Turned 40 and joints hurting

I'm not a doctor or sports therapist but I am a 41 year old guy who also suffers more pains these days. Almost all of them go away with frequent stretching. In fact I do yoga as well as ride. I may not train as hard as you & do get lazy with the yoga at times. But when I do practice yoga for about 30 minutes after a ride all my pains go away. I have a bad back & over-compensate for it all day long.

I actually ride to yoga classes on Sat mornings then ride the long way home. Those rides are great. Unbelievably loose muscles all over.

My problem, is I've been into sports for many years and never really thought much about easy days or layoffs when I started out.
The biggest mistake I tended to make was training hard too often and not cycling the intensity. Of course, I see loads of people make the same mistake since you tend to go with the present and not worry about your performance as you hit the 40 mark and beyond.
I'm aware Madonna swears by yoga but maybe you could share how you feel stretching can alleviate joint pain? Presumably if my quads are too tights and pulling on my knees, I need to stretch. I often feel my hamstrings are sore as I stretch them and quite tight.
The only other thing I can say that's weird is I find my hip and knee pain disappears when I spend a few days in Russia. I don't know whether it's the climate or the diet but my symptoms vanish, more or less. Maybe the climate in the U.K. is very humid and damp and affects my joints.

wyllisx2 said:

I'm not a doctor or sports therapist but I am a 41 year old guy who also suffers more pains these days. Almost all of them go away with frequent stretching. In fact I do yoga as well as ride. I may not train as hard as you & do get lazy with the yoga at times. But when I do practice yoga for about 30 minutes after a ride all my pains go away. I have a bad back & over-compensate for it all day long.

I actually ride to yoga classes on Sat mornings then ride the long way home. Those rides are great. Unbelievably loose muscles all over.

tight quads and tight ilio-tibial (IT) bands can do it to you, and cause knee pain. stretching and saddle position is the answer.

mine was too high.

Peter, age 43

The stretching relives tension on the ligaments & therefore the joints. Not knowing the physiological reasoning behind it I can just say it works for me. I don't really care if Madona does yoga or anything else.

Waking up with no back & hip pain the day after praciticng yoga is all it takes for me to continue.

But your comment about feeling less pain when in Russia sounds like what my brother says about his arthritis. If it works then go with it.

kf5nd said:

tight quads and tight ilio-tibial (IT) bands can do it to you, and cause knee pain. stretching and saddle position is the answer.

mine was too high.

Peter, age 43

Age 55: I concur... my lower back pain went away when I lowered my seat. You also might want to consider increasing your fluid intake.

Carrera said:

I'm wondering whether it's common to encounter increased joint pain as you hit the 40 mark. I also wonder how many people might be encountering something similar.
My problem is I don't have any actual injuries but I do get a lot of aches and pains. Around here they call it "wear and tear". I don't suffer from any concrete knee injuries but I confess my knees do ache, especially if I do a lot of climbing. What happens is I'm pain free during the ride itself but my knees will start to get stiff over the evening and in the morning.
I strongly suspect I have arthritis although a physio told me he suspected I have over-tight quads and claimed this causes a pull around the knee. He had me try some stretches and told me I was far too limited in movement and should avoid any more quad work if possible.
Of course, the climate over here doesn't help as the weather changes a lot. On hotter days my joints seem to ache more than during cold spells.
What I want to know is am I the only guy on this forum who suffers this kind of problem and what would be the most effective way to deal with it (stretching, drugs, physio)? I confess there are time when I wonder whether I should call it a day or greatly reduce my sports activities. I'm fitter than I was in my twenties but simply don't have the same joints as I had back then. I can fully undertstand why Steff Graph got so frustrated as she got older.

If you suspect that you have arthritis, make an appointment with a rheumatologist and find out. Most forms of arthritis can be managed, particularly if caught early in onset. I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis in my late 30s. I'm 56, cycle, do daily cardio (other than cycling) and resistance training. I'm not pain free and haven't been for 20 years. But I can function comfortably most days. And I enjoy life.

The best way to deal with depends on the person. I was working out regularly when first diagnosed and continued to do so until '98, when I let a relocation and home remodelling break the chain. The six years I didn't work out regularly and take care of myself were the worst I've endured since being diagnosed. I returned to daily workouts this summer, have lost nearly 30 lbs (and counting) and feel better than I have in a decade. I have been able to reduce my dosage of NSAIDs and other management drugs. I relate this to keep you from getting discouraged and assure you there's life after dianosis
if arthritis is your problem.

It could well be some of the things others have suggest, but you are at an age where joint disease can't be ruled out. Only your physician can tell you. Please don't put it off. Good luck.

I've suspected for some time I probably have arthritis but many folks refer to this as "wear and tear". I recall a story of one athlete who confessed in an interview his knees ached that much he had to prop his legs up on a stool when taking flights overseas.
I have had friends recommend various wonder cures. The big one they rave about is the dreaded cod liver oil. It did nothing for me to be honest. Then I read Muhammad Ali had arthritis and took to eating fish instead of meat so I tried that as well. Not much difference. Devil's Claw, Glucosamine, you name it, I've tried it.
My uncle reckons I may be getting cold and damp into my joints when I ride. The physio claims my quads are out of proportion and causing the problem. Actually, the physio was very optimistic after testing me. He reckoned you can have your knee cartiliage fixed by a simple surgical procedure and that I should just try and avoid quad work.
I do take your point about doctors but I'm afraid that over here they leave a lot to be desired. Doctors in this area are over-worked, fully-booked and more likely to tell you to pack in cycling altogether and take some aspirin. Really it's best to pay and go private or see a physio.
Do you have any idea how you know if you have arthritis and what the symptoms are? With me it's stiffness in the hips and knees, especially when it's hot or in Spring. Once I start riding my bike it goes and I can get up the biggest hills e.t.c pain-free. I 'm sure drugs would help but I worry about the long term side effects and try to avoid them.

Triodelover said:

If you suspect that you have arthritis, make an appointment with a rheumatologist and find out. Most forms of arthritis can be managed, particularly if caught early in onset. I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis in my late 30s. I'm 56, cycle, do daily cardio (other than cycling) and resistance training. I'm not pain free and haven't been for 20 years. But I can function comfortably most days. And I enjoy life.

The best way to deal with depends on the person. I was working out regularly when first diagnosed and continued to do so until '98, when I let a relocation and home remodelling break the chain. The six years I didn't work out regularly and take care of myself were the worst I've endured since being diagnosed. I returned to daily workouts this summer, have lost nearly 30 lbs (and counting) and feel better than I have in a decade. I have been able to reduce my dosage of NSAIDs and other management drugs. I relate this to keep you from getting discouraged and assure you there's life after dianosis
if arthritis is your problem.

It could well be some of the things others have suggest, but you are at an age where joint disease can't be ruled out. Only your physician can tell you. Please don't put it off. Good luck.

Carrera said:

Do you have any idea how you know if you have arthritis and what the symptoms are? With me it's stiffness in the hips and knees, especially when it's hot or in Spring. Once I start riding my bike it goes and I can get up the biggest hills e.t.c pain-free. I 'm sure drugs would help but I worry about the long term side effects and try to avoid them.

FWIW, I spent the better part of three years in the UK in the early '90s. My joints were fine, so Old Blighty's climate wasn't the problem. (Of course, I loved my time there so maybe the good frame-of-mind balanced out the joint pain 🙂 ). The worst time I had was when I lived in Denver, Colorado, which is a semi-arid (or was) climate. Season changes with high pollen counts were and are killers (two auto-immune effects).

How do you know without going to Harley Street? The problem is there are a whole host of joint diseases that fall under the umbrella of arthritis, and the symptoms and treatments differ. One thing you can try is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like ibuprofen. If they alleviate the pain to any degree, you may be a candidate for an arthritis diagnosis. Rheumatoid arthritis is symmetrical, i.e. it affects left and right side equally (both knees for example). Other types of arthritis can be asymmetrical, like psoriatic.

Arthritis will also migrate, in that you'll have a flare-up, say in the second joint of your index finger and it will give you fits for weeks, then abate. Then your lovely "visitor" will move on to new territory. Any trauma to joint or bone is a clear invite to which arthritis will heartily RSVP.

Contrary as it may seem, exercise that articulates the joints without putting undue stress or impact on them is often benficial. Those of us with arthritis often complain that we are at our stiffest and least flexible in the immediately after rising. OTOH, impact workouts like jogging are definite no-nos (then I've never understand the fascination for the ritualized self-abuse known as jogging anyway). Resistance training is fine, but free weights probably increase the injury risk. Better selectorized machines that effect some control over range of motion. In theory, cycling, at least the recreational/fitness variety, should be helpful exercise, though long tours, races and centuries may be too much at one time.

With respect to physicians and treatment, the problem, at least here in the States, is that almost all the drugs that are effective for moderate to severe arthritis are available by prescription only. The plethora of advertising to the contrary, over-the-counter medications are largely ineffective. Some of the most effective treatments are injectables (methotrexate, Enbrel, for example) and even here, p[hysicians who care more about their malpractice premiums than the patient's convenience or comfort will require patients to come to the office for their weekly hit.

I know the National Health is an on-going source of disdain, argument, and pub fights. 😉 (Of course, we have nearly 50 million working adults with no access to health care of any kind due to lack of insurance, so pick your poison.) But if you can't find relief through other avenues, eventually you'll have to see the doctor. One thing to consider - the earlier treatment begins, the fewer drugs and lower the doese needed to bring relief. If it is arthritis, you will age. It will worsen (but possibly only slightly) with age and increased doses will likely be required for effective management. If you wait until pain is such that you have to go to the maximum dose for relief, you'll have no reserve for the future.

I know this all sounds doom and gloom, like the last act of a Wagner opera, but I've lived with it for two decades and led a full life (and plan to continue to do so). I do pretty much what I want. Would I wish it to be different? Sure, if differnet means it all goes away. But at least I have a disability that's manageable and that interferes minimally with what I enjoy in life. It could be so much worse.

Interesting you should be troubled over pollen counts. My joint symptoms become intolerable when hayfever kicks in. Spring is a nightmare. It's like both muscles and joints become totally inflamed - always the thighs, knees and hip. Once I went jogging in a field and had another strange symptom. My legs became covered in a rash after contacting grass and hay. This led me to suspect a possible allergy. During these periods I can cycle O.K. but pain will kick in at night or in the morning - even into the bone.
I've refused to use drugs due to long term side effects. Cortisone can lead to more advanced arthritis and anti-inflammatories may worsen sysmptoms over the years. Instead, I tried stuff like Devil's Claw e.t.c. but I guess it's not strong enough. Then there are special diets that are claimed to be of benefit.
I've just done a 40 mile ride and feel fine at present. However, I imagine I'll be stiff when I wake up around the knees and hips. Soon as I loosen up it goes but I wish I could find a healthy way to lessen the symptoms.
Thanks for sharing your own symptoms and thoughts on the topic.

Triodelover said:

FWIW, I spent the better part of three years in the UK in the early '90s. My joints were fine, so Old Blighty's climate wasn't the problem. (Of course, I loved my time there so maybe the good frame-of-mind balanced out the joint pain 🙂 ). The worst time I had was when I lived in Denver, Colorado, which is a semi-arid (or was) climate. Season changes with high pollen counts were and are killers (two auto-immune effects).

How do you know without going to Harley Street? The problem is there are a whole host of joint diseases that fall under the umbrella of arthritis, and the symptoms and treatments differ. One thing you can try is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like ibuprofen. If they alleviate the pain to any degree, you may be a candidate for an arthritis diagnosis. Rheumatoid arthritis is symmetrical, i.e. it affects left and right side equally (both knees for example). Other types of arthritis can be asymmetrical, like psoriatic.

Arthritis will also migrate, in that you'll have a flare-up, say in the second joint of your index finger and it will give you fits for weeks, then abate. Then your lovely "visitor" will move on to new territory. Any trauma to joint or bone is a clear invite to which arthritis will heartily RSVP.

Contrary as it may seem, exercise that articulates the joints without putting undue stress or impact on them is often benficial. Those of us with arthritis often complain that we are at our stiffest and least flexible in the immediately after rising. OTOH, impact workouts like jogging are definite no-nos (then I've never understand the fascination for the ritualized self-abuse known as jogging anyway). Resistance training is fine, but free weights probably increase the injury risk. Better selectorized machines that effect some control over range of motion. In theory, cycling, at least the recreational/fitness variety, should be helpful exercise, though long tours, races and centuries may be too much at one time.

With respect to physicians and treatment, the problem, at least here in the States, is that almost all the drugs that are effective for moderate to severe arthritis are available by prescription only. The plethora of advertising to the contrary, over-the-counter medications are largely ineffective. Some of the most effective treatments are injectables (methotrexate, Enbrel, for example) and even here, p[hysicians who care more about their malpractice premiums than the patient's convenience or comfort will require patients to come to the office for their weekly hit.

I know the National Health is an on-going source of disdain, argument, and pub fights. 😉 (Of course, we have nearly 50 million working adults with no access to health care of any kind due to lack of insurance, so pick your poison.) But if you can't find relief through other avenues, eventually you'll have to see the doctor. One thing to consider - the earlier treatment begins, the fewer drugs and lower the doese needed to bring relief. If it is arthritis, you will age. It will worsen (but possibly only slightly) with age and increased doses will likely be required for effective management. If you wait until pain is such that you have to go to the maximum dose for relief, you'll have no reserve for the future.

I know this all sounds doom and gloom, like the last act of a Wagner opera, but I've lived with it for two decades and led a full life (and plan to continue to do so). I do pretty much what I want. Would I wish it to be different? Sure, if differnet means it all goes away. But at least I have a disability that's manageable and that interferes minimally with what I enjoy in life. It could be so much worse.

Lots of good replies here.

I had similar problems, and I found that stretching helped a lot, as did a slow warm up period at the beginning of rides. What really fixed me was lowering my seat, as I had unwittingly raised my effective seat height after a shoe/pedal change.

I've also experimented with Glucosamine Chondroitin, which seemed to work very well, but I hate taking pills (even worse than I hate stretching) so I decided not to continue that (not to mention the expense).

Good luck!

Carrera said:

Interesting you should be troubled over pollen counts. My joint symptoms become intolerable when hayfever kicks in. Spring is a nightmare. It's like both muscles and joints become totally inflamed - always the thighs, knees and hip. Once I went jogging in a field and had another strange symptom. My legs became covered in a rash after contacting grass and hay. This led me to suspect a possible allergy. During these periods I can cycle O.K. but pain will kick in at night or in the morning - even into the bone.
I've refused to use drugs due to long term side effects. Cortisone can lead to more advanced arthritis and anti-inflammatories may worsen sysmptoms over the years. Instead, I tried stuff like Devil's Claw e.t.c. but I guess it's not strong enough. Then there are special diets that are claimed to be of benefit.
I've just done a 40 mile ride and feel fine at present. However, I imagine I'll be stiff when I wake up around the knees and hips. Soon as I loosen up it goes but I wish I could find a healthy way to lessen the symptoms.
Thanks for sharing your own symptoms and thoughts on the topic.

Well, the pollen count thing makes sense when you consider that most people respond to more than one allergen. it's the cumlative effect that puts one over a response threshold. For those of us with arthritis who are already experiencing an auto-immune response in our joints, that threshold is lower.

I guess I'm a bit more sanguine about long-term health effects of drugs. I used to make my living evalauting lthe effects of long-term low dosage exposure to environmental pollutants. The vast majority of us are going to die before the effects of low dosages of things like NSAIDs are a problem (assuming no genetic predisposition of course). I'll take a little more comfort in the here-and-now over the long and somewhat ephemeral chance that I'll die at 80 rather than 82.

You are pursuing a healthy way to lessen the symptoms. You're exercising in a way that's low-impact on the joints (except for jogging). Diet - kkeping yopur weight down so that your joints aren't being asked to carry too much a burden - and exercise are the healthy ways to approach it. If drugs help you exercise more regularly and more comfortably, thereby lessening the chance of injury, I'd say the trade-offs are worth it.

With the combination of cycling, resistance training and indoor cardio, I've been able to reduce my NSAIDs to PRN status and also reduce the amoutn of weekly methotrexate by 20%. (Lovely drug that - chemo agent that's both an immunosuppresant and hepatotoxin. But a miracle drug for sufferers of psoriatic arthritis. The concert pianist Byron Janis had to terminate his career in the early '60s due to psoriatic arthritis in his hands. No methotrexate therapy then. He began therapy in the early '90s and made a new CD a few years back. Depsite the nastiness of the drug, low-dose therapy can do wonders. I was fortunate ehough to be treated for a time by a physician who was part of the research team that developed low-dose methotrexate therapy for psoriatic arthritis. He made me feel pretty confident that I wouldy normal life-span without worry of meth side effects.)

Anyway, I can't tell you what to do about drug therapy, nor should I. My own perspective is that we take sp many risks each day (playing Dodge-'ems with East Tennessee drivers, for instance 😉), I'm not going to get my knickers in a wad over the risks of something that brings me great benefit.

Just touching briefly on the topic of glucosamine. I can tell you it definitely does something but what that "something" is I can't say. I definitely experience the most unusual phantom joint pain when I take the stuff. I mean, my wrists ache, my shoulders ache, my forearms will ache. I had it so bad I could barely take my shirt off. Then, after going off glucosamine, my wrists slowly stop aching. What can I conclude? Basically I know the stuff affects your joints and causes non-permanent side affects. It may be the case that the pain it causes signifies it's actually helping tendons in the long term. The problem is, glucosamine only affects my forearms and shoulders e.t.c. and not the lower body. No idea what the phantom pain signifies - it's almost like growing pains.

Opinions tend to vary over drugs and arthritis. I recently read a book by a female nurse who had been a chronic sufferer, denounced drugs and concluded that the answer to the problem lies in diet. She recommended giving up red meat, dairy, citrus fruits and toxins such as coffee, tea and alcohol. Cottage cheese was O.K. but regular cheese was to be avoided. She swore by cider vinegar as a natural remedy, supplemented vitamins and natural sugars. I tried the diet but found no real difference to be honest. I gave it every chance but packed it in after a while.
I picked up a standard medical book that dismissed diet as being the solution. It said that people who have joint pain tend to suffer no matter what they eat.
However, it makes me wonder whether my sudden relief from joint pain in Russia was due to diet or climate. The fact is that Russian food was far more natural than in western countries or the U.S. Russian milk, for example, wasn't pasturised and would go off very quickly. Yoghurt (called Smetana) was incredibly natural with no additives or preservatives. The food was also very oily (don't know what oil they used).
This is also odd. I was with a group of Brits and Americans at the time and most of us had real stomach problems due to the drastic change in diet. All the guys lost weight while the women rounded out - this was close to Soviet times before Russia started importing pre-packed foods with preservatives. My joint pain that had been really severe in the U.K. simply vanished. I was pain free for 3 months, got back to the U.K. and my symptoms returned within a month and gradually got worse.
Plus, I could never figure out how Russian athletes got so strong on their food. I ate and ate Russian food but lost weight and got weaker.
This may indicate that arthritis has much to do with allergy. Are our foods too artificial and full of chemicals? Even pollen allergy has been linked to this by scientists - the idea of living in an anti-bacterial bubble.
Incidentally I do use ibuprofen occasionally and respond to it well as well as dichlophenac but am still dubious about long term usage till I know a lot more. I tried white willow bark as a substitute for aspirin but found it too weak.

Triodelover said:

Well, the pollen count thing makes sense when you consider that most people respond to more than one allergen. it's the cumlative effect that puts one over a response threshold. For those of us with arthritis who are already experiencing an auto-immune response in our joints, that threshold is lower.

I guess I'm a bit more sanguine about long-term health effects of drugs. I used to make my living evalauting lthe effects of long-term low dosage exposure to environmental pollutants. The vast majority of us are going to die before the effects of low dosages of things like NSAIDs are a problem (assuming no genetic predisposition of course). I'll take a little more comfort in the here-and-now over the long and somewhat ephemeral chance that I'll die at 80 rather than 82.

You are pursuing a healthy way to lessen the symptoms. You're exercising in a way that's low-impact on the joints (except for jogging). Diet - kkeping yopur weight down so that your joints aren't being asked to carry too much a burden - and exercise are the healthy ways to approach it. If drugs help you exercise more regularly and more comfortably, thereby lessening the chance of injury, I'd say the trade-offs are worth it.

With the combination of cycling, resistance training and indoor cardio, I've been able to reduce my NSAIDs to PRN status and also reduce the amoutn of weekly methotrexate by 20%. (Lovely drug that - chemo agent that's both an immunosuppresant and hepatotoxin. But a miracle drug for sufferers of psoriatic arthritis. The concert pianist Byron Janis had to terminate his career in the early '60s due to psoriatic arthritis in his hands. No methotrexate therapy then. He began therapy in the early '90s and made a new CD a few years back. Depsite the nastiness of the drug, low-dose therapy can do wonders. I was fortunate ehough to be treated for a time by a physician who was part of the research team that developed low-dose methotrexate therapy for psoriatic arthritis. He made me feel pretty confident that I wouldy normal life-span without worry of meth side effects.)

Anyway, I can't tell you what to do about drug therapy, nor should I. My own perspective is that we take sp many risks each day (playing Dodge-'ems with East Tennessee drivers, for instance 😉), I'm not going to get my knickers in a wad over the risks of something that brings me great benefit.