Are you 50 yet?

I'm sorta' kidding... the inside "kidding" is, with age, comes the dreaded "A" word...actually, there are 3 "A" words.

Age-appropriate Athletic Arthritis...

I've made up the term, but I think it best describes the process. It is a place where all middle-aged "glam-jokes" eventually reside. Richer or poorer, we all come to worship the Tylenol bottle and ice at one point in our athletic careers. Can I get an amen?

To state the obvious: Arthritis is just an inflamation of a joint/joints. As you get older, you body becomes more sensitive to everyday"inflamations" until you notice it on a "cronic" or consistant basis. The body/joints gets better as the day wears on (usually an hour or so after you wake up stiff).

My "AAA" never bother me while doing any of my favorite activities, but, there are some mornings when I awaken to a nasty, ugly reality...I'm 51, I'm stiff, I hurt, but, guess what? The best thing I can do is get up, get going, and shake it off!
Then...go out, mix it up, do my best time, climb, sprint, do yoga.

Waking up stiff...It's just another cycle within the cycle and it's all part of the ride.

Actually, you may not be doing ANYTHING directly to your knees at all, but, then again, you may need to check your gear, shoes, ect. and make sure everything is in good shape for ride/hike. How often do you strength train your legs? Do you stretch before riding/hiking? Do you rest 48 hours after pummeling the body on a ride or hike? Think about the process and you may find the answer to your body's waking up stiff around a knee.

Terry