Originally Posted by
McBTC
Or, an x-ray... thinking for quite a while I had a groin-pull, I was awakened to the fact I had moderate osteo in my left hip. Now, I must pay attention to ride within my new limitations or require more medical intervention than just cutting back and taking Aleve...
The advice is, you still need exercise and depending on your circumstances, it might be possible to kick back a little bit and take some pain reliever and keep riding as opposed to requiring surgery... but, at least for a period of time, it is good to know we picked the right sport - cycling is the best exercise you can do, even if you're starting to get arthritis.
"Starting to get arthritis?"
I don't have a skeletal system. I have a mass of more or less articulated arthritis. While I don't disagree with your estimation of cycling, I caution against too much pain reliever. I had what I suspect was the same symptom you describe. Ibuprofin wasn't doing it, so I got a steroid injection in that hip joint. Because of that, I had to wait three months more to get a hip replacement, and lost half a season of riding, or even walking. Since having the hip replaced, it's been full speed ahead. Hip surgery is nothing to put off, and while I agree that surgery is to be generally avoided, I desperately wish I had not tried so hard to avoid it.
Ibuprofin (Aleve, Advil, etc.) is wonderful stuff—but it is
hell on your kidneys (any NSAID is). I know this from bitter experience (chronic pain sufferer). If you are taking more than 3-4 a week, you need to find an alternative. Physical therapy can help, may postpone surgery for a long time. But there comes a point when it is time to bite the bullet and see a sawbones. Assuming you are otherwise in good health (bike riding!) hip surgery, properly done, is a life changer.