Right knee, yes: it collapsed under me while I was getting ready for work one day in 1975. A year of unsuccessful therapy led to surgery in 1976. It’s never been right since and goes out from time to time. The older I get, the more cautious I am with my step. It makes me walk like an old lady, dammit.
Back pain, yes: I was fine when I got in my car to take my son to the toy store, and when I got out I could hardly move. This was about 25 years ago. Sometimes I’m lame for a few days, and sometimes without any warning it feels as if a sharp blade had gone straight into my lower back.
Left foot, yes: it came on suddenly in an airport while we were en route to Birmingham and has been with me ever since; that was 9 years ago. It’s a neuroma. I’m being treated at present with injections in my foot.
Right foot, yes: I was in yoga class, doing the Dancer pose, when something cracked. I can name the date and time, nearly 6 years ago. One result of this was a year in a soft “walking” cast; another was a broken arm. It gets a little better very slowly.
Those were all sudden onset. All the rest must have come on gradually because I don’t really remember.
What I can’t remember is what it was like to go about my business every day without anything hurting, but I know that was the case. Most of the time I tune out the pain unless it exceeds a certain level, although I do remain aware of it as a caution against careless movement. I avoid using meds for any of it except some ordinary OTC analgesics at night, when the chronic shoulder pain will keep me awake otherwise.
Oh, and I did expect long-term trouble from some of these but not all of them.