Cycling Well being Poll at 40+

[Pat "5mph"]

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?

 

[Drago]

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.

 

[iandg]

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.

 

[Edwardoka]

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.

 

[Moodyman]

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.

 

[gbb]

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.

 

[Landsurfer]

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

 

[ColinJ]

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.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

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.

 

[Rusty Nails]

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.

 

[kingrollo]

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.

 

[vickster]

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.

Have you got the TENS yet?

 

[kingrollo]

Have you got the TENS yet?

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

 

[DCBassman]

#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.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

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.