Well I am young at heart. I'll turn 64 before the year ends and have had several operations on both of my knees. But if my knees bother me to the point that I can't kneel, which I rarely do, when fishing, then I wouldn't kneel anymore. As far as tripping and falling, well over the years, it's happened to me on more than one occassion, but not to the point where I felt I had to wear knee pads under my waders. If it ever got to that point then I guess I would look for easier walking streams and rivers to fish or stick to the bluegill ponds.