Tour de France

It is that time of year again! Yes, the Stars and Stripes Fun Run is over, baseball season has concluded, TSSAA is in a dead period, the City Pool has been open for over a month now and we still have 54 days until the Vols football season opener. “What else is there?” you might be asking.

Actually, there is something else, though it isn’t happening in our country. The bicycle race of all bicycle races, the annual Tour de France, is now in action. This 21-day bike ride totals 2200 miles in its entirety. Riders travel an average of 100 miles per day, climb some of the steepest mountains in France and have to be on guard constantly to avoid crashing with 100 other riders.

While most of us will not be pumping up the tires, putting on brightly-colored spandex, making the trip overseas and riding up and down the French Pyrenees Mountains, some of you might be inspired to start riding locally for exercise.

There are some great health benefits to bicycling. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that bicycling is a good alternative for people with osteoarthritis of the knees and hips. It’s a low impact activity, great on the joints and helps build the quad muscle on the front of the thigh, which helps absorb impact around the knee. Biking is also a great cardiovascular exercise that elevates the heart rate and improves endurance. You can begin burning fat after 20 minutes of riding. Additionally, riding a bike improves balance and strengthens the core muscles.

Before hopping on the saddle, there are a few risks that everyone should consider. The bike should be in good shape with tires pumped up and a good brake system. Seat height is very important for both safety and comfort. If the seat is too low, it will place significant pressure between the knee cap and the upper leg bones. The seat should be high enough to decrease knee pressure with the leg slightly bent at the knee when the pedal is fully down. Most importantly, you should always be able to safely dismount at stop signs or in any event where caution is needed.

Most bikes require leaning forward to the handle bars. If you have low back pain with sitting, there is a high risk that bicycling will increase this pain. Squeezing your shoulder blades together and bringing your chest forward can improve posture and help you avoid the back pain. Bike stores can raise the “stem” that connects the handle bars to the bike, which can also help to avoid the bent forward position.

Always remember to wear a helmet; helmets save lives. Be sure that your bike has reflectors but try to avoid night riding, as well as when the sun is rising or setting. Pick routes that do not have blind turns.

So, even if Lance Armstrong does not win his 8th Tour de France this year, you can win the race against obesity, diabetes, arthritis, and cardiopulmonary conditions with bicycling as part of your regular physical activity routine.

Zach Sutton DPT, MS, OCS