Riding with arthritis

I cannot offer much advice in the face of what brucey72 has said, which shows what can be done if you want to do it badly enough.
I was born with 'talipes' - a congenital condition which (long story short) has meant umpteen ops on feet, knees and ankles to try to relieve some of the problems.
I now have very bad arthritis in both feet and ankles (where there is little in the way of a proper 'joint' anyway).
However, thanks to NSAIDs (Ibuprofen/Voltarol-type chemicals) I can do more or less whatever I like on a bike.
I cannot run and can only walk ~5 miles, but ride - well thats up to me.
See what you can do BUT DON'T OVERDO IT until you know your limits - there is pain thru which you can get over and there is the bad sort which is not worth visiting...
See your Doc for some anti-inflammatory drugs like 'Arcoxia' (doesn't rot the stomach over a long period) and some decent pain killers (Co-drydamol for when its v bad) if you want to go that route.

Good luck.

pbracing wrote:

One other question I have is about fatigue and recovery, and how it affects your domestic situations.
If I need a couple of days full rest after riding, (I do suffer a bit with proper fatigue, plus the co-dydramol make me drowsy), I feel bad at leaving it up to my wife to do the chores. I've got a 1 1/2 year old boy also. And there's not a lot of sympathy (understanding) when it's self inflicted. How do you chaps bridge this?

Balancing act!
If you overdo it you're out of the domestic/work loop until you can cope again, but if your immediate family and friends are willing take that on board then .
If you keep on overdoing it so that you become a liability then i) you are not doing yourself any long term favours health-wise and ii) even the best tempered of family will begin to question your actions, leading to discord.

Make sure EVERY little factor to do with your bike, your kit, your type and duration of ride (including the route itself in terms of difficulty, stress etc...) is set up as well as it can be so that the pain induced by your riding is kept at the absolute minimum. That way, chemical support can be kept low.
What you definitely DO NOT want to do is start taking Cods BEFORE you go out - you will overdo it and have to take more to overcome the extra grief, leading to the sort of spiral you don't need.
Don't try and be 'hard' by going out unprotected. It makes me laugh when I see people out in the frost in lycra shorts but loads of kit on top. Stay warm, especially knees and feet.
Make sure you 'recover' properly in terms of hydration/diet etc. Short-term aches and pains are normal after a tough outing but these can be alleviated by appropriate eating /drinking/massage etc. Arthritic pain on top makes recovery more long-term (days as opposed to hours, as you know).
Find that limit where the riding is fun, and there is the least possible grief.

Oh, as well.... I could never say, hand on heart, that it did anything for me, but try the liquid forms of glucosamine and/or chondritin preparations, from the 'net or health shops. Some people I know have had some relief using them. Avoid the tablets tho' - they go through without releasing all of the dose.Sorry to go on a bit, but it's all based upon personal experience and what happens to me won't be the same for you, but if any of it is any use, then WTF.
Every little helps...

Check on the previous threads relating to building up your abilities.
In my case its a steady increase in distance and difficulty until I am happy with my stamina in order to do a decent ride, but, as I am riding more or less for myself, that's not the same for someone who has a specific target (local club run; Marmotte etc).
In your case, you may find that the condition steps in and reminds you that you're doing too much at that time.
You'll need to find out your own limits in your own way - just don't get injured doing it.
Enjoy.