In a recent Facebook reel, an elementary schoolteacher reads responses to the question she had posed to her students: How do you know a person is old? The answers range from wrinkles to watching lots of Fox News, but one in particular made me laugh.
“They say ‘Ugh’ when they stand up.”
I would add, “or sit down.”
Years ago, I was spending an evening with my friends Anna and Steve, a long-married couple. At one point, Steve returned from another room and sat down with an audible groan.
“Steve, stop that – you sound like an old man,” Anna scolded. Steve was only 50 at the time, but it had already started. Surely Anna could keep his aging in check.
After seeing that reel the other day, I’ve started to notice my own sound effects, mostly upon sitting. I may have just come in from a hike, or been out gardening, or just finished washing the floors. I might be experiencing a bit of back pain, or fatigue. But not always. Sometimes I emit a soft “Uhh” when I haven’t been doing anything physical and am not in real pain – why? I wondered.
In a New York Times article titled “What’s Behind the ‘Middle-Aged Groan’?” (March 24, 2023), author Jancee Dunn delved into the subject. As the title reveals, there’s even a term for it.
In the article, Dr. Meryl Alappattu, a research assistant professor of physical therapy at the University of Florida and faculty member in the Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, explained, “Just bending over to pick things off the floor might require a bit more exertion, and we tend to brace ourselves.” So, we might exhale, “contributing to that grunt or whatever sound you make.”
And it’s not just an age thing. There’s also been research on the phenomenon of grunting when participating in athletics. The article said that “one small study of college tennis players found that their serves were more powerful when they were allowed to grunt.” Other studies have found benefits in grunting while weight-lifting.
Pain/exertion is perhaps the most common trigger, but there can be others. Dr. Tracy E.K. Davis, an associate professor specializing in health promotion and aging at Rutgers University, found that there are a variety of reasons for these sounds: physical, mental, voluntary and involuntary. For the physical component, she said that the pain and stiffness that often come with age can prompt “huffing noises.” According to Lindsay DiStefano, head of the department of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut, prolonged sitting can contribute to the sounds. She said that when you sit for long periods, the muscles in your hips tighten, which makes standing more difficult.
Although the noises are usually a response to pain, stiffness or exertion, there’s also the case of the “voluntary” ones mentioned above.
In the article “Why do we Grunt as we get older?” from The Age Action Alliance (Aug. 26, 2024; theageactionalliance.org), author Tony Watts explained, “For some individuals, these sounds might serve as a way to signal to others that they are experiencing difficulty or discomfort. Over time, making these noises in response to physical exertion or discomfort can become a habitual behavior … even when the physical effort or pain is minimal.”
What to do about it?
In the case of habitual or volutary utterances, simply recognizing them is a first step toward curbing them (if you want to).
If the noises are caused by pain or stiffness, muscle-building and core-strengthening exercises can help, as can regular stretching.
In a HuffPost article titled “Why You Make Grunting Noises Every Time You Sit, Stand And Bend Over” (Feb. 7, 2021; huffingtonpost.co.uk), author Krissy Brady quotes Lisa N. Folden, a licensed physical therapist in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“In general, it’s most wise to maintain as much flexibility as possible, especially as you age,” Folden said. “This means stretching the muscles of your body from head to toe several times each week and remembering to hold static stretches for 30 seconds.”
For muscle building and core strengthening, David Miranda, a physical therapist in Gonzales, Louisiana, recommends “full range-of-motion squats using your bodyweight, lunges, planks and prone alternating arm and leg lifts.”
If those sound overly ambitious or are not possible due to age or mobility problems, he suggests “sit-to-standing from a chair as slowly as possible for three to six reps at a time, and doing three sets of this move a few times a week.”
Yoga, even chair yoga, is also an excellent way to build flexibility and strength. Try a local class, or check out “Yoga Poses for Your 50s, 60s and 70s – and Beyond” at aarp.org/health/healthy-living/health-benefits-of-yoga for some good poses for all ages.
Whether your personal sit/stand vocalization stems from pain, exertion, fatigue or habit, and whether you say “Oof,” “Argh,” “Ugh” or something else, you might ask yourself why you’re doing it – but know that you’re in good company.
