Drop bars are a good choice because there are plenty of hand positions to move between. Being older the lean can be more of a problem. I ride with bars and seat level instead of a more leaned forward position. Some would call this a touring bike position. As the handlebars become higher the seat then need to be wider some for proper support. This is just a little info and you will need to experiment with riding position to see what helps you. More members will chime in and you should give more info on what hurts.