Cycling can be a fantastic activity, and can indeed be great for your health. It’s far easier on the joints than running is, and this means that it can be a much better choice for some people!
Yes – Cycling Is Good For Your Knees!
Providing that you take it easy, and don’t push past your limits, cycling can be good for your knees.
In fact, cycling is pretty good for the whole body! It’s great cardiac exercise, and of course, it’s always good fun to get out in the open air!
Your lungs, heart, and muscles will all feel the benefit of cycling, as long as you do it safely.
One of the best things about cycling compared to walking, jogging, and running is that it’s far less stressful on the knee joint.
It lets you exercise your legs without the constant impact that you get when running or jogging, which can make all the difference for some people!
Cycling is not only great exercise, but it’s great for mental health too. Simply getting out of the house for a while and going on a ride does wonders for clearing the head.
And, of course, cycling gets you places far quicker than running does – meaning that it’s far easier to get a change of scenery!
Cycling doesn’t just have to be for exercise either. It’s a great mode of transport for many people, and can be far quicker than driving in some instances when you take traffic jams and congestion into account!
And there’s the fact that riding a bike can be a lot of fun.
You can ride on almost any terrain, as long as you’ve got the right bike for it – and as long as you’re riding safely, there’s nothing that beats getting up to speed and getting your head down!
As long as you ride within your limits, and make sure to pay attention to how your knees are feeling, cycling can be a great activity.
Make sure to warm up properly before riding, and remember to take rests as often as you need them.
Why Does Cycling Hurt My Knees?
Of course, that doesn’t mean that cycling can’t end up causing you any pain – and that’s not what anybody wants!
There are a few reasons why cycling can cause you knee pain, so let’s have a look at some of them.
Firstly, it’s possible that you can just push yourself too hard! If you’re riding at a higher intensity than you’re used to, then some pain can well occur in your knees as well as other parts of your body.
It can be easy to get sucked into the fun of riding, so make sure to really keep an eye on how your knees are feeling, and don’t ignore any niggles or aches.
Riding through pain is a surefire way to hurt yourself.
Likewise, if your knee is already injured or hurt, then you should make sure that you only ride if it’s medically safe to do so.
It’s better to not ride at all than to hurt yourself!
Remember to stop every so often to have a rest while riding. Even if you’re not feeling anything right now, you might well be pushing yourself too far without realizing it.
Make sure to catch your breath every chance you get, and get off the bike for at least a few minutes every hour.
Make sure to eat and drink well too! Your body needs fuel, and also needs food so that it can recover from a day’s riding.
And if you don’t drink regularly while you’re riding, you’re running the risk of seriously hurting yourself. Make sure to always carry plenty of water when you’re riding!
If you don’t have a good bike setup, then you could find that riding is uncomfortable.
If your handlebars, seat, and pedals aren’t all at the right height, and if your frame is the wrong size, then it’s possible that this can lead to pain when riding.
Make sure to ride on a bike that fits you, and that’s setup for your height, build, and needs.
Is Cycling Better Than Running?
Both cycling and running are great ways to exercise. They’re both good for your cardiovascular health, as well as your mental health.
However, running and jogging can be hard on the knees, which can make them really unpleasant for some people!
When you run, your feet hit the ground with your body weight behind them for every step you take.
This can be very painful for some people, and over time can cause or exacerbate knee damage.
In fact, running is not recommended at all for some people, as the risk of injury can be too great.
This is particularly true for people with existing knee problems and injuries.
However, cycling doesn’t affect the knees quite as much because there is much less of an effect from impacts.
When riding a bike, you can sit down, and your legs only bear weight when you’re pedaling.
They don’t have to strike the hard ground, and therefore don’t take anywhere near the abuse that they do when running!
This is why a lot of people prefer cycling to running.
It still provides you with the cardiovascular exercise you’re after, and can be a great way to help you improve how your whole body feels, including your knees – but without the high level of impacts that can cause discomfort and pain when running.
And, of course, there’s the fact that when you’re on a bike, you get to have a bit of a rest every so often – after all, you don’t have to pedal all the time!
If you stop running, you stop moving – but a bike lets you rest and let momentum and/or gravity take over and do some of the work for you!
Conclusion
As long as you take it easy, and make sure you don’t push past safe limits, cycling can be a great way to exercise, and can be better for your knees than running!
Hi, my name is Joshua Damie and I am a nutrition coach living in Colorado. Throughout my time in this profession - six years, to be exact - I have seen countless people suffering from health conditions such as digestive issues, skin disorders, heart health, and more.
These people were suffering from various different issues surrounding their ailments, which could be fixed with some professional advice. Luckily, I was able to give them this and help at least some of their troubles fade away.
My wife suffers from many joint issues, and she also feels helpless sometimes at how much they impact her life. The little relief I can give her with my professional advice is unmatched.
The sense of pride I get when I see her pain ease up slightly from my recommendation is the exact reason why I created this website. I want to help others on a wider spectrum, and the internet is the perfect way to do just that.
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