Hi,
Had a recent x ray which has shown I have the start of arthritis in both hips, the physio recommends I carry on cycling and try and put up with the discomfort (pain after cycling in that area)what do you think?
I’m 45 and gutted 😥

Keep riding, and never give up hope. The treatments for arthritis have improved dramatically and if all else fails you can get titanium hips.

Good luck.
May I recommend, though, that you also gently ask to be checked for FAI?
Hip FAI

I’m 43 and was diagnosed with FAI in both hips at 41.
Very common – especially in ‘still active’ fortysomethings.

I’m currently just at the end of time off work after having the second one operated on at the end of November.
Much better now.
It’s not to say its not ‘only’ arthritis, but sometimes they go hand in hand and FAI is still relatively difficult to be spotted unless looked for specifically.

Thanks for the replies, i’m going to continue cycling but without the jumps, i’m off for an MRI scan in the new year as im experiencing pins and needles in the same area and the physio explained that the arthritis should’t cause this. Would road cycling instead of mtb have less chance of damaging my hips any further?

I have arthritis in both knees, doesn’t really stop me doing anything. When I was diagnosed the Dr said that a lot of people have arthritis and will never notice any ill effects so it’s not a total game stopper.

I was diagnosed with Hip FAI when I was 33. Five years and 3 ops later I’m back riding my bike after five years of not riding. Dont give up. Make sure iys checked for by someone who knows what to look for. Its easily diagnosed by those that know but very hard for those that dont look. Whereabouts do you live and have you seen a specialist?

I’m based in leeds and i set to see dr james brown who i believe is very good, ill ask the question, cheers for the reply.

I was Diagnosed with perthese when I was 8 years old and lived in severe discomfort for most of my life (for those who don’t know google it), I have had arthritis in both my hips since I was diagnosed. Roll on 28 years later I had a hip replacement at 36 because I couldn’t cope with the pain anymore. That was 2 years ago.
This was the best thing I ever did, pain free cycling ever since.. Don’t give up , these things can be overcome with a little help from doctors nurses and a positive attitude.
Although I’m now off the bike for a while because of shoulder problems……… 😥
Good luck.

I’m 41, I started getting hip pain 4 years ago. Diagnosed a year ago with arthritis and FAI in both hips, torn labrum in one and ankylosing spondilits. Initial talk was to have an arthroscopy on the tear and FAI in one hip.

One year on I’m not sure about the surgery. The consultant is happy for me to keep doing what I can and review in a year, or earlier if needed. Then possibly go for the op.

In the meantime I managing things with Pilates, swimming, cycling and osteopathy. Working on glute strength in particular. All with the ok from the consultant. The pain is less than it was 3 or so years ago.

One day I’ll go for the op, with the peace of mind that my specific exercises have been good pre-hab

Tips:

Keep moving.

I find diet helps. Try to keep the diet as alkaline as possible.

Find the best Orthopaedic consultant you can, there are some real good ones out there. Check out http://www.richardvillar.com/

A good book: Heal Your Hips

Good luck.

Extra:

My hip injury causes tension in the surrounding soft tissue. A foam roller is helpful. Focusing on:

ITB
Piriformis
QL quadratus lumborum

Armo,my recommendations would be heat,hatha Yoga and suitable nutrition.Not sure in which order but Yoga is a great help for cycling(and a nice alternative in winter).

Thanks for all the replies, really appreciate it, I’m looking at more exercises to help release the tension in surrounding muscles and stretching does tend to help ease the pain.

On a positive note, if it is arthritis, there is a lot that can be done with newer meds. I’ve suffered for about 7 years with varying responses to different meds and alternative therapies. At its worst I couldn’t get out of bed in the mornings or even pull on a brake lever..let alone contemplate getting on a bike, (this was the start of last year). I’ve since moved on to what are known as biologic treatments and can comfortably knock out 30 mile night rides and hit a bit of downhill. My life is back to about 95% normal, which is something I never thought I’d say. It’s definitely worth seeking a second opinion as the first specialist I saw told me that I just had a bit of rsi. Find out what it definitely is and start on a treatment plan, (not necessarily meds), of which Physio could be the first thing. The important thing is that it isn’t left to develop, causing possible l permanent damage.

The way I look at it is – if your hips are already gubbed, what can you possible do to make them markedly worse.

Weight bearing exercise is great for osteoarthritis,
Osteoarthritis is symptom free in a high percentage of people who have a good deal of damage to their hips,
The treatment in the overwhelming number of cases is conservative with no operations ever needed,
If the worst comes to the worst a stronger and fitter you will recover quicker than a unfit you.

And finally – having a positive attitude has been proven to improve the prognosis for osteoarthritis.

The picture below is taken from the NICE guidelines on osteoarthritis. Treatments in the middle are the ones that are tried first and are safest, as you move out they become either less effective or more dangerous.

Hatha yoga seems to be helping me with my dodgy shoulder and tight hips.I think it should also be coupled with meditation, if possible.I think as Mtbers we all develop very big but tight muscles and imbalanced frames.This of course ,leads in many cases to Arthritis. Go for the stretching/ Yoga for the winter and throttle back on the cycling.Classes or even a DVD would be a good start.

Could be worse, bloke I went to school with has just had to have a full hip replacement at 27 and was told it’ll need replacing again in 15 years, he was a scaffolder as well so it cost him his trade.

Edit: Double post.

One of my best mates (33 at the time) was crippled with athititis 6 yrs ago. And I mean crippled, he actually drove to the doctors one morning pre full diagnosis using his forearms to steady the steering wheel because holding it hurt his wrists so badly 😯
He went on an extensive trial and error programme of drugs to control it. Unfortunately some of the early drugs were serious painkillers (tramadol) and other stuff which meant he wasn’t allowed to try for children, all this happened around the time he was getting married. He still accredits his use of the pain killers to being the cause of his divorce two yrs later.
Now for the nicer side.
His controlling drugs have been reduced massively, but they still need to be taken regularly, tramadol is used very rarely if at all and he’s back to being normal. Booked snow boarding for the 3rd yr in a row the other day!

The big question is “have you been getting arthritic symptoms in both hips?”. You mention pins and needles, which as has been raised to you, isn’t typical of OA.
Just because an X-ray shows subtle changes, doesn’t mean you have arthritis…..

DrP

If it is arthritis in your hips I’d seek a few professional opinions. I’d also stop all mountain biking for now whilst researching. Sorry thats me, maybe not right but I’d go with professional opinions first to protect myself whilst researching further as I imagine there will be different types of arthritis.

Again my simple thinking but protect/future-proof yourself now could mean an extra 10yrs of mobility later.

After extensive breaks of both my legs as a child, I developed exessive wear in my right hip in my early 20s. Strangly, it was at the Grundig worlds champ in 89/90 where I was competing and had a chat with a Dr who was there (I Think, although not certain, he was with Tim Gould. If not with him he was hanging around the peugeot team). His only suggestion was, if I didnt want a hip replacement early in life, to give up MTB racing. I immedatelly switched sport to something less reliant on the hips (Boxing.. hips are ok.. face is a mess hehehe).

Anyway.. The pain sort of stabalised. Through trial and error I realized my limit.. I can run 2 miles max. I can cycle 30 miles max. I can go to the gym 3 times a week max. If I stick to that, I’m pain free. If I over do any of them, it puts me out of action for a week or so.

This has done me for the past 25 years, thankfully without any meds or medical intervention.

I guess the solution to managing this kind of problem is to still push your body to it’s comfortable limit, not past it.

thanks again for all the replies, I think I need to find my limits and stick to them, I was doing the 30 mile commute a bit too regular which was ok whilst riding but two days after I was in great pain, it seems strange as when I ride I feel nothing but afterwards it can get where I struggle to get out of a chair! The pain I get is all around my buttocks and hip flexors also alot of pins and needles in the same area which lasts for 1 week ish.
Cheers

Armo see if your Doc can refer you to Orthopaedic consultant and get an MRI. Then you’ll have the facts and can treat / manage accordingly.

The pins and needles thing you’re getting is not uncommon in folk with osteoarthritis in their hips.