This may be more of a rhetorical question, but it's something that's been bugging me. I'm 50 years old, I have a really sedentary job and a bad knee. So during the winter I tend to get a little out of shape. I do 30 minute walks daily, weather permitting, and I do steps when my knee will allow it. Recently I had an unusually bad knee period where I could not do steps. Then there was a period where I could only go up the steps, and not down until the inflammation passed. Doctor told me to take it easy on the knee and avoid loading it or doing any high-impact exercises. Doctor prescribed tendon stretching and core exercises, which I've been doing on and off but they're not really aerobic. Anyway, it's biking season again so I've been out biking, which my knee can tolerate. First I biked on weekends, then I got a folding bike that fits under the desk in my cubicle and I've been riding that 3-4 days per week (weather permitting) at lunch to build up quads, which the doc said would help the knee in the long run. I've been doing this for about a month and I still don't seem to have the stamina I should. I notice each spring it's taking a little longer to get into biking shape. I used to be able to bike 40 miles and barely notice after 4 or 5 weeks, but I'm still huffing and puffing a little at 15. My heart is in good shape (I've had stress test & EKG), I have a little asthma that's easily controlled and very borderline high blood pressure that I started treating late last summer with a low dose of bp medicines, so I'm wondering is this just normal for getting older? I thought it might be the blood pressure medicine but I didn't notice a big difference last fall when I started taking it. Doctor says as long as the BP isn't dropping too low I shouldn't notice, but so far it's just been difficult this spring.
