Do you always 'hurt'?

User avatar
foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Do you always 'hurt'?

Post by foxyrider »

It occurred to me the other day that my default level of existence always involves some level of 'hurt'. I don't mean the result of an injury or disease but rather a low level of muscle / joint pain, not debilitating but always present. This is different to exercise fatigue, i'm aware of it laid in bed, sat on the sofa or walking around the house. TBH, i can't recall a time, at least since my teens, when this wasn't so.

Is this 'normal'? Do other people have this? Am i just weird? (on second thoughts don't answer that :lol: )

I do exercise a fair bit and have done since my early teens, most weeks will have a mix of pedestrian and cycle activity totalling @ 18 hours, at the last check up i was given a clean bill of health, i'm in my Heinz year and weigh in @ 82kg.
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
User avatar
Tigerbiten
Posts: 2503
Joined: 29 Jun 2009, 6:49am

Re: Do you always 'hurt'?

Post by Tigerbiten »

Yes and no.
It all depends on how fit you are and the intensity of the exercise.
If you're fit enough and/or the intensity is low then there's minimal stress on the body and it doesn't hurt.

For the first 6-8 weeks on a long tour my legs will hurt as I cycle myself fit.
Once I get fit enough to balance the work done then they'll stop hurting.
If I hit a harder terrain on tour then they'll hurt again until I get fitter or I reach easier terrain.

So if you legs are hurting a little then your not quite fit enough for the amount/level of exercise.

Luck ............ :D
cotswolds
Posts: 287
Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 10:47am

Re: Do you always 'hurt'?

Post by cotswolds »

Any exercise that's hard enough to be considered "training" causes damage to muscles which rebuild themselves stronger to cope with the new workload. They will ache a bit but recover. If they still ache after a few days rest (maybe a bit longer after really strenuous exercise) then something is not right.

The "joint" pain might just be that you need to do some stretching - my knees ache if I don't stretch but are absolutely fine if I do quad stretches.
User avatar
NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Do you always 'hurt'?

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
My problem is almost identical to the OP.
So I can sympathise exactly.
So I ache in bed, my legs ache rising from a chair, And when I first start exercise.
The more I move around the less I ache, To an extent, if I try and push myself my legs just bind up.
Going from cycling 250 miles in one day to not been able to stay on the bike after 150 miles, is not a fitness thing.
As I have experienced this sort of thing many times over the last 25 years, I know that it's a medication problem for me, at worst not been able to stay on the bike for more than 50 minutes without feeling that you are just about to fall off.
Every time I go to the doctors they give me a blood test but that tells nothing.
From experience I can tell that at least one of the medications I am on is causing these symptoms of pain and lethargy.
not an allergy but just that your body doesn't like it, so it feels like an allergy with no visible symptoms.
I know I have a problem because I cannot get my muscles to ache post exercise.
When I'm feeling okay this is not a problem, if I push myself then the pain in the muscles Predominantly the quads will last for up to 5 days post exercise.
Try as I might at the moment I cannot introduce this.
From the OP's history They are on a blood medication?
I am on a non-statin anti-cholesterol.
Blood anticoagulant.
Medication to lower my BP.

if you can't induce lasting muscle pain post exercise but you ache when not exercising it's a very depressing thing.

I keep going because I think that when I finally can diagnose what medication is causing the problem then the problem will go away in just after two weeks post ceasing taking the offending med.
But I have no chance of doing this at the moment with the current situation we are going through.
I live in Hope of better days ahead.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
reohn2
Posts: 45158
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Do you always 'hurt'?

Post by reohn2 »

Foxy
I don't know how old you are but it doesn't get any easier the older you get.
The best pain relief I've ever encountered is during meditation,the mind and body pain disolves,but it doesn't come overnight it takes some persistent work to achieve.
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
User avatar
foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Do you always 'hurt'?

Post by foxyrider »

i'm not currently on any any medication NA, i stopped taking Rivaroxiban @ 18 months ago as it was causing me more issues than it helped, in fact i'm pretty sure it wasn't doing anything useful.

I know getting older can be a factor but i'm only middleaged (57), well for how long i plan on being around :lol:

I guess it could just be stuff repairing itself, i suppose i do give my body a hammering, a gentle ride is four hours, a short walk, 5-6 miles, i mean, other than utility usage its not worth getting the bike out for less than forty miles is it? :lol: And yes, i know i should do more stretching, i've just started running again so i'm doing a bit more, it used to be part of my work but now i need to make a conscious effort :(
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Carlton green
Posts: 3645
Joined: 22 Jun 2019, 12:27pm

Re: Do you always 'hurt'?

Post by Carlton green »

foxyrider wrote:It occurred to me the other day that my default level of existence always involves some level of 'hurt'. I don't mean the result of an injury or disease but rather a low level of muscle / joint pain, not debilitating but always present. This is different to exercise fatigue, i'm aware of it laid in bed, sat on the sofa or walking around the house. TBH, i can't recall a time, at least since my teens, when this wasn't so.

Is this 'normal'? Do other people have this? Am i just weird? (on second thoughts don't answer that :lol: )

I do exercise a fair bit and have done since my early teens, most weeks will have a mix of pedestrian and cycle activity totalling @ 18 hours, at the last check up i was given a clean bill of health, i'm in my Heinz year and weigh in @ 82kg.


I’ve not expertise in such things but hard exercise, for me, can result in some pain caused by inflammation. Inflammation of back muscles has seen me out off action for several days but eventually I realised what the problem was and took anti-inflammatory tablets. Similar with cycling and walking a great distance, hence the long used remedy of a nice hot bath to relax in after a hard day out. I just wonder whether some residual level of constant inflammation has become normal for your body, for whatever reason, and whether there is any way to change that.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
mattsccm
Posts: 5101
Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: Do you always 'hurt'?

Post by mattsccm »

Foxy. Are you me? Same age and near weight.
Anyway yes, something always hurts. Joint damage, pushing too hard, arthritis, injury past and present. Don't look forward to old age at all.
cotswolds
Posts: 287
Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 10:47am

Re: Do you always 'hurt'?

Post by cotswolds »

foxyrider wrote:I guess it could just be stuff repairing itself, i suppose i do give my body a hammering, a gentle ride is four hours, a short walk, 5-6 miles, i mean, other than utility usage its not worth getting the bike out for less than forty miles is it? :lol: And yes, i know i should do more stretching, i've just started running again so i'm doing a bit more, it used to be part of my work but now i need to make a conscious effort :(


I started running in my early 40s, got a pain in both knees, not terrible, but really ached lying in bed. Went to see GP, described pain, he said "Both knees? It's arthritis, stop running", so I did.

Early 50s did a bit of running initially just training for one particular event. Trained with a running club, learnt about stretching, knees were fine, no arthritis, improved to be quite a good club runner doing good for age times.

Things I've learnt:

1. GPs are weak at diagnosing musculoskeletal problems, they use generalised rules which work 80% of the time, but that leaves quite a lot of incorrect diagnoses. This is particularly true for very active people, who are untypical of the general population. Sports physios are better (they're used to seeing people who exercise).

2. Recovery is as important as exercise. Your body needs time, energy and correct nutrition to repair damage. Allow 48 hours between serious exercise (that's slightly simplified, if you know what you're doing you can do different exercise on consecutive days).

3. Stretching can make a world of difference.

4. You can do nearly as much as you age, but recovery takes longer.

5. Muscles heal fairly quickly (good blood supply) - 2 days after normal training, 8 weeks for real injury. Tendons heal slowly (poor blood supply), months or more. Joints don't really heal, you just take things to reduce the pain. But "joint pain" can come from the joint itself or things round the joint (which will heal eventually).

6. Use anti-inflammatories - Ibuprofen etc - with care. If they work it's because inflammation is present (duh). If the inflammation is in the joint they may be the only way you can keep functioning. But if you have an inflamed muscle, your body is telling you something, let it recover, don't use pain killers to exercise through it.

Because of your age, you will have real trouble getting a good diagnosis. My guess is you've always ached because you've never given your body enough rest. Resting now will let your body recover. But you may (or may not) also have arthritis, which won't get better with rest.

Take care with the running. Build up intensity and duration very slowly. Nearly all beginner runners get injuries as their bodies adapt to the new stresses. Your cycling fitness will make it much easier for you to over do it.

HTH
User avatar
NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Do you always 'hurt'?

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
foxyrider wrote:i'm not currently on any any medication NA, i stopped taking Rivaroxiban @ 18 months ago as it was causing me more issues than it helped, in fact i'm pretty sure it wasn't doing anything useful.

I know getting older can be a factor but i'm only middleaged (57), well for how long i plan on being around :lol:

Foxy, I suffer from PAD in lower right leg as a result of loosing my spleen (raised platelet count) at 23, the effects came on whilst I was in hospital.
Took me much time and frustration to get surgeons / doctors to believe I had a problem which was fixed by repair to my leg artery.
To return 35 years later hence the taking of anticoagulant.
Yes there are side effects.

Itching in my lower legs and behind my knee, with a rash under the skin, unexplained diarrhea, muscle aches, joint aches and worst tendons are sore, lethargy, and post exercise last night a red rash on my chest inner arms.
Time to go back to the GP, been putting it of because of latest outbreak.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
Gearoidmuar
Posts: 2347
Joined: 29 Sep 2007, 7:35pm
Location: Cork, Ireland. Corcaigh, Éire má tá Gaeilge agat.

Re: Do you always 'hurt'?

Post by Gearoidmuar »

I've been cycling for 40y and a lot of the time I've had aches etc., but I'll tell you something about knees. I've a post about Catalyst pedals etc., on this Health and Fitness forum.
I've gone from having problem knees, both hurting in bed at night, to zero pain for months by changing my foot position to a centrefoot overaxle position. You can do this most comfortably with Catalyst pedals, but ordinary flats will achieve the same effect with slightly less foot comfort. You do NOT sacrifice power.
mikeymo
Posts: 2299
Joined: 27 Sep 2016, 6:23pm

Re: Do you always 'hurt'?

Post by mikeymo »

Gearoidmuar wrote:I've been cycling for 40y and a lot of the time I've had aches etc., but I'll tell you something about knees. I've a post about Catalyst pedals etc., on this Health and Fitness forum.
I've gone from having problem knees, both hurting in bed at night, to zero pain for months by changing my foot position to a centrefoot overaxle position. You can do this most comfortably with Catalyst pedals, but ordinary flats will achieve the same effect with slightly less foot comfort. You do NOT sacrifice power.


Did you find that you needed to change anything else when you changed to Catalyst pedals? Such as saddle position, seat post layback, stem length, etc.?
User avatar
foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Do you always 'hurt'?

Post by foxyrider »

Gearoidmuar wrote:I've been cycling for 40y and a lot of the time I've had aches etc., but I'll tell you something about knees. I've a post about Catalyst pedals etc., on this Health and Fitness forum.
I've gone from having problem knees, both hurting in bed at night, to zero pain for months by changing my foot position to a centrefoot overaxle position. You can do this most comfortably with Catalyst pedals, but ordinary flats will achieve the same effect with slightly less foot comfort. You do NOT sacrifice power.


How do you conclude that you don't sacrifice power? have you checked with a meter?
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
User avatar
al_yrpal
Posts: 11537
Joined: 25 Jul 2007, 9:47pm
Location: Think Cheddar and Cider
Contact:

Re: Do you always 'hurt'?

Post by al_yrpal »

Not so much now I have a Pedelec :wink: .
No pain in the feet knees or hips, I get a bit of lower back pain after a long ride but it soon goes and I have always suffered saddle related pain after long days too. Its true you cycle longer distances than normal with a Pedelec but its severely limited by the battery. I would like to have an ebike with a true comfortable 60 to 70 mile range. I am tempted to flog one of my other bikes to buy a spare battery which would make the e bike truly tourable for me. I am unfortunately clearly on the downward slope of strength and ability.

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
GLJoe
Posts: 9
Joined: 26 May 2020, 11:05am

Re: Do you always 'hurt'?

Post by GLJoe »

It occurred to me the other day that my default level of existence always involves some level of 'hurt'. I don't mean the result of an injury or disease but rather a low level of muscle / joint pain, not debilitating but always present. This is different to exercise fatigue, i'm aware of it laid in bed, sat on the sofa or walking around the house. TBH, i can't recall a time, at least since my teens, when this wasn't so.

Is this 'normal'


You are describing one of the symptoms of someone who has a low level autoimmune disorder and/or an intolerance to certain foodstuffs.
I too can relate to what you are describing and like many, I also put it down to 'that's just how it is' or 'old age doesn't come alone' etc. However a few years ago, I happened to change my diet for other, unrelated reasons, and after a month or so, suddenly realised that one of the side effects was that I wasn't aching any more - it was a revelation!
Since then, I've spent a LOT of time researching diet and health matters, and I've been shocked as to how common food intolerance are. I'm not talking about allergies that have a far more severe reaction, but intolerance is far more insidious and its surprising how many people suffer from one or more, but often don't even realise it - because often you can still function fairly well, its just that either you go through life sub-optimally, or worse, it's damaging you slowly and progressively, often over decades.

It would be well worth trying some kind of elimination diet to see if that helps. The two culprits that are by FAR the most common causes are gluten and dairy. If you're serious about trying to find out what the cause is, its a bit of a no brainer in starting off with the low hanging fruit and eliminating those two for 3-4 weeks as an experiment.
It might of course be other things (nightshade plants - tomoatoes/potatoes etc are also common causes of low level joint inflammation and aching), however start with the two big ones and see what happens.
Post Reply