Originally Posted by canklecat

Some folks I ride with occasionally have some pretty obvious impediments to cycling, but they manage despite it. One fellow has toothpick legs with atrophied muscles and wears braces. He spins easily and keeps up with most casual group rides of 10-12 mph.

Another fellow appears to have a deformed leg, not really sure of the details. He has some modifications to his shoes or cleats and pedals. It looks awkward but he's young and generally stronger and faster than I am.

Another fellow my age has some kind of knee problem and occasionally flares it outward like a chicken wing. Not sure what the issue is. He's also a little stronger and faster than I am.

I've seen a couple of older fellows using e-assist road bikes too. Kinda fun because when one of them pulls ahead it's very smooth and easy to draft. I've set a few new Strava PRs drafting those fellows on e-bikes.

With orthopod devices, physical therapy, anti-inflammatories and bike mods, you should be able to continue riding. Might just require some adjustments to pedaling style -- spinning easily, and either compromising on a slower speed or using an e-bike to assist on climbs and into headwinds.