I've just done my first "proper" bike ride of the year, and I've discovered a new ache in my left hip and lower back where I've never had an ache before. A bit of background first. I've got a bit lazy lately and instead of cycling 100 miles a week, I'm doing about 40-50 miles a week, mostly commuting from Trowbridge to Melksham. I started a new job last January which requires me to stand on my left leg for long periods of time (my right leg operates a foot pedal)and there have been complaints by some older people on other shifts about leg and back pain. I'm looking to do something about my fitness this year because its new bike time and I'd like to get fit enough to justify buying an Orbea Orca (!) and quite frankly I'm not... Better than I thought, but nowhere near where I was two and a half to three years ago My question to all the wise people out there in URCland is: Is this pain I'm having now due to my age (I hit the big 30 this year! Not old, but old enough...), my job (RSI or some such), or due to a lack of cycling in the last year? I ride two bikes, a road bike and an mtb so I use two completely different riding positions, ( I have a separate issue with saddle sore from the cheap saddle on the RB, which I will be sorting out soon enough) so should I look at changing the stem/saddle positions on either bike? I only did 30 miles today, and 18 months ago I could do that without feeling any pain in the area concerned, and I'm getting a bit concerned about it because I've had a bit of pain forming there on any ride I've done over the holiday longer than an hour. Should I be worried, or will it fade as my mileage increases this year?
Ta very muchly, I'd be VERY grateful for some advice!
First wait and see a bit,then I would discuss it with your gp( who may be useless or take an interest depending on things) and perhaps an osteopath or physiotherapist which will cost you but perhaps get a more considered response. It could be back strain.That job sounds badly designed for all day every day .I tend to believe people who say their job gives them a pain, especilly when they have to adopt an odd posture to do it.But don't rely on newsgroup diagnosis.It could be the first incling of leukaemia or a thousand other things. Now that you are 30 I am afraid you must consider yourself to over the hill and useless.Why, one of the ctc group here is 73 .Frankly once he passes 180 miles he is starting to slow down a bit these days, so I am told. Have a look at www.patient.co.uk for info on back pain TerryJ
First wait and see a bit,then I would discuss it with your gp( who may be useless or take an interest depending on things) and perhaps an osteopath or physiotherapist which will cost you but perhaps get a more considered response. It could be back strain.That job sounds badly designed for all day every day .I tend to believe people who say their job gives them a pain, especilly when they have to adopt an odd posture to do it.But don't rely on newsgroup diagnosis.It could be the first incling of leukaemia or a thousand other things. Now that you are 30 I am afraid you must consider yourself to over the hill and useless.Why, one of the ctc group here is 73 .Frankly once he passes 180 miles he is starting to slow down a bit these days, so I am told. Have a look at www.patient.co.uk for info on back pain TerryJ
It ain't all day every day, I do twelve hour continental shifts (its an odd pattern so I won't wast time explaining it!)
my first instict was back strain. My job requires me (to get a good view if naught else) to stand up straight for 15 twenty miniutes at a time, rocking onto the left leg, which is painful enough! I am also by far the tallest operator of those particular machines over the four shifts that use them (by about 3 inches). This causes me problems in itself as you can imagine.
Thank you for the link, I was able to quickly find some helpful information.
I have a dodgy left hip after separating from my bike at high speed. Essentially the hip is a bit loose and works its way outward over time about every year I have a chiropractor push it back into place. The point of this story is however when it is getting dodgy it manifests itself as pain in the left hip/lower back/buttock area, if I ignore it for long enough (weeks) it disappears for a while but it is always much better when the chiropractor has whacked it for me. If you have a good GP try them but consider spending the money on seeing the chiropractor, I'm 30ish over the hill and wearing out too - it's not the age it's the mileage.
Mike
Pete White said:
I've just done my first "proper" bike ride of the year, and I've discovered a new ache in my left hip and lower back where I've never had an ache before. A bit of background first. I've got a bit lazy lately and instead of cycling 100 miles a week, I'm doing about 40-50 miles a week, mostly commuting from Trowbridge to Melksham. I started a new job last January which requires me to stand on my left leg for long periods of time (my right leg operates a foot pedal)and there have been complaints by some older people on other shifts about leg and back pain. I'm looking to do something about my fitness this year because its new bike time and I'd like to get fit enough to justify buying an Orbea Orca (!) and quite frankly I'm not... Better than I thought, but nowhere near where I was two and a half to three years ago My question to all the wise people out there in URCland is: Is this pain I'm having now due to my age (I hit the big 30 this year! Not old, but old enough...), my job (RSI or some such), or due to a lack of cycling in the last year? I ride two bikes, a road bike and an mtb so I use two completely different riding positions, ( I have a separate issue with saddle sore from the cheap saddle on the RB, which I will be sorting out soon enough) so should I look at changing the stem/saddle positions on either bike? I only did 30 miles today, and 18 months ago I could do that without feeling any pain in the area concerned, and I'm getting a bit concerned about it because I've had a bit of pain forming there on any ride I've done over the holiday longer than an hour. Should I be worried, or will it fade as my mileage increases this year?
Ta very muchly, I'd be VERY grateful for some advice!
I have a dodgy left hip after separating from my bike at high speed. Essentially the hip is a bit loose and works its way outward over time about every year I have a chiropractor push it back into place. The point of this story is however when it is getting dodgy it manifests itself as pain in the left hip/lower back/buttock area, if I ignore it for long enough (weeks) it disappears for a while but it is always much better when the chiropractor has whacked it for me. If you have a good GP try them but consider spending the money on seeing the chiropractor, I'm 30ish over the hill and wearing out too - it's not the age it's the mileage.
If the hip is "loose" enough to work "loose" at all then I'm surprised it happens so slowly and only one treatment per year is needed. After injury, mine slightly dislocates several times a week at least, often resulting in pain when I put weight though it. Fortunately it clicks back after I move in a certain way. Unfortunately the movement required is unpredictable, so I either have to wait until it eventually happens by itself or try all sorts of random movements (though stepping on or off a bike often helps as the leg swings over).
How much of a placebo effect does the chiropractor have, I wonder? There might be some genuine instant relief but surely it can't last long? How about a John Cleese Funny Walk instead to save money? Or more seriously, some (more) physiotherapy or exercise to strengthen the muscles around the joint. I'm finding that cycling isn't good enough by itself and I really should do various other things, particularly swimming. Trouble is I'm rather phobic about swimming and everything to do with it.
Woaaa there! I sympathise with your condition. It sounds painful! BUT! It isn't exactly the position I'm in. twelve months ago there was no pain, zilch, nada, nil, nothing. My milage has gone down (worn out? No, just addicted to guinness) and the pain starts about 30 mins to an hour into a ride. It dissapears after an hour or so's rest, On which I base a conclusion, made thanks to reading info provided by rummaging around www.patient.co.uk (thanks again jonestl!), that the pain is most likely to be back strain.
Yeahbut there could be some underlying problem with the hip as well, for all you know. So at least: don't go over the top with the cycling, do some other sorts of exersise as well, and see your GP if the pain gets any worse.
I broke my hip, but there was some sort of problem before that anyway. Although I've not been told so, I have a feeling that some problem might have contributed to how easily the bone broke. It was only a low-speed cycling accident for me where I slid over on a slippery road and landed on my side. I was previously getting similar symptoms to yourself. I'm not very many years older than you, by the way.
I was told at 20 that it was all downhill at 25. I was stronger at 28 than I was at 20. My best estimate is that I have 2 or three years or so before I can no longer make massive improvements to my ability on a bike (hoping to be up for a trip to Bath on Saturday...
Rubbish. I'm 50 this year, and so far each decade's been better in all senses than the previous one. I /may/ have reached my peak, but I'm not yet convinced.
-- [email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/ ;; Generally Not Used ;; Except by Middle Aged Computer Scientists
in message <[email hidden]>, Pete White ([email hidden]'😉 wrote:
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
I was told at 20 that it was all downhill at 25. I was stronger at 28 than I was at 20. My best estimate is that I have 2 or three years or so before I can no longer make massive improvements to my ability on a bike (hoping to be up for a trip to Bath on Saturday...
Quoted message said:
Rubbish. I'm 50 this year, and so far each decade's been better in all senses than the previous one. I /may/ have reached my peak, but I'm not yet convinced.
It'll depend on the extent to which you've fulfilled the maximum /possible/ potential at any point. If you've been seriously pushing it the whole time then the point at which pros retire. Lance is 34, which suggests if it's downhill at 25 he was up a pretty bloody big hill at 25 to still be ahead of folk 9 years later. OTOH although /I'm/ still getting better at quite a few things knocking at 40, had I been really trying 10 years ago I don't think I'd still be registering improvements.
Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
in message <[email hidden]>, Pete White ([email hidden]'😉 wrote:
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
I was told at 20 that it was all downhill at 25. I was stronger at 28 than I was at 20. My best estimate is that I have 2 or three years or so before I can no longer make massive improvements to my ability on a bike (hoping to be up for a trip to Bath on Saturday...
Quoted message said:
Rubbish. I'm 50 this year, and so far each decade's been better in all senses than the previous one. I /may/ have reached my peak, but I'm not yet convinced.
I have an even more ambitious strategy. In order to be able to make significant improvements in strength and fitness in my 60s, I deliberately spent most of my waking hours behind a desk in my 50s. And in order to leave room for some improement in my 70s, I'm being very careful to improve as slowly as possible.
So far so good :-)
-- Chris Malcolm [email hidden] +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205 IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK [http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]
in message <[email hidden]>, Pete White ([email hidden]'😉 wrote:
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
I was told at 20 that it was all downhill at 25. I was stronger at 28 than I was at 20. My best estimate is that I have 2 or three years or so before I can no longer make massive improvements to my ability on a bike (hoping to be up for a trip to Bath on Saturday...
Quoted message said:
Rubbish. I'm 50 this year, and so far each decade's been better in all senses than the previous one. I /may/ have reached my peak, but I'm not yet convinced.
It'll depend on the extent to which you've fulfilled the maximum /possible/ potential at any point. If you've been seriously pushing it the whole time then the point at which pros retire. Lance is 34, which suggests if it's downhill at 25 he was up a pretty bloody big hill at 25 to still be ahead of folk 9 years later. OTOH although /I'm/ still getting better at quite a few things knocking at 40, had I been really trying 10 years ago I don't think I'd still be registering improvements.
Pete.
The "downhill at twenty-five" comment came from a non cyclist by the way!
Seriously though the key word for me is "massive." I am never going to be pro-standard (let alone Lance-beating!) no matter how optimistic I could be. I know from reading posts here and on the cycling plus forum in the past that my average speeds aren't much more than just that, average (17 mph over 28 miles ona moderately "lumpy course.) I came to the conclusion that cycling and guinness don't mix very well (!) and if I want to make massive improvements I need to concentrate on it. Going out tomorrow night might be such a good thing! I don't think that you stop improving at any particular age, but I'm being realistic that its going to get harder as I get older. And of course life and other pressures will eventualy butt-in as well.
Woaaa there! I sympathise with your condition. It sounds painful! BUT! It isn't exactly the position I'm in. twelve months ago there was no pain, zilch, nada, nil, nothing. My milage has gone down (worn out? No, just addicted to guinness) and the pain starts about 30 mins to an hour into a ride. It dissapears after an hour or so's rest, On which I base a conclusion, made thanks to reading info provided by rummaging around www.patient.co.uk (thanks again jonestl!), that the pain is most likely to be back strain.
Yeahbut there could be some underlying problem with the hip as well, for all you know. So at least: don't go over the top with the cycling, do some other sorts of exersise as well, and see your GP if the pain gets any worse.
I broke my hip, but there was some sort of problem before that anyway. Although I've not been told so, I have a feeling that some problem might have contributed to how easily the bone broke. It was only a low-speed cycling accident for me where I slid over on a slippery road and landed on my side. I was previously getting similar symptoms to yourself. I'm not very many years older than you, by the way.
~PB
Indeed. Thats why I've asked for advice, and thank you for that. I have made an appointment with the GP for next week (thursday morning after getting home from work so there will be a good test there at least.) Not hopeful of anything positive, but the warning has been heeded...
in message <[email hidden]>, Pete White ([email hidden]'😉 wrote:
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
I was told at 20 that it was all downhill at 25. I was stronger at 28 than I was at 20. My best estimate is that I have 2 or three years or so before I can no longer make massive improvements to my ability on a bike (hoping to be up for a trip to Bath on Saturday...
Quoted message said:
Rubbish. I'm 50 this year, and so far each decade's been better in all senses than the previous one. I /may/ have reached my peak, but I'm not yet convinced.
It'll depend on the extent to which you've fulfilled the maximum /possible/ potential at any point. If you've been seriously pushing it the whole time then the point at which pros retire. Lance is 34, which suggests if it's downhill at 25 he was up a pretty bloody big hill at 25 to still be ahead of folk 9 years later. OTOH although /I'm/ still getting better at quite a few things knocking at 40, had I been really trying 10 years ago I don't think I'd still be registering improvements.
It also depends what you're measuring. A lot of the best trailquesters are near or over 40 - and they are seriously tough athletes, eg doing rather well at the iditabike a year or two ago.
Seriously though the key word for me is "massive." I am never going to be pro-standard (let alone Lance-beating!) no matter how optimistic I could be. I know from reading posts here and on the cycling plus forum in the past that my average speeds aren't much more than just that, average (17 mph over 28 miles ona moderately "lumpy course.)
Might not be anything spectacular for a competitive club rider, but that's more than 1 mph faster than me, and several mph faster than the average person on a bike in this country.
Seriously though the key word for me is "massive." I am never going to be pro-standard (let alone Lance-beating!) no matter how optimistic I could be. I know from reading posts here and on the cycling plus forum in the past that my average speeds aren't much more than just that, average (17 mph over 28 miles ona moderately "lumpy course.)
Might not be anything spectacular for a competitive club rider, but that's more than 1 mph faster than me, and several mph faster than the average person on a bike in this country.
