# Cycling Well being Poll at 40+



## kingrollo (3 Jan 2020)

At the ripe old age of 56 - I am finding my cycling curtailed by aches and pains - when a bout kicks in - it effects me off the bike for a few weeks - I have to resort to pretty hefty painkillers until it settles down. I do regular yoga and Pilates gym and try to stretch most days. - Yet some people in the club I cycle with ate loads older than me and just seem to be able to cycle as they please - perhaps thats just the genetic lottery ! 

Just wondered what everyone else does to keep on the bike pain free:-

Usual disclaimers - Its difficult to put an option for every possibility - please feel free to add any comments below


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## Venod (3 Jan 2020)

I have voted for the second option, the stretching I do may help on the bike but I stretch my shoulder because I was knocked off and broke my shoulder which resulted in muscle wastage, I stretch to stop it seizing up, I would still do this if not riding the bike, I strech my back and legs because of a nasty bout of sciatica which kept me off the bike for two months and I hope it helps to prevent a repeat, I would still do this if I wasn't riding the bike.


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## alicat (3 Jan 2020)

59 and don't suffer from any pain.


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## deptfordmarmoset (3 Jan 2020)

I've been off the bike for a good 3 weeks owing to a torn calf muscle. I don't suffer any chronic pain but I do get weaker and weaker


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## Fab Foodie (3 Jan 2020)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> ... but I do get weaker and weaker


Like your jokes ;-)


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## EltonFrog (3 Jan 2020)

I’m fifty twelve, cycle as much as I like. I’m very lucky. I do get occasional back pain, but since I started running I don’t get it so much.


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## Shut Up Legs (3 Jan 2020)

I'm 52 and mostly pain free. I can generally cycle as much as I want, but occasionally I get unusual aches and pains and have to do a bit of stretching to mitigate it. So on the above survey I'm partway between the 1st and 2nd options.


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## vickster (3 Jan 2020)

47, daily pain & stiffness, daily medication (prescription anti-inflammatory, paracetamol, few times a month co-codamol/tramadol) daily cycling (rarely more than 20 miles a day) /gym/walk.

Just put up with it really (being inactive is actually worse for me, the medics encourage activity). I've not taken more than a couple of days off bike over the last 5 years other than post surgery or when on holiday/travelling for work.

#4 in poll


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## Dogtrousers (3 Jan 2020)

What if you can't cycle as much as you want ... but it has nothing to do with pain, just life getting in the way? 

Serious answer, I'm a bit older than you. I get sore after a long day on the bike - but that's to be expected and it goes away after a bit of rest.

I do a bit of cursory stretching after gym sessions, and when I get off the bike ... sometimes. Hamstrings and hips particularly.

Back in the day when running was my thing I was constantly beset by pains and strains.


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## Fab Foodie (3 Jan 2020)

I've not been riding much of late, am 56 but don't get too many bike related aches and pains unless I have really overdone it (or suddenly doing a physical days DIY or similar). In fact I find that the more I ride my bike, the less general aches and pains I get. But I recognise the generally achiness you describe just from general working etc. I either have long days on my feet, long days sitting down at a computer and long days travelling by car/plane with little proper exercise or stretching in between - this is when I suffer most. I have found that a cold bath after a hard ride helps with the leg aches.

2 recent things spring to mind from the last 48 hrs or so. One was having a conversation with a fit and healthy guy that caught Lymes disease and a Chronic fatigue sufferer who both suffered from chronic aching - there could be some underlying reason. The other was from watching the Documentary on Netflix 'The Game Changer' about plant based diets. One of the things discussed was the improvement in recovery from injury due to the reduced inflammatory compounds associated with meat-eating. Sticking my science head on, it has long been known that there are many items in food that cause inflammation or promote inflammation with injury. Going plant based reduces these considerably. Fish oils can also have a similar anti-inflammatory effects. It's food for thought. Am going meat and alcohol free for a month...if there are any improvements I'll be shouting from the rooftop. Take a cynical watch of 'The Game Changers' its interesting stuff!


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## derrick (3 Jan 2020)

At 67 i have a bit of Arthritis in my left shoulder. Does not really give me any problems on the bike. Do not like taking pills unless prescribed. Edited, i was 68 last week.


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## Brandane (3 Jan 2020)

Where's the option for "Don't do enough cycling for injury to be an issue" ? 
A sort of serious question. I have suffered from knee and hip problems in the past but don't do enough miles these days for it to be an issue. It's not the injuries that have curtailed the cycling though, just life getting in the way.


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## Threevok (3 Jan 2020)

At 53, if stop cycling for more than a day or two, that's when my problems start


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## rogerzilla (3 Jan 2020)

I'm tougher than I was in my 20s. I think it helps that I never did absolutely stupid amounts of exercise, so nothing's worn out. It may be an urban myth, but I've taken cod liver oil every day since I was 40 and my knees never complain at all, even riding fixed most of the time. I keep them covered below 13 deg C and I stand up in the saddle to save them on the hills. I also take the first half mile fairly easily to let the synovial fluid circulate, as experience shows they click rather a lot if I don't.


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## Mo1959 (3 Jan 2020)

Been plagued with lower back and sciatic problems for quite a while but continue to do shorter cycles and jogs as I find rest just makes things worse.


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## Smudge (3 Jan 2020)

It all started for me in my mid to late 50's...... now coming up 60.
Foraminal stenosis in spine, causing varying degrees of nerve pain in legs and arms, also occasional back pain will flare up. Osteoarthritis in hands, elbow and right knee. Take co codamol and meloxicam anti inflammatory tablets and gel as and when. Tramadol doesn't seem to work any better than the co codamol for me. Beer works quite well, even if it doesn't take away the pain, it makes me not care about it. Tempted to try marijuana at some point.
Cycling causes less pain than walking does, but i cant cycle a long distance and hills are out. So ebike riding is mixed in with my unassisted bike riding.
Probably the worse thing about it, is that people dont get it and just judge you by how you look. Especially if you look younger than your age. This can wind me up more than the pain does.


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## Ian H (3 Jan 2020)

Heading towards 67, I get the odd twinge, but it generally goes after a few dozen miles. I've used a physio on occasion during the last 20 odd years, when something major has gone wrong. But in general I'm still capable of 100 miles, 200, 300, 400 miles, etc.


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## Vantage (3 Jan 2020)

Hmmm
43 here and lucky to have survived a stroke 2 years ago. 
The fatigue is my biggest enemy. Next in line is the dizzy spells. 
I've a painful right shoulder and can't hold the weight of my own arm horizontal for long before the pain becomes unbearable. The doc said its due to under used muscle as I no longer work. I can't be a**ed doing the exercises he gave me. 
My left hand goes numb and painfully tingly when doing household chores. 
And then there's the headaches since the stroke. Argh. 
Then there's the diabetes and all its associated crap. Hypos, hypers leading to painful muscles throughout my body. 
Been off the bike since before Christmas and it's doing my head in. 

S'ok though. 
It's sunny today and I've a new set of tyres due for delivery  and come hell or highwater, I'm taking the bike out later even if it kills me.


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## ianrauk (3 Jan 2020)

53 and touch wood, no medical problems and i'm as fit and as healthy as I've ever been with a resting heart rate in the low 50's. I don't do any stretching pre or post ride though I do take it easy for the first couple of miles to let the body and muscles get up to speed with the exercise. I'm also another one who covers the knees when the temperature drops. I'm not one to feel the cold but knees I want to protect and I think keeping them from getting cold can only be good for the long run.


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## IBarrett (3 Jan 2020)

I've just clicked 57 and generally am OK with a gentle 6 mile warm up ride to the club. A hamstring in my right leg niggles at me regularly but I am careful to stretch when on the bike. 
My cycling has massively improved issues I had with my right knee dislocating as I have no ACL as the result of a basketball injury some 25 years ago. I rarely have dislocates these days so any niggles the bike causes are worth it.


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## Sharky (3 Jan 2020)

70 next month and still as keen as ever. Can get knee pain, arm aches etc, but just listen to my body and make sure I have plenty of rest days. Broken bones have been my enemy over the last 10 years.
Long rides are no longer my targets, just two to three 60-90 min rides each week, at "tempo" and that will keep me fit and just about fit enough to ride our club's 10 series thru the summer.


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## Drago (3 Jan 2020)

I have injuries that were not acquired through cycling that do occasionally hamper me on the bike.


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## fossyant (3 Jan 2020)

50 next week. Only issues is less fit than I was due to the rather nasty broken back I got, and the decision not to commute or ride on roads, which restricts the time available. I still ride though.


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## roadrash (3 Jan 2020)

my spinal problems are well documented on cyclechat, 54 yrs old , some days I cant do much because of pain , other days are much better , I am just grateful that my problems aren't any worse, still get out on the bike , though not as much as I would like.


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## Racing roadkill (3 Jan 2020)

Stretching is a total waste of time, where cycling is concerned. You dynamically stretch during the first bit of a ride, there’s really no need to do anything extra. Start your ride relatively gently, then smash stuff for a bit, then go relatively gentle in the last couple of miles, that’s one of the beauty things with cycling, you don’t need to faff about warming up and down, before and after the effort, you do it during. As I get older, I have to be wary to listen to any signals being given off, by my body / system, and react accordingly. As long as I do, I can pretty much ride with relative impunity. There’s a lot of B.S. talked about ‘bone density’ issues, exacerbated by cycling, and you simply _must _do stuff and things in a gym, or your skeleton will crumble like a sherbet dip. There’s an element of truth in it, but only really if you’re on a pro cyclist regime. For the vast majority of cyclists, unless they get around by levitation, or magic carpet, when not on the bike, it’s really not an issue that needs worrying about ( unless you’re predisposed to osteoporosis etc. ) but if you are, your going to get issues regardless, cycling really won’t adversely affect that. Long story short, ride lots, faff less, listen to your body, you’ll be fine.


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## raleighnut (3 Jan 2020)

I was fine til I had the accident, trust me having a Titanium leg is not an upgrade.


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## Nebulous (3 Jan 2020)

I started cycling seriously in October 2010 at 48. Summer of 2011 I had sore muscles most of the summer, as my body adapted. Next 7 years or so had very little pain to speak of. I’ve started audax riding and found I’m hitting problems with long distances. 300 and 400 last year I had sore knees. I got a bike fit where my saddle was raised before my 600 and my knees were fine, but I had problems with my Achilles. On PBP I had both, one sore knee and both Achilles troubling me. 

I find I need to recover. Some people were doing back-to-back 600s, one person doing 3 in a row. I found I needed a gentle 3 weeks to recover. 

I’ve now started some body weight stuff, primarily to strengthen tendons around my joints. Squats, press-ups and some stretches most days. It’s well-known that men lose muscle bulk which is testosterone related from about 40. I have read of the need to add some strength work, but have never really felt the need until now.


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## Threevok (3 Jan 2020)

Spinal problems for me are alleviated by hanging upside-down for ten minutes or so, using my gravity boots.

I don't bother with stretching when it comes to the bike. In fact, I use the bike as a warm up for the treadmill


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## BoldonLad (3 Jan 2020)

Heading (too) rapidly towards 73.

Selected first option in your list.

Typically 3 or4 rides per week, of 15 - 25 miles, weather permitting. Steady pace (12-14mph), occasional "refreshments" if a suitable cafe/Inn available. 

I do suffer from the odd ache, but, doesn't everyone at my age?.


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## Slioch (3 Jan 2020)

At age 58 I've been lucky. Despite battering my body with rugby/football etc during teens/twenties, then wrecking my knees with hillwalking in my 30's/40's, I can still get straight on the bike & do a good distance with no twinges or need for stretching etc.

The biggest problem is the occasional bout of "ahem" piles


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## ozboz (3 Jan 2020)

I’ve recently jumped over the 67 spot, Only thing that gets me is pain in right arm if to stretched and back muscles start nagging if I ride with back angled to much ie, on road bike, after an hour or so becomes uncomfortable, I have T2 , so can bonk if I do not fuel up to well , other than that all sorted ! I’ve adapted MTB to suit my preferred position and it’s ok at the mo, I’m looking forward to bikepacking ,


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## lane (3 Jan 2020)

Just now I have


Wrist still slightly painfull at times due to an off in September. More or less OK now and not a problem on the bike
Flare ups of what I think is called tennis elbow which I think cycling aggravates but does not actually impact on cycling
Slightly dodgy knee since a very hilly rider in November - seems to be more noticeable walking than cycling 
Have only done 50km in December so this month will tell what shape I am in having entered the 100km and 50km monthly challenges

Definitely noticed more aches and pains I as get into my late 50s.


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## roadrash (3 Jan 2020)

raleighnut said:


> I was fine til I had the accident, trust me having a Titanium leg is not an upgrade.



nor is a titanium cage at the base of the spine


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## ColinJ (3 Jan 2020)

I have suffered from backache for over 30 years, and cycling can make it much worse, sometimes to the point where I can barely get off the bike at the end of a ride. 

When I keep my weight down and do plenty of cycling I can cope with the discomfort, even on hilly rides of 200+ km. Overweight and unfit, I can struggle to do 50 km.

I'm fairly sure that the problem comes from having a left leg about 1.5 cm shorter than the right leg so my pelvis tilts down to the left when I stand still and twists about when walking. If you look at some group photos featuring me on forum rides, you will often be able to see that my left heel is not touching the ground as I am trying to stand up straight. I also don't sit straight when on the bike

When I used Look cleats on my cycling shoes I used to shim the left side and that helped. These days I use MTB type SPD cleats which are not practical to shim. I think the best answer would be to put a left crank on which is about a cm sorter than the right.

The discomfort is now spreading to my neck, which is becoming a safety issue because it is impeding my ability to look over my right shoulder in traffic. Neck exercises would probably help with that.


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## steveindenmark (3 Jan 2020)

Im 61 now and cycling stronger and further than ever. 

I have toothache at the moment. Does that count? 😁 Otherwise I dont have any pain issues. I think cycling keeps the pain away.


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## Fab Foodie (3 Jan 2020)

roadrash said:


> nor is a titanium cage at the base of the spine


But the Titanium stent that's keeping me alive is definitely a good upgrade!


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## vickster (3 Jan 2020)

ColinJ said:


> The discomfort is now spreading to my neck, which is becoming a safety issue because it is impeding my ability to look over my right shoulder in traffic. Neck exercises would probably help with that.



Download the Reach physio app, very simple neck exercises you can do every day


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## raleighnut (3 Jan 2020)

ColinJ said:


> I have suffered from backache for over 30 years, and cycling can make it much worse, sometimes to the point where I can barely get off the bike at the end of a ride.
> 
> When I keep my weight down and do plenty of cycling I can cope with the discomfort, even on hilly rides of 200+ km. Overweight and unfit, I can struggle to do 50 km.
> 
> ...


Would a different (shorter) crankarm on the left help ?


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## Moodyman (3 Jan 2020)

No aches or pains. But I do other exercises too. Weights, running, utility walking and stretching.

For all round fitness, it's important to vary one's activity. I cannot stress the importance of resistance exercise for keeping aches at bay.


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## ColinJ (3 Jan 2020)

raleighnut said:


> Would a different (shorter) crankarm on the left help ?


Are you asking...

"_Would a different (shorter) crankarm on the left help?_" in which case you didn't notice that I suggested it in my 4th paragraph!  
OR... "_*Would*_ a different (shorter) crankarm on the left [really] help?" in which case the answer is "_Probably_" because I accidentally did that on one bike when my left crank broke and I didn't notice that the spare one I put on was 0.5 cm shorter. Some time later I spotted it and realised that my back problem had diminished. I think a 1 cm difference would make a big difference. Trouble is on my best bike I have 17.25 cm cranks so I'd have to find an unusual 16.25 cm left crank to give it a go.


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## Slick (3 Jan 2020)

kingrollo said:


> At the ripe old age of 56 - I am finding my cycling curtailed by aches and pains - when a bout kicks in - it effects me off the bike for a few weeks - I have to resort to pretty hefty painkillers until it settles down. I do regular yoga and Pilates gym and try to stretch most days. - Yet some people in the club I cycle with ate loads older than me and just seem to be able to cycle as they please - perhaps thats just the genetic lottery !
> 
> Just wondered what everyone else does to keep on the bike pain free:-
> 
> Usual disclaimers - Its difficult to put an option for every possibility - please feel free to add any comments below


It's an interesting question and one that I have considered many times as I spent more time with my old man and his pals on the golf course and I was interested in how some were like spring chickens and some were half crippled to such an extent they needed a buggy to get round or they would have to prise their own fingers off the club to release it. There was also the wide range of pill popping and angina spray going on supposedly out of earshot of their pals for fear of getting a ribbing for showing any sign of weakness. I came to the conclusion that yes, there is obviously some genetic lottery going on but the real grafters of this world usually paid the highest price the older they got. I feel it was another contributory factor in my change of direction I life as I hope to be like a spring chicken if I ever get to retire.


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## Sharky (3 Jan 2020)

Slick said:


> It's an interesting question and one that I have considered many times as I spent more time with my old man and his pals on the golf course and I was interested in how some were like spring chickens and some were half crippled to such an extent they needed a buggy to get round or they would have to prise their own fingers off the club to release it. There was also the wide range of pill popping and angina spray going on supposedly out of earshot of their pals for fear of getting a ribbing for showing any sign of weakness. I came to the conclusion that yes, there is obviously some genetic lottery going on but the real grafters of this world usually paid the highest price the older they got. I feel it was another contributory factor in my change of direction I life as I hope to be like a spring chicken if I ever get to retire.


One of my table tennis mates was a semi-pro footballer in his youth and apart from the table tennis, is a regular golfer to keep himself fit, but he did his back in, lifting his bag of golf sticks into the buggy!


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## Slick (3 Jan 2020)

Sharky said:


> One of my table tennis mates was a semi-pro footballer in his youth and apart from the table tennis, is a regular golfer to keep himself fit, but he did his back in, lifting his bag of golf sticks into the buggy!


I dislocated 3 ribs once doing something similar.


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## PaulSB (3 Jan 2020)

I'm 65 and option 1. I have stretched from time to time but couldn't claim it's regular.

Had a heart attack four years ago and a brain haemorrhage last January. They kept me off the bike for a while. 

I've retired and in the best shape I've been in 25+ years.


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## postman (3 Jan 2020)

I don't do any warm up exercises. And I am a pain. According to some.


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## Pat "5mph" (3 Jan 2020)

I'll be 57 next month, option 1.
Taking my time, I have no problems in doing 100 miles, apart form getting bored.
Of course, one expects some leg pain the day after a long distance ride, especially if there are hills involved, I guess it would be the same at any age.
I have got mild arthritis and a ripped knee cartilage, don't feel them while riding, though.
Up until recently, I was doing a very physical job (involved lifting furniture!), but never had a problem riding the 5 miles to work and back.
I tried yoga for stretching, but it's too boring for me, still, I had no problems doings the poses.
I guess health in general is pot luck, some people are plagued by ill health early in life, while others are pain free in their old age.
Attitude play a part too, imo: once I pulled a back muscle (trying to be more aero on the bike, of all things ) it was very sore, still I did 75 miles a few days later, no painkillers.
The physio said, well, if you can, why not?


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## Drago (3 Jan 2020)

There was a big study a few years ago. 2 different companies of US marines - for several months one lot warmed up before exercise, the other didn't. No difference in injury rates.


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## iandg (4 Jan 2020)

Never really been one to stretch etc. Started cycling in 1973 and still going strong. doing pilates once a week at the moment because the club offers it.


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## Edwardoka (4 Jan 2020)

I'm only now just old enough to vote in this poll and I'm already decrepit 
I always stretch after an effort, never before (stretching on cold muscles sounds like a recipe for disaster).

After IT band problems and a torn calf in 2017 and after being bedridden in 2018 for a couple of months due to sciatica that strong cocodamol couldn't even touch, I've never come close to where I was in 2015, even when I was a heavy rider in the first part of the 2010s I could knock out big miles.

Nowadays, despite being free of anything beyond minor niggles, I lack fitness and mental toughness, and anything longer than 40 miles turns into an uncomfortable, attritional slog.


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## Moodyman (4 Jan 2020)

Drago said:


> There was a big study a few years ago. 2 different companies of US marines - for several months one lot warmed up before exercise, the other didn't. No difference in injury rates.



True. The old myth about stretching to avoid injury has largely been discarded.

But...stretching has other benefits. It keeps one supple and if done prior to exercise alerts the muscles to upcoming demands.


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## gbb (4 Jan 2020)

It is a lottery as to how cycling may be affecting you, for better or worse, unless you have some inkling of what to look for, what to be aware of, such as family history.
Fittest I'd ever been at 53, no need (apparently) for warm up or downs, no pain, I felt relatively superhuman compared to many friends and colleagues.
Then a series of Ill health events all relating to TB took their toll and maybe, just maybe the medication had some long term negative effects as well because at around 59, OA suddenly hit, within weeks I was struggling.
It turns out theres a family history on my mothers side, equally some drugs (I had 6 months of heavy duty pills, 28 a day iirc for TB ) ...can cause problems with arthritis although I'm guessing there may be a connection with the ones I took, and then was I just abusing myself when at my fittest causing longterm damage ?
It's a lottery, you cant see forward,..or can you ?
Family history, listen and take heed. Cod liver oil and other supplements have helped a lot. 18 months ago I felt I was in deep trouble with deep, daylong pain, but it's better now, not good, but better with 18 months of supplements and a couple cocodamol at night. Had I known it might be a family thing, perhaps I'd have taken more care, taken supplements earlier, listened to my body better. Perhaps it might have helped, perhaps not but it wouldn't have made things worse to have tried.
Opted for pain severely limits my cycling.


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## Landsurfer (4 Jan 2020)

61 ... pain free .... losing weight has been my way of improving health in general.


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## ColinJ (4 Jan 2020)

gbb said:


> Family history, listen and take heed. Cod liver oil and other supplements have helped a lot. 18 months ago I felt I was in deep trouble with deep, daylong pain, but it's better now, not good, but better with 18 months of supplements


My dad had severe osteoarthritis in both hips. He was in a lot of pain in his 40s, in agony in his 50s, and barely able to walk even with the aid of 2 sticks by the time that he retired at 65, only 1 year older than I am now. His last 20 years were extremely uncomfortable.

I used to run 4 or 5 miles a few times a week in my late 20s/early 30s but noticed that _my_ hips were starting to ache a lot. I definitely did _NOT_ want to end up like my dad! I read what I could on the subject and decided to stop running and start taking various supplements, including cod liver oil and glucosamine sulphate. The scientific evidence to support their use was not as strong as I would have liked, but there were suggestions that they might be useful.

I have been taking the supplements for over 30 years and my hips stopped getting worse. If anything, they are slightly better now. It could be just that stopping running was all that I needed to do, but I'm not going to stop taking the supplements to find out if the OA starts getting worse! I think they are a worthwhile insurance.


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## SkipdiverJohn (4 Jan 2020)

I mostly ride at an easy going pace and on the odd occasion I might get a twinge in my knee etc, I just keep the length of the ride down and don't push it too hard on that day. I don't believe in taking pills and very rarely use any sort of medication. Never find it a problem, but I've got all my bikes set up for maximum comfort. I couldn't give a toss about going fast, and I don't contort my body into unnatural positions in the name of being more aerodynamic. I do an active job and spend a lot of my time on my feet, so low intensity weight-bearing activity is the normal daily routine for me, including utility walking to get shopping and go about my business. Riding a bike is something I do in addition to that.


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## Rusty Nails (4 Jan 2020)

I played district league team squash and badminton until I was 60 but had to give it up because matches would leave me in a lot of back pain the next morning.

I took up cycling and pilates couple of years later and now, nine years on, my back pain has gone. I don't do pilates any more and don't do long rides, 50 miles is normally the max, apart from one century early on, which was mind and bum numbing.

The only age issue tends to be lengthening recovery times after injury lay-offs. I have had a few falls, resulting in torn knee ligaments, a detached quadricep tendon and a torn rotator cuff, taking up to four months before I could get back on the bike again. I don't know whether tendons and ligaments get more fragile with age, but I suspect they do, as the only other such injury I ever had was a ruptured Achilles tendon playing squash when I was 50.


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## kingrollo (5 Jan 2020)

ColinJ said:


> My dad had severe osteoarthritis in both hips. He was in a lot of pain in his 40s, in agony in his 50s, and barely able to walk even with the aid of 2 sticks by the time that he retired at 65, only 1 year older than I am now. His last 20 years were extremely uncomfortable.
> 
> I used to run 4 or 5 miles a few times a week in my late 20s/early 30s but noticed that _my_ hips were starting to ache a lot. I definitely did _NOT_ want to end up like my dad! I read what I could on the subject and decided to stop running and start taking various supplements, including cod liver oil and glucosamine sulphate. The scientific evidence to support their use was not as strong as I would have liked, but there were suggestions that they might be useful.
> 
> I have been taking the supplements for over 30 years and my hips stopped getting worse. If anything, they are slightly better now. It could be just that stopping running was all that I needed to do, but I'm not going to stop taking the supplements to find out if the OA starts getting worse! I think they are a worthwhile insurance.



Thats very interesting. All the advice is to stay active - I had a quick google about running and arthritis - lots of articles "Don't let oa stop you running" - you appear to have made a wise choice and have a better QOL for it.

My back pain started in my 20's - a series of injects (at most yearly) kept me cycling - I had great fun - just before this latest flare up I had a health check and everything was where is should be - blood pressure, weight, chlosterol - the nurse congratulated me and told me to keep doing what I am doing.

A week later I am in daily pain - which I can control with tablets - but at the moment the slightest activity triggers a flare up (10 minutes on exercise bike) - I am wondering if I was wise to keep cycling (although I would have had to had at least 1 jab - nothing else would stop the pain) - Now other than pain killers I am out of options.

Hoping the Yoga and pilates which start this week - can reduce my reliance on co codmal & naproxen.


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## vickster (5 Jan 2020)

kingrollo said:


> Thats very interesting. All the advice is to stay active - I had a quick google about running and arthritis - lots of articles "Don't let oa stop you running" - you appear to have made a wise choice and have a better QOL for it.
> 
> My back pain started in my 20's - a series of injects (at most yearly) kept me cycling - I had great fun - just before this latest flare up I had a health check and everything was where is should be - blood pressure, weight, chlosterol - the nurse congratulated me and told me to keep doing what I am doing.
> 
> ...


Have you got the TENS yet?


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## kingrollo (5 Jan 2020)

vickster said:


> Have you got the TENS yet?



Yes - not used it yet - its just charging up.


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## DCBassman (6 Jan 2020)

#4 in poll.
Don't get any bike-related A&P, injuries, that's another story...
But at 67, arthritis is slowly taking over....
I cycle as often as weather and time permits, and find it helps, if anything.


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## Ming the Merciless (6 Jan 2020)

Mid 50’s

Injury free entire life apart from a couple of mountaineering accidents. Pain free apart from those accidents. No stretching or such like but touching toes not easy peasy.

I will get DOMS from hard or long sessions but that’s a normal part of getting fitter whatever your age. You can avoid that through moderate exercise, but the fitness benefits take longer.

I work on getting stronger in the winter, then maintaining it through till summer. Autumn I ease back the amount of cycling before starting again. I also do high intensity intervals throughout the year.

I am also an audaxer and still quite happy knocking out the very long distances come spring and summer. I stick to no more than 130 miles in a single ride in the winter. This is the base 200km audax distance.

For me the off bike strength work and high intensity work when not riding long distance are key to keeping fitness levels up and pain / injury free.

On a local commute my average speeds are the same as when in my mid to late 30’s. So not slowing down just yet, but I put that down to the work I put in keeping fit.

No yo yo dieting either I keep my weight within about a 1/2 stone band pretty much all the time.


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## gavroche (10 Jan 2020)

Age 69 and no pain to report. No arthritis, no back ache, nothing, only tired legs after a ride but I guess this is quite normal.


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## Ridgeway (11 Jan 2020)

49 and mostly OK, some issues with my meniscus (one removed fully, one removed partially) but cycling helps that a lot. Lower back twinges if i ride too much (too many consecutive days) and this last 6 months my sit bones have been giving me some grief but i reckon that i don't fit my saddle so i either need to get a new ar$e or change the saddle it seems.

Keep thinking about Yoga for increasing flexibility and helping me maintain a lower position for longer periods, just need to work on my fat belly to be able to breath first.....


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## johnblack (14 Jan 2020)

My right piriformis and gluteus medius are a constant source of discomfort, annoying rather than really painful. Rotator and radial cuffs on both sides are another uncomfortable issue. Doesn't stop me doing any cycling but I can only imagine that they'll get worse in time.


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## All uphill (14 Jan 2020)

65 now and listening to my body a bit better. It took me ages to get comfortable on the bike when I started cycling longer distances (50 to 60 miles) 3 years ago. I went through lots of eating regimens, clothing, saddles and especially handlebars and grips.

I don't go for maximum speed, but for endurance. Regular stops and lots of liquid works for me.


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## Flakey (14 Jan 2020)

56 and cycle or run (or both) for about 40 years. Honestly can't remember the last time I didn't have aches or twinges.
Noticed over last couple of years that niggles and full blown injuries are happening more frequently and taking longer to heal. 
Also starting to notice a significant drop off in form.


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## NorthernSky (16 Jan 2020)

i had a bad run of injury to my right knee, then some achilles pain, right leg again. i stopped cycling then gradually got back on the bike
that's going back a few years now, knee is a lot better but i'm still cautious. i dont cycle huge miles anymore and if i feel a twinge or an injury coming on i step back or stop all together, too easy to do permanent damage. could just be genetics as some have said, some folk just seem to go on forever with no bother  i'm happy enough with where i'm at, it's keeping me fit. considering joining a club again but i'll need to be careful, stick with the slower paced groups


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## Ming the Merciless (16 Jan 2020)

We had a teenager on our ride last night. It was noticable how unfit he was going up the hills where 60 year olds would leave him in the dust. I worry that the post millenial generation are not growing up with habits and routines that keep them fit and well as long as possible throughout life.


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## dave r (16 Jan 2020)

I'm 68 and life getting in the way is whats most likely to restrict my cycling, my Good Lady has health problems and I need to fit my cycling around looking after her. On the pain front I've had mild back pain for years and I'm now getting mild hip pain as well, but so far its not affecting my cycling.


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## figbat (16 Jan 2020)

48 and pretty much able to have a go at most things. No physical or medical conditions as such, but do pick up the odd muscular twinge or joint pain every now and then, usually treated by resting. I have used an osteopath for any stubborn back pains that I can't shift by stretching and for the one cycling-generated injury that I have sustained, that being tendonitis in a knee caused by a saddle being a few mm too high. I consider myself to be generally healthy and of moderate fitness, although have always had limited flexibility (never been able to touch my toes easily, even as a kid).


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## Edwardoka (16 Jan 2020)

YukonBoy said:


> We had a teenager on our ride last night. It was noticable how unfit he was going up the hills where 60 year olds would leave him in the dust. I worry that the post millenial generation are not growing up with habits and routines that keep them fit and well as long as possible throughout life.


It's not his fault that he's been driven everywhere all his life.
The days of kids exploring the world on their own is gone, and it wasn't them who made it this way. Give him time and encouragement.


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## BoldonLad (16 Jan 2020)

Edwardoka said:


> It's not his fault that he's been driven everywhere all his life.
> *The days of kids exploring the world on their own is gone, and it wasn't them who made it this way*. Give him time and encouragement.



How very true.

I despair of my grandchildren, or, I suppose, I should say, their parents.

Some years ago, oldest Granddaughter, then 18, was all set to fly to Paris, to meet up with her mother, who was already there. Not really a big adventure, Metro from her home (well 300 yards away), into Newcastle Airport, direct flight to Paris. A nice little "adventure" for her, IMHO, other family members insisted on driving her to the airport.

Most recent example, 19 year old granddaughter "going out" to Town (about 1 miles from her home, along urban well lit streets). Planning to return home at 22:00. Mother insisted on driving(?) into town to pick her up.


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## postman (17 Jan 2020)

70 in Feb,last year was the worst year ever,forget the year they found my prostate problem.2019 i was fit as i am now.But time was not available for one thing and another.The two tyres i was bought for Xmas hardly got used.2020 i intend to go all out putting me and my needs first.And that means cycling more.


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## pawl (17 Jan 2020)

78.79 ln Feb Few aches in shoulder from broken collar bone sustained three years ago,didn’t heal properly.

Right knee bit dodgy.Knee support and Ibuprofen gel helps.Good for 50 smile’s Walking is more of a problem than cycling.Can still average 13 to 14 MPH.


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## ColinJ (17 Jan 2020)

Edwardoka said:


> It's not his fault that he's been driven everywhere all his life.
> The days of kids exploring the world on their own is gone, and it wasn't them who made it this way. Give him time and encouragement.





BoldonLad said:


> I despair of my grandchildren, or, I suppose, I should say, their parents.
> 
> Some years ago, oldest Granddaughter, then 18, was all set to fly to Paris, to meet up with her mother, who was already there. Not really a big adventure, Metro from her home (well 300 yards away), into Newcastle Airport, direct flight to Paris. A nice little "adventure" for her, IMHO, other family members insisted on driving her to the airport.
> 
> Most recent example, 19 year old granddaughter "going out" to Town (about 1 miles from her home, along urban well lit streets). Planning to return home at 22:00. Mother insisted on driving(?) into town to pick her up.


Yep!

Here's an example that gobsmacked me a few years back...


ColinJ said:


> *Man in car, anxiously:* "So, the only car park is here, and Hardcastle Crags visitor centre is a mile that way...?"
> 
> *Me astride MTB, cheerfully:* "Yes, there is a lovely walk to it through the woods, down by the river, just take that footpath."
> 
> *Man in car, angrily:* "Yeah, right, and just _how_ am I bloody well supposed to get my kids there and back - he's 10 years old and she is only 8!"


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## ColinJ (17 Jan 2020)

@Edwardoka - I got irritated with the lazy idiot in the car. I apologised and said that I hadn't realised that his children were disabled... He blew his top and said that they weren't (I was already pretty sure that they weren't) but _how could *any *child be expected to walk 2 miles_!


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## Low Gear Guy (17 Jan 2020)

YukonBoy said:


> We had a teenager on our ride last night. It was noticable how unfit he was going up the hills where 60 year olds would leave him in the dust. I worry that the post millenial generation are not growing up with habits and routines that keep them fit and well as long as possible throughout life.


When I was younger, I was sometimes overtaken by age 60+ riders. I couldn't even blame it on electric bikes or carbon fiber.


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## Edwardoka (17 Jan 2020)

ColinJ said:


> @Edwardoka - I got irritated with the lazy idiot in the car. I apologised and said that I hadn't realised that his children were disabled... He blew his top and said that they weren't (I was already pretty sure that they weren't) but _how could *any *child be expected to walk 2 miles_!


I can understand not letting youngins out on bikes with the state the roads are in, but for someone who is not impaired, a 2 mile walk is what, 30 minutes at most, 45 if you're younger or lollygagging.

A 4 year old should have no difficulty walking that distance. Denying them this exercise practically qualifies as cruelty imo.


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## ColinJ (17 Jan 2020)

Edwardoka said:


> I can understand not letting youngins out on bikes with the state the roads are in, but for someone who is not impaired, a 2 mile walk is what, 30 minutes at most, 45 if you're younger or lollygagging.
> 
> *A 4 year old should have no difficulty walking that distance. Denying them this exercise practically qualifies as cruelty imo.*


Exactly - he was effectively training his young children to be lazy, gain weight, and eventually get ill!

He told me that he had been driving up and down looking for the '_real_' car park because he didn't believe that anybody would build a car park a mile away from a visitor centre. The fact that the visitor centre was on National Trust land with beautiful wooded walks leading across the hillside, babbling brooks, wildflowers, deer etc. (and the NT wanted to keep it that way!) was lost on him...

My mistake - who would want to inflict _THIS NIGHTMARE_ on some poor children...  

I had to get away from him before we got into a shouting match about it.


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## tyred (17 Jan 2020)

Edwardoka said:


> I can understand not letting youngins out on bikes with the state the roads are in, but for someone who is not impaired, a 2 mile walk is what, 30 minutes at most, 45 if you're younger or lollygagging.
> 
> A 4 year old should have no difficulty walking that distance. Denying them this exercise practically qualifies as cruelty imo.



I walk to work past the entrance to a housing estate and there is a school bus which stops at the entrance to collect children. Each morning I see the road at this point blocked with SUVs where fat parents drive their fat children a few hundred yards across the estate to sit with the engine running whilst waiting for the bus. Usually the bus driver cannot get pulled into the bus stop because the parents have blocked it with cars so he has to stop the bus on the main road and obstruct traffic. I observe it each morning and despair at the pointlessness of it all and feel sorry for the kids and worry about their future😢


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## addictfreak (24 Jan 2020)

Age 58 (well almost)

Medically no issues for 50 years, very rarely saw a doctor. Then totally out the blue, I suffered a Brain Haemorrhage (subarrachnoid). Spent a bit time in hospital and had the rupture coiled (endovascular). During investigations they found a second Anneurysm. So about 8 months after the initial bleed, I was in hospital to have the second anneurysm clipped, full craniotomy this time. Not only was I lucky enough to survive it all, I am also virtually back to my level of fitness prior to the event.
Neuro surgeon at the time put my recovery down the my fitness and probably a huge chunk of good luck.


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## pbkclements (18 Feb 2020)

Age 57 & for the last 15 years have used cycling (which I love) as a means to manage arthritic knee - keeping the muscles around the knee strong & seems to stop swelling on the knee. Lucky no major pains prevent me cycling & think it helps with flexibility ...


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## Mrs M (18 Feb 2020)

Almost 54
Old back injury rears it’s unwelcome, ugly head sometimes 
Cycling is the best excercise for that, so the surgeon told me, so full steam ahead on the bike


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## Mrs M (18 Feb 2020)

I have a PITA on occasion but most of the time he’s ok


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## Globalti (26 Feb 2020)

Almost 64 here and no long-term problems beyond a touch of sciatica, which appears if I'm not cycling regularly. As soon as I re-start cycling it goes away, which I put down to muscle tone in the lower back. 

I'm still feeling the consequences of muscle loss following the clavicle break and frozen shoulder op late '18 and early '19, I hope things will improve after retirement in July when I'm going to become a lot more active.


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