Cycling Pitfall Avoidance Guide

Recently, more and more people are riding bicycles on the streets, whether they are shared bicycles of various colors, professional mountain bikes, or road bikes, they have become a beautiful landscape in the city. Compared with other sports, cycling has the advantages of being simple, safe, environmentally friendly, and economical.

More and more office workers choose to ride bicycles to work, at least for part of the journey. Several studies have previously confirmed that walking or cycling is better for health than driving or taking buses or subways to work, but they did not distinguish which method is more advantageous. However, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) published a study finding that walking only reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, while cycling can not only prevent cardiovascular disease, but also prevent cancer and reduce the risk of death.

When people ride bicycles, their arms and trunks are relatively still, and their legs pedal back and forth. The blood supply to the lower limbs is relatively large, and the heart rate is often 2 to 3 times faster than usual. The movement of the legs when riding a bicycle can squeeze blood from the end of the blood vessels back to the heart, which strengthens the microvascular tissue, which is called "incidental circulation" in medicine. Long-term and regular cycling can make the heart muscle contract more powerfully, enhance heart function, and promote microcirculation of peripheral blood vessels. Therefore, cycling is one of the best exercises to prevent heart disease.

Modern sports medicine research has confirmed that cycling is a contralateral dominant sport. Alternating the two legs can develop the functions of the left and right sides of the brain at the same time, preventing premature brain aging and hemiplegia. Cycling can also speed up blood circulation and help the brain take in more oxygen. Therefore, after cycling for a period of time, people will feel more alert.

Cycling is a periodic aerobic exercise that can make us consume more energy, burn more fat, and shape firm muscles. Compared with those who only rely on dieting to lose weight, the weight loss effect is more significant and can also make the body more symmetrical .

Moreover, regular cycling can reduce psychological stress, relieve anxiety and depression, and cultivate an optimistic and positive attitude.

Since cycling has so many benefits, is it suitable for everyone? What aspects deserve our attention?

1. First of all, patients with severe hypertension, high myopia, severe lower limb joint diseases, etc. are not suitable for cycling. For patients with severe hemorrhoids, long-term cycling may compress and wear the local area, causing discomfort symptoms such as anal itching and pain. Here we also remind male long-term cyclists that this sport may increase the risk of prostatitis or prostate cancer, so they should choose a suitable seat.

2. When buying a bicycle, you must choose a suitable bicycle according to your height, weight, and body proportions. The seat height should be adjusted to the point where the knees are slightly bent (knee angle is about 170°) when the pedals are at the bottom. Generally speaking, the height difference between the handlebar and the seat should be less than 5 cm. If the handlebar is adjusted too low, the body will lean too far forward, the wrist will be overloaded, and fatigue will occur easily.

3. Correct riding posture: bend your elbows slightly to avoid over-extension; use your abdomen to exert force . In this state, you will naturally straighten your back and relax other muscles in your arms and shoulders; using your toes (the front 1/3 of the sole of the foot) is the most energy-saving way of pedaling . This posture can increase the up and down swing of the foot, thereby driving the Achilles tendon to pull the muscles on the back of the calf to move, so that the entire muscle group moves, and the general design of the lock pedal is to buckle the lock shoe to the forefoot.

4. Adhere to gradual exercise and do not pursue strength and speed one-sidedly. Some cycling enthusiasts only pursue strength and speed, and suddenly ride at high speed and long distance without long-term training. This is very harmful to the body. In severe cases, it may cause joint effusion, inflammation, and even cartilage and meniscus damage.

Correct riding time: It is recommended to ride for about 1 hour, about 3 times a week.

5. Do not sit down to rest immediately after riding. Instead, walk slowly for a few minutes, stretch your body, and rest after your heart rate is relatively stable.

(Picture from the Internet)