I first fell in love with BMX racing after accepting a challenge from my son when I was in my 40s. He was an active BMX competitor, and after continual sideline coaching, he proclaimed, “If you think this is so easy, why don’t you try it?”
Never one to say no to a challenge, I accepted his offer and participated in my first race on Mother’s Day in 1988. I’ve been hooked ever since.
Now, at 69, I am the oldest female competitor in the sport in the United States, and although I’m competing against women nearly half my age, I don’t let that stop me.
[See: How to Practice Yoga When You Have Arthritis or Another Chronic Condition.]
Staying active has always been part of my life, despite consistently having pain from osteoarthritis in my hips and knees since my 20s. I’m not alone. OA is the most common form of arthritis and affects more than 30 million U.S. adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Age has a way of letting you know that you’re not necessarily in charge of your body — as is clear with my OA.
My physical pain from OA became worse, and I noticed I would shift my weight on the bike and change the position of my body to help reduce the pain. It wasn’t the most efficient way to ride, and it impacted my performance.
Decades later, despite my active lifestyle, the pain became more intense. I could no longer ride through the pain and even everyday activities, such as getting out of bed, became nearly impossible.
[See: Osteoarthritis and Activity: Walking It Out.]
The pain began to mess with my mind, and while my physical pain increased, it was compounded by emotional pain. After two years of battling my body and fighting the pain when I rode, I had to make a change. I spoke to a series of doctors, and we jointly determined that replacement surgery on both of my knees and hips was the right option for me. First my hips, then my knees — all within a 12-month period.
Everyone’s recovery is different, but I worked really hard because I had a goal of getting back on my bike; therefore, my rehabilitation period was rather quick. I credit my never-back-down attitude and active lifestyle before surgery, and even my doctor has told me that keeping my muscles active, even when my knees and hips were literally bone on bone, helped me have a smooth surgery and recovery.
As we get older, we may start having problems with our bodies. For me, it was joint pain. But since getting both my hips and knees replaced, I am no longer living my life on pause or missing out on the activities I love.
[See: 8 Lesser-Known Ways to Ruin Your Joints.]
It’s a whole new world out there. There isn’t anything I feel like I can’t do in terms of movement: squatting, exercising and BMX racing. Even doing activities that most take for granted, like walking down the stairs, are a joy.
Our bodies were built to move, and if we don’t continue to move, our bodies will feel it — and I believe our minds will, too.
More from U.S. News
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7 Exercises You Can Do Now to Save Your Knees Later
Exercising After You’ve Gone Under (the Knife, That Is)
The Oldest Female BMX Racer in the Country Doesn’t Let Osteoarthritis Hold Her Back originally appeared on usnews.com
