You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
BE WARNED this may be filled with self pity and patheticness.
Yesterday i was told at the ripe old age of 55 i have advanced stage arthritis in my hips and other joints are joining the party, the galling thing is i've always looked after myself and eat healthily (yes really) and am perceived by others as being extremely fit.
Looking back this started a long time ago, it's only because i'm a stubborn **** that it's only just come to a head.
The problem i'm having is that strength, health and fitness is my core being, i'm no fanatic, but i do have a great interest in body mechanics and my head is pretty messed up atm.
I'll cut to the chase, anyone else in a similar place or a good old fashioned MTFU will suffice.
I don’t think you need to MTFU. If you’ve looked after your body and have had this diagnosis in your mid-fifties, you’re entitled to feel a bit sorry for yourself as you watch others who have drunk, smoked and shite-eaten their way through life not suffer so early thanks to a roll of the genetic device.
So, no MTFU from me. Just a hard luck mate, but at least you know so can work on a strategy for the next decade to ensure you stay mobile.
Sorry if this sounds blunt, but you can get new hips. My mum was feeling like you are this time last year, two new hips later and I can’t keep up with her on our walks!
I expect I'd feel the same.
When you can, start looking at how you can fight it and for other things to occupy you.
My mum stopped all her pain from diet changes FWIW
I'm 36 with a false hip.
You'd never know. It's as good as my non bionic one.
Go n see the bus and get on the list.
Would not discount the new hips option! But also maybe take some time to make sensible adjustments to your lifestyle. My experience is that as you get older looking after yourself is as much about recognising your limits and what your body is telling you as it is about thrashing yourself to the limits of your endurance...
But this will take some time to make the mental adjustment - in a sense I wouldn’t say MTFU as much as Chill TFU!
Good luck!
I’d be disappointed with my body too if that happened to me, actually I’d be very bloody pissed off.
Sympathies and MTFU from me.
I sympathise - I’ve been an athlete all my life, I’m now 48 & injuries are becoming more common & taking longer to recover from. I do wonder when/if the day is coming when I can no longer play/compete. A day I’m not looking forward to. I’ve no words of wisdom particularly other than “it sucks”....& I’m sorry to hear that day may have cone for you.
WOW, what brilliant replies, i am very grateful, this place has awesomeness by the bucketload.
I intend to take all your wise words on board, thanks all feeling better already.
what type of arthritis?
Be warned, continued use of MTFU has been shown to cause much pain and discomfort in old Age.
My personal opinion is that good old fashioned pain is the best measure of whether you can do a thing or not. I've got injuries, and a bit of the old arthritis myself. I've got a physio appointment this Friday and a repeat script for Naproxen.
As long as I can get on my bike unaided, I'm going to carry on. If I have to use a bit of RICE / Naproxen occasionally afterwards I'll live with that, but I'm wary of dosing up just to get on the bike, I'd feel I'm masking pain to let me do more damage.
I have OA in my knees and possibly my hips as well and am a similar age.
6 weeks of physio and regular 'maintenance' by simple physio-recommended exercise at home helps a lot. Thats not MTFU, but general preventative maintenance.
I am also a believer in what my GP calls "active rest". Keep doing the things you want until it starts to hurt and then back off a bit, don't sit at home and rot.
If it does start to hurt, my physio recommended changing the exercise slightly for a bit. If I am on the bike I get of and push for a few minutes. If I am out walking I walk backwards for a bit (yes really!)
I currently walk about 1 hour a day and that seems to have decreased the frequency of the problems I have with my knees which are also a lot more stable than they were this time last year.
Feeling low is to be expected. I was when my GP said "you are a bit young for this, but ultimately age is starting to creep up on you". I now realise I had been having symptoms since my late 30's
As a person of similar (ish) age and someone who also does lots of strength work i totally feel your frustration. BUT
Best mate has had a new hip last Nov and we are heading to the Alps in June so it isnt all bad.
Im thinking you do mostly bodyweight strength work and this should all be no problem in the future so keep at it and most importantly listen to your aches and pains. Learn to pick the real ones from the little ones that can be safely ignored.
I'm feeling a bit low ATM.
54, triathlete, ironman, ultra runner blah blah
Woke up one morning last August with a swollen knee. No incident to trigger it.
Torn medial meniscus. It's still not healed properly.
Surgeon says surgery wont improve it. Looks like running is off the agenda.
Cycling is no problem so that's good, but I love a long run in the hills and I'm really missing it.
I need to rummage around in the back of the cupboard to find a can of MTFU.
🙂
Getting old is shite. But the alternative is worse!
Had the same diagnosis of arthritis of the hip from a consultant yesterday, so feeling a bit p*ssed off about it at the moment. The annoying thing is that the pain has been in my pelvic area, and specifically the iliac crest so had thought it was more to do with inflammation of soft tissue in that area. To add to my woes I was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer and am also awaiting an operation on my knee (which would have happened by now had my GP practice not completely ballsed up with the referral for the operation), so not been able to do much more than short commutes on my bike.
Like the OP I have regularly exercised for all my 50+ years, and have a reasonably good diet. On the upside, the consultant said cycling was a positive thing to do (so just need to get my knee op done) and I have started doing things like pilates rather than circuit training which I did until a couple of years ago.
I feel your pain.
At a mere 42 years old my body is starting to pack up (especially my ankles and knees) but this was probably not helped by a parachute accident a few years back. Bilateral de-gloved lower legs, spinal compressions and a dislocated shoulder kind of come back to haunt you eventually.
Sadly, from speaking informally with surgical colleagues (I'm a nurse), its unlikely knee replacements would be suitable, so I'll potter on for as long as I can. Luckily I get on really we with the physiotherapy team on my unit and they have given me some fantastic advice, which oddly enough includes cycling, hence why I've thrown myself back into it with gusto.
Chin up dude. At 48 and looking after myself yoga good diet training blah blah blah I’m picking up injuries galore. Time and life of physical work taking its toll. An old climbing mates got new hip and was knocking off hard routes till he was 80. Sccret of life is too get up one more time than you’re knocked down stuff MFU.
On the positive side you don't have to justify an e-bike.
Have a look at dietary requirements maybe.
In practical terms, do some research on turmeric and black pepper. It had a fantastic effect on our dog as a natural anti inflammatory. Not only did it helps his arthritis but we believe it might have kept a brain tumour under control and bought him a couple if extra years.
In sympathetic terms, I know what it's like to have something you consider to be a fundamental part of who you are taken away from you out of your control. I've not found the answer to that aspect other than MTFU/play the hand life has dealt you.
If you do find an answer to that one, let me know.