I have done the same with sports injuries and while I got away with it in my 20's and 30's I can't get away with it now in my late 50's. I know the feeling all too well of wanting to be active in a sport/hobby that you love and instead having to "rest and heal" I have a doctors appointment coming up for some unexplained (no trauma) knee pain that coincides with my new love of riding bicycles. The bike is setup right to the best of my knowledge and I'm trying for more RPM instead of torque but the pain is a concern. Some mornings the day after a 20mi. ride I can barely put weight on my right knee but it is not swollen. I have also found healing after surgery to very slow now at my age. Just wanted to sympathize.