legs!

Could in the 80s while a fitness instructor, can do partial splits only now through lack of practice.

I’ve nothing wrong with my hips and after sympathising with friends waiting for and suffering through hip operations, there’s no way on this earth will I attempt to see if I can still do the splits.
I could, easily between the ages of 14 and 34.
Yet only did so when showing off.
Have not felt the need in to show off that particular ability in many years!
And am not starting now thank you.

Franbern my daughter suffers with hypermobility and has seen and still seeing a podiatrist regularly with foot/ankle issues but when I took her to the GP 20+yrs ago as could see her gait was off; he told me in front of my child, it was me complaining about aesthetics! ..awful man....

When 62 and by accident I did the splits. Ripped a muscle, no treatment and I have since been feeling the affects. Only this week I saw a real live GP about the problem as I now feel I am limping a bit. X-ray to be done to check in case arthritis is problem, paracetamol and ibuprofen cream to be rubbed in daily. GP suggested injury should have been given some professional attention at the time.

I can't do up my own shoes .....

I probably could have done so as a child, but my father was a doctor and he strictly forbade us to try to do the splits when we were small, as he said we could easily permanently damage our muscles.

He also disapproved of hand-stands, although as long as we did these and cartwheels under the supervision of our gym mistress he allowed us to do them.

All my life I have been able to sit on the floor with my legs bend backwards from the knees. My mother could too until her late sixties when she put on a lot of weight. This sort of thing nearly all small children do, but most stop doing it at some point. Those of us who didn't stop are probably still able to do this kind of gymnastics without hurting ourselves, but I am quite certain you need to be careful as you age not to do things the ageing body cannot cope with any more.

Continuing to do something you have always done is one thing, but I do not think it wise to take up yoga or ballet at 70!

Franbern
How true. My step daughter is on a high dose of pain killer every day.
Many years ago she worked for RBS who point blank refused to let her work from home, which she easily could have done.
Then she went to work for Deloitte, one of the world’s largest companies. No problem at all with her working from home.

I do not think the doctor is the right person to advise on this. I would speak to a reputable chiropractor. Any yoga teacher would need to be very experienced with the elderly, and gentle, but why give up?

My granddaughter can but then she is 14. She has always been ‘double jointed’ and she is a dancer. She can do all sorts of weird things like putting her legs round her neck. My pinnacle of fame was backward flips but I haven’t done one since I was in my 40 s and I sure ain’t gonna try now , probably get stuck in that position forever !

Hell NO, never been able to!

I never could .. I love this article. Especially the yoga, and living abroad. When I was young in my 30’s I worked in a nursing home, the amount of old people that could not lift their arms because they had become stiff and immobile, was a shock to me. Since then I have always lift d my arms over my head everyday, sounds silly but, it was a real issue trying to dress them with no movement, unable to lift arm to even shoulder height. The older I am getting the more I want adventure, like time is running out. X

No I can't and even if I could manage it I would probably need a hoist and two carers to het me back up again......