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Exercise bikes for a low stress
work out
An exercise bike is
gentle on
the low back
Many people with low back
pain have
trouble finding the right form of exercise that provides a good aerobic
workout and is still gentle enough for their back. Aerobic exercise
helps
to condition and strengthen the muscles and keep the spinal structures
healthy, which in turn helps to reduce back pain. In addition, there is
research indicating that doing exercise on stationary bikes may
actually
reduce some patients’ perception of chronic low back pain (1).
Often, after trying an
overly-intensive
or high-impact exercise program, it is natural for patients to become
discouraged
and hesitant to seek out other forms of aerobic exercise. Other
patients
may avoid exercise entirely for fear that it will aggravate their low
back
pain. The key is to find a mode of exercise that is comfortable and
helps
to heal a sore back. For many patients, using an exercise bike is an
excellent
option for a low stress work out.
Health benefits of
riding stationary
exercise bikes
Riding on a stationary
exercise
bike provides a variety of health benefits, and tends to be
particularly
suitable for people with certain types of back conditions.
- Exercise biking
provides a gentle,
low-impact workout without putting too much stress on the spine.
Although
some forms of exercise may be too rough for patients experiencing low
back
pain (such as running or even biking on the road), riding a stationary
exercise bike allows patients to engage in exercise without jarring the
spine.
- The exercise bike
is
often more comfortable
for certain back conditions. While it is not universally true, some
patients with the following conditions tend to find that an exercise
bike
provides a tolerable form of aerobic exercise:
Spinal
stenosis:
For patients
with spinal stenosis, leaning forward on an upright exercise bike
(rather
than a recumbent bike) is an ideal form of aerobic exercise, as they
tend
to feel more comfortable flexed forward rather than sitting or standing
up straight.
Osteoarthritis:
Patients who
have osteoarthritis may find that stationary biking keeps their joints
flexible, reduces stiffness and strengthens the muscles that support
the
joints, while still being comfortable and low impact.
- Riding an
exercise
bike strengthens
major muscle groups to improve back support. Riding an exercise
bicycle
strengthens the leg and thigh muscles, including the hamstrings in the
back of the thigh. While riding the bike, there are two components to
the
stroke: the push and the pull. Both strokes are important, as pushing
down
on the pedals requires the use of the quadriceps, while the pull motion
works the hamstrings. It is often helpful to picture the foot going in
a circle, pushing on the down-stroke and pulling on the up-stroke.
While riding exercise bikes
doesn’t
specifically target the abs and back muscles, these muscle groups help
keep the body in the proper position by aligning the pelvis and
preventing
hyperextension of the back. Maintaining good control of the abdominal
and
back muscles is especially important when using an upright exercise
bike
(as opposed to a recumbent model). To work the abdominal muscles even
more,
patients can focus on tightening them as they ride.
- Using exercise
bikes
improves muscular
flexibility and range of motion. Muscles and ligaments that aren't
conditioned through regular exercise can contract and spasm, increasing
stiffness and discomfort. Riding an exercise bike improves the
flexibility
of leg muscles (especially the hamstrings), which further reduces low
back
pain from muscle strain. Importantly, patients should also stretch
their
hamstrings twice each day on a regular basis to help reduce stress on
the
low back. Regular exercise, such as stationary biking, also helps
maintain
the range of motion and flexibility of the many joints in the spine,
which
can become stiff and painful with disuse.
- Aerobic exercise
on
stationary bikes
improves cardiovascular health and circulation. An exercise bike
provides
a gentle form of cardiovascular activity. Aerobic exercise stimulates
the
capillaries in the muscles, which helps oxygen and nutrients to be more
easily delivered to the muscles. With better circulation, strained
muscles
and other soft tissue problems in the low back are able to heal more
quickly.
In general, aerobic exercise
is an excellent
pain fighter. Any form of aerobic exercise increases the body’s release
of endorphins, a natural pain blocker. Endorphins also serve to help
reduce
anxiety, stress and depression, all of which are common for people
suffering
from ongoing back pain.
In fact, one study shows
that stationary
exercise biking may alter pain perception. Although more research is
needed
on the topic of pain perception and aerobic exercise, a study presented
to the American College of Sports Medicine in 2000 by Martin Hoffman,
M.D.
showed that riding an exercise bike helped reduce the discomfort of
patients
suffering from chronic low back pain. The study found that after riding
an exercise bike at a moderate intensity for up to thirty minutes,
patients
reported feeling less pain after riding than they did before riding
(1).
Based on the preliminary results of this small study, exercise biking
and
other gentle forms of exercise may be helpful in reducing patients’
perception
and feelings of pain.
In addition to exercise
bikes, there
are many other forms of exercise that usually do not place too much
stress
on the spine. Examples of low impact, low stress forms of aerobic
exercise
include exercise walking, yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, aquatic therapy or
swimming.
As with any exercise
program, consult
a physician before beginning to make sure that the program is
appropriate,
safe and effective.
from www.spine-health.com
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