![]() You can probably walk almost anywhere, even in your own house or at a mall.Ĭycling can be very convenient if it replaces your commute to work, but it’s not so convenient if you have to take your bike on a car or public transit to get to a place where you can bike, for instance.Ĭonsider what’s easiest for you to build into your existing routine.įinally, do you have friends that walk or bike? Having other people to exercise with may make it easier for you to stick to an activity. Even if you don’t have a bike, it may benefit you to rent or borrow one and see how it feels.Īnd which one is easiest to perform? That depends on your situation. If you’re not sure which to choose, consider trying both and seeing which one you find more comfortable and enjoyable. On the other hand, walking may help with bone density and tends to cost less than cycling.īoth cycling and walking provide an excellent workout and are more low impact than other forms of exercise. SummaryĬycling can be better for burning more calories, and it helps increase your lower-body strength. You may find cycling is more comfortable for you if you have pain that gets worse in weight-bearing or upright positions. However, walking may not be better for all types of pain. limited funds to invest in a bike and related bike gear.bone density issues, such as osteoporosis.However, if you find cycling unenjoyable or uncomfortable due to back pain or even experience discomfort when sitting for prolonged periods, you might prefer to avoid it. In addition, cycling offers a chance for you to increase your lower-body strength. Who benefits from each? Who should avoid each?įor example, cycling at a moderate pace tends to burn more calories than does walking at a moderate pace. ![]() However, be sure to choose the one that feels best for any injuries you have. Summaryīoth cycling and walking are lower impact activities and can be good to perform if you have injuries. ![]() They will help you choose the exercise that best suits your needs. Speak with a healthcare professional, such as a family doctor, if you want to start walking or cycling and have injuries or other health conditions. However, if you find the bent position of cycling more painful, walking may be a better alternative. If you experience pain when you’re doing weight-bearing activities, such as walking, cycling may offer a more tolerable way to exercise. However, if you have other causes of joint pain, you might find one activity more comfortable than another ( 14). Thus, both can be good activities to perform for joint pain due to arthritis. Studies have shown that walking and cycling both helped people manage pain associated with knee osteoarthritis. However, a recent study in people with chronic low back pain showed that walking reduced pain, disability, and avoidance of activities ( 12, 13). Road cycling involves being in a flexed trunk posture for prolonged periods. However, that may depend on the injury.įor instance, one study reported a high incidence of low back pain in cyclists. Finding an activity that you can do to stay active when you’re injured is important. They can be debilitating and make it difficult for you to exercise. However, cycling tends to work your muscles harder. SummaryĬycling and walking use many of the same muscles to produce force and movement. Thus, both activities work the same muscles, but cycling tends to require the muscles to exert more force. They are the muscles that propel you in the push phase of cycling and the push-off phase of walking (mid-stance to pre-swing phases) ( 7, 8). They are larger producers of force during the power or push-down phase of cycling when you’re sitting down ( 6).įinally, the calf muscles (soleus and gastrocnemius) play an important role in both cycling and walking. The quadriceps (knee extensors) are involved to a larger extent in cycling compared with walking. In addition, gluteal activation increases when you walk uphill or up stairs ( 4, 5). These muscles increase their activation when you increase your speed during cycling, especially when you stand up to pedal. The gluteal muscles of the hip and hamstrings are involved in power production in both walking and cycling. Cycling and walking involve using many of the same muscles to produce force to move.
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