Fitness

Cycling is Good For Your Knees – BionicOldGuy

15 August 2024
Bourahima


I’ve known this for some time but it was good to see it confirmed in a recent study [1]. Thanks to Clarence Bass for reporting this study on his website and discussing it here. The main conclusion of the study was “This study indicates that bicycling may be favorable to knee health and should be encouraged”. I would add the caveat that biking is better for your knees if you avoid “grinding” in high gears. Also, Clarence has mentioned on his site that in his own case he has avoided cycling on the roads for many years after being struck by a motor vehicle. I would recommend stationary cycling for people in that category. I have an inexpensive stationary recumbent cycle I found online that works fine for me. I do prefer being outdoors, so I take various measures to make riding there safer (avoid riding at night, don’t use busy roads that don’t have bike lanes, and ride defensively- assume motorists don’t see you). Other tips for safe urban cycling are given here.

References

  1. Lo, G, et al, “Bicycling Over A Lifetime Is Associated With Less Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis: Data From The Osteoarthritis Initiative”, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, April, 2024. (https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/abstract/9900/bicycling_over_a_lifetime_is_associated_with_less.512.aspx)

Published by BionicOldGuy

I am a Mechanical Engineer born in 1953, Ph. D, Stanford, 1980. I have been active in the mechanical CAE field for decades. I also have a lifelong interest in outdoor activities and fitness. I have had both hips replaced and a heart valve replacement due to a genetic condition. This blog chronicles my adventures in staying active despite these bumps in the road.

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