Whether it’s outdoors or in a spinning class, biking can help prevent knee arthritis and pain.
People who cycled at any point in their lives were 17% less likely to develop knee pain and develop painful arthritis in the knee joint, according to an analysis of data from more than 2,600 people in their 60s. 21% less likely. The report was published earlier this month. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.
“Based on our observational study, we found that lifelong cycling is associated with improved knee health, including less knee pain and joint damage.” said lead author Dr. Grace Roe, chief of rheumatology at Michael E. DeBakey Hospital. Houston VA Medical Center. “The more time you ride a bike in your life, the less likely you are to experience knee pain and signs of osteoarthritis.”
From a more personal perspective, Lo says: “Thanks to the research results, we feel it’s a really good thing to have children ride bikes on a regular basis, and we’ll continue to encourage this activity.” I’m also happy with my bike, and I ride my bike every chance I get. ” Roe is also an associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
Riding a bicycle strengthens the muscles around your knees.
People with knee arthritis are often told by doctors to keep their joints moving, but until now it hasn’t been clear what activities are best for doing so. New research suggests that bicycling may strengthen the muscles around your knees without the downside of the impact on the joints that activities such as running can cause.
Lo and her colleagues focused on a subset of volunteers from a larger study. osteoarthritis initiativewas a multicenter observational study of people aged 45 to 79 years, some with knee arthritis and some without.
As part of the new study, eight years after the original study, participants completed a questionnaire asking about their leisure-time physical activity during four periods of their lives.
-
From 12 to 18 years old.
-
From 19 to 34.
-
From 35 to 49.
-
Over 50 years old.
For each time period, participants were asked how often they cycled. More than half of them cycled consistently at some point in their lives.
The data from this study alone cannot explain why bicycling is protective. However, Lowe says that most people who rode bicycles between the ages of 12 and 18 did so, and even if they didn’t continue to ride, their quadriceps muscles were strengthened and developed. I doubt that it persisted.
Riding a bicycle can be very protective of your body since it won’t hurt your joints.
“We know that non-weight-bearing activities are less likely to cause pain,” Lo says. “Maybe that’s why cycling hurts less than other activities.”
Lowe says there’s no research to determine which is better when it comes to outside or inside pedaling. It’s simply a matter of personal preference and convenience.
“This is a very exciting study,” said Dr. Andrew Gregory, associate professor of orthopedic neurosurgery and pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. “This is advice we often give out, but it’s good to be able to back it up with evidence.”
Activities that move your knees help keep your cartilage healthy.
“Joint movement is very important because it feeds the cartilage,” Gregory said, adding that this part of the knee doesn’t have its own blood supply.
Which is better for your knees: cycling or running?
Gregory said the big advantage of cycling over running is that it doesn’t hurt your knees. In fact, he added, people with knee arthritis probably shouldn’t run.
Additionally, cycling strengthens important muscle groups that running doesn’t.
“Running works a range of muscles, including your hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves,” Gregory explained. “Biking strengthens your glutes and keeps your hips and knees strong, which is helpful as it affects side-to-side movement.”
Without strong muscles on the sides of your legs, your knees are more susceptible to injury.
The new study does not suggest how often people should ride their bikes. But for that, it may be better to rely on general recommendations about how much activity is healthy, says Dr. Kristin Peoples, clinical associate professor of rheumatology at the University of Pittsburgh.
“If you’re not active right now, I think you should start slow and do some slow, low-intensity pedal cycling two to three times a week,” she said. Then she gradually increases the intensity. ”
Research has limitations. Dr. Scott Barbuto, assistant professor of rehabilitation and regenerative medicine at the Columbia University Valléros College of Physicians and Surgeons, said there is no proof that cycling is effective for improving knees, but that there is no link between cycling and reduced pain or joint damage. He said he was just showing a connection. in New York City.
If the study is retrospective, meaning the data is examined after the fact, “you can never talk about cause and effect,” he added. “And the authors note this as a limitation of the study.”
Still, because arthritis takes so long to develop, it’s not feasible to conduct a prospective trial that randomly assigns participants to ride or not cycle, Barbuto said.
What effect does riding a bicycle have on your knees?
Non-concussive exercise may trigger the production of factors that limit the progression of inflammation, Barbuto said. It also strengthens the leg muscles that support the knees. Additionally, your joints will not be subject to the impact stress that occurs when running.
Rehabilitation for arthritic knees includes physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around the joint.
