What do you enjoy for fun in retirement when the joints complain?

I am in the same boat as you. I was sent to our local hospital by my GP to attend an Escape Pain clinic. There is no cure for arthritis but the exercises we learnt and advice given has been helpful. I was told to do moving around in 20 minute bursts with a 10 minute breather in between. I have found this allows me to get housework done in not quite so much pain as before.
I am a member of 11 groups. Just one meets weekly, one fortnightly and the others monthly. This gives a wide interest and makes me get out of the house into the fresh air and do some walking. I find the winter months indoors more challenging as the things I enjoy, TV, reading, jigsaws and crossword puzzles, are all sedentary.
I often put You Tube on and follow an exercise video and there are loads of seated and standing exercises to follow.
In my local area we have a Facebook page with art and craft groups advertising sessions. You might be interested in that.
Good luck with it all.

Amonst other exercise, i do a physio led pilates class. It keeps me moving and can ensure I don't put extra strain on any arthritc joints. There is always a different excercise to do if one is not possible or suitable.

I noticed you’d joined the Good Morning thread yesterday - as you can see, many GN go off to various activities, both for mind and body.
Even after a good few years on GN it’s the only thread I read every day and it is interesting to see what others get up to.

I go to Aquafit three times a week. Great exercise while protecting the joints. Good chatty group afterwards too. I volunteer as a fake patient for medical student training and exams which keeps me on my toes mentally and also volunteer at a good care home nearby. I'm also a trustee of a small local charity so involved in various meetings about that. Thus I'm out most days of the week but keep weekends free so they still feel like weekends!

I have been doing Pilates in the last 5 months - a weekly class and daily practice of 10 mins x2. It has really helped my spinal arthritis. I have had a little break from golf but hope to be back in the early spring. go to U3A and lead a Writing Class which means lots of laughing which is really good for you.

I havent been just lately for various reasons, but find swimming very worth while on several levels. At the pool I go to they have a seat to put me in the water, which is very good, and to get me out of course. It tends to be quite painful for about 4 lengths, but then I find it less painful in the water, do about 4 lengths at a time and then have a rest. I usually do about 30 lengths altogether, and the best thing is that it is all less painful in water. So once I have done a bit, it allows me to straighten up much more and then I also go to the deep end and drop right down putting my arms over my head and stretch out. I always feel better when I have been. You can also have as much or as little contact with other swimmers.

I go once a week to a pub where they play what is called "Euro games" and these are board games but quite complicated and really mean you have to concentrate hard to play the games. Living alone , you cant play things like whist or other card games etc, and so this means both company of people who are a mixed group, where some are very knowledgeable and others more beginners like me. The good thing is that once you get started, it gives you some quite complicated things to work out, and this stops you thinking of any problems or worries you have and there are all sorts of people come to it, and something like that or if you enjoy whist or bridge that is another thing to enjoy in itself, but also you then have a pattern if you go regularly. This is very useful in the winter time, as you get into the pattern of going to the meeting, and if the weather is not good you still make the effort. I find bad weather, in particular lots of rain, doesnt encourage me to go out and in the dark at night. But once you have in your head that on tuesdays you go to such and such a thing, you make that effort and it is usually worthwhile, both to get out and about, meet other people and quite often someone there will mention something else happening in the town , whether it is a coffee morning or something happening in the town hall or whatever, which keeps you up to date and encourages you to try a variety of things. If you go to your local library, besides all the books and papers etc they usually have a list of all the various clubs and up to date contacts which you can look up and see if there is something that appeals. If you enjoy singing there is usually a variety of choirs and music groups that you could join.

One last thing you might consider. I have done a lot of driving and happy to drive in any conditions whether motorway or tiny roads over the moors etc. I have sometimes taken friends but also in a group I go to , there are several people who no longer drive, and so I have offered to take people to the coast or up the dales. We share the cost of the fuel, I pick people up from their homes and of course return them too. My offer is to take them wherever and once we get there everyone does whatever they want , we do not stay together unless we particularly want to go to the same thing. I have found people in the beginning think it sounds a bit unsociable but actually then say how much they enjoy actually having a day to do exactly what they want and not have to fit in with anyone else. So at the coast, I would rather be on the promenade and with my binoculars watching ships and birds etc and never go to the shops etc. I have also taken someone to visit a village that they used to live in, which does not have any bus there now. I was happy to do the driving and they were able to visit old friends. so if you are a driver, something like this might be interesting. There will be lots of charities and things like hospital car where they would be glad to have volunteer drivers too. Hope something here appeals to you

Chair yoga is very gentle.

I belong to two choirs and I attend a weekly class learning a new language. Both these activities involve quite a bit of independent learning which keeps my mind active!
I also volunteer at a local Arts centre and belong to a few U3A groups. Good luck in finding an activity that suits you.

Pilates, singing, walking netball, swimming, park walk, all help my well being , fitness and joints. Reading, cooking, writing memoirs / letters, theatre trips, WI, volunteering at the library
My partner said today “ We have been together for over 25 years and I have seen you for three months” a slight exaggeration but the past two weeks have been manic. 🤣

I joined the Trefoil Guild and the sub group for crafting. Our local WI seemed a bit too centred around food though (trying to lose weight). Our U3A has all sorts of groups from art to gentle walking to pilates.

The council gave us 6 weeks' hour of gentle different things to try, and free leisure membership to follow up. So check out your area

Aquarobics did help to get me moving without weight bearing on my knees ( bit cold here in the winter though)

Strength training, it builds the muscles around the joint to support the joints. I’m 69 with stiff joints until I did this everyday at the gym, or aqua aerobics. No need to give in or slow down as it can make them worse try keep moving and pushing outside comfort zone. 🎄

Aquarobics for me too, and swimming on other days. I cycle locally and walk rather than drive.

I enjoy the puzzles in the paper, and we have a super learning centre locally that does all kinds of courses to keep brain and body ticking over. Finally I’m currently learning Dutch on Duolingo, and that is certainly stretching a brain muscle or two.

I guess the key is to keep changing activities so all areas are gently challenged rather than overdoing on thing.

franb totally empathise with the food focussed groups - I have avoided my usual social groups recently as I really don’t need the ‘mince pie’ pounds!

Fun? I’ve forgotten what fun is.

Before my shoulder replacement I was swimming four or five times a week which kept me fit. . I have been unable to do this for the last few months, as recovery has been slow. I see my consultant next month and after that I am hopeful to go back to it.

We’ve always had dogs, and walking a dog twice a day is good exercise in the fresh air. Keeps you fit, helps your mood, you can chat to people, etc……

We live near to several small towns and villages and have a bit of a routine visiting one on Farmers Market day, one where we do a ‘big shop’ and one where there’s a good cinema. We love seeing films and plays.

I am almost 78,I swim daily in an outdoor pool.Between 600-1000 metres.I do an aqua class once a week and I also ice plunge,we have 2 of these pools at my gym,I absolutely love swimming and only started about 10years ago.

I have just returned to the gym after a month off after cataract surgery,I really notice the difference when I don’t go,both mentally and physically.

I belong to the WI, a monthly book group and a monthly Craft group. We both belong to the Arts Society, the U3A and the Local History Society. The monthly U3A lunch group is fun. I also attend U3A Art History talks and OH goes to the Science Group and Croquet. OH is also a beekeeper and belongs to a Shooting club. Once a week we enjoy going out for lunch. I enjoy going up to London. I’m a Member of the V&A, the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. My younger son often joins me. Before the Covid years I enjoyed in person courses at the V&A. Then everything was moved online. From January next year in person courses are restarting. I have signed up for a weekly course on the Renaissance.

We probably don’t do quite enough physical exercise due to our dreadful knees!

Now I can’t walk as much as I used to I’m so grateful that we now have catchup tv to watch and podcasts to listen to. And now I no longer travel I can still travel the world from my sofa. Regarding knees, though, the exercises my physio gave me have really helped and it also means I’m doing the pre op exercises if I have a TKR. I know when my knee started causing problems years ago I spent several months watching all the DVD’s I’d planned to watch. If I wasn’t so worried about catching flu or Covid I’d start going to the gym and sauna again; I used to go several times a week.

I do quite a lot of different activities but needless to say for me SINGING is the best one of all. If you can find a local community choir, preferably one which follows the Natural Voice method you will get friendship, support and benefit from the endorphins released by singing. With this kind of group you often don't need to read music or even be a 'good' singer. Most of these groups are very inclusive so if you can't stand you can sit to sing. Look at the Natural Voice Network website to see if there is a group near you.

I’m 79 and started Tai Chi in 😀 September and loving it. I was welcomed from day 1 and it has enriched my life.

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On lots of threads, GNHQ!

How sad.you must start having fun. Go for it Watermelon.

My sad lack of fun is mostly because I can’t get anywhere anymore. No car, no buses, no offers of lifts and I can’t walk far. I will ask for a lift if it’s important, like vet, or flu jab but my family all work full-time.