Does anyone use a stationary bike?

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I am looking for a low impact way to exercise. Does anyone use a stationary

bike? Can you recommend a brand or model?

Thanks

Tammy

[Guest guest]

I have a friend with that has just had ankle surgery and she swears by the

recumbent bike. Her neighbor with MS also has one. My area is not bike rider

friendly but I wish it was. I would look in to the recumbent bike.

I wonder if they make a stationary one?

[Guest guest]

Hi Tammy,

My doctor and my physical therapist both recommended a recumbent

exercise bike for me. I just love it! I've been using it for a year

now. Hope this helps. Good luck on your search.

Gigi

[Guest guest]

As an adapted physical education specialist, I work with a teenager who

also enjoys riding a stationary bicycle. She has been riding regularly

for almost 9 months and she has made some improvements in her leg

strength and cardiovascular endurance.

Bruce

[Guest guest]

Tammy, yes, I use a stationary bike. It is a generic store brand bike. Nothing

fancy. I did get a tip from a fellow CMT'er to raise the seat up as high as I

could and still peddle. It has made a huge difference. Much less pressure on

the knee's. Which of course are not good to start with.

[Guest guest]

They do make a recumbent stationary bike; we have one. The trouble is the

straps are too small for my husband's wide shoes. He actually walks on the

treadmill at 1 mph at 12% grade.

Elinor

[Guest guest]

Hi I use one too, and I just joined Shapes. I really want to learn core

excersises and balance. Of course I take the AFO off when I get there and I

just started, besides my B.M.I. is way to high, so I have to eat better and gain

more srength all over.

Elaine

[Guest guest]

I think I am the one referred to when advising what seat level to

have a stationary bike at! The important thing is that you should never

have a straight or hyperextended leg due to seat height. They say that to

set the seat height, when your seat is correct and the peddle toward the

floor, your toe on the peddle, your ankle should have flexion of 90 degrees.

I think the difference between recumbent and stationary is just the position

of the seat. They both can be beneficial for the aims of strength and

cardiovascular health.

It is important to note that to lose weight you should cycle for about 45

minutes! This is not easy, but a goal to build toward. A good investment

is a heart rate monitor because this will enable a person to follow their

fitness. I keep mine in a " good " zone, about 145 beats per minute, which is

strenuous but does not kill me!

With cycling it is VITAL to stretch. The cycling can cause our legs to

seize up - in particular the hamstrings and femur muscles and hip flexors.

This can make our gait very strange (as if we needed more to make us walk in

an interesting style!). I do not stretch pre cycle, I just go for about a

kilometre or two slowly to get my muscles warm and blood flowing, then at

the end I stretch comprehensively for about 15 minutes.

My physiotherapist just gave me an ankle orthotic to correct my foot

placement when walking (my left foot can roll quite easily). I wore it

cycling the other day and it also made a huge difference to my fatigue

levels after cycling. I am not sure what others think, but this was given

to me specifically for sports.

Good luck!

Donna from London

[Guest guest]

You sure were Donna and it helped greatly. I don't ride as much as I would like

to. The last sprained ankle took me out for 3-4 weeks. Putting the seat up

high made a big difference. It cut the pain down huge. Also like your self I

try to keep my heart rate in the 140-150 range. I find I can still carry on a

conversation at this rate. Much faster and its to difficult. I will bike for

about 30-40 minutes and find this is a great way to loose weight and build the

lungs up. I can't beleive how much better I feel after I have been doing this.

Actually I think I will go for a ride now, once the kids get doing something.

Thanks again Donna.

(From Canada)

P.S. - you started me adding the country in too, (when I remember)

Re: Does anyone use a stationary bike?

I think I am the one referred to when advising what seat level to

have a stationary bike at! The important thing is that you should never

have a straight or hyperextended leg due to seat height. They say that to

set the seat height, when your seat is correct and the peddle toward the

floor, your toe on the peddle, your ankle should have flexion of 90 degrees.

I think the difference between recumbent and stationary is just the position

of the seat. They both can be beneficial for the aims of strength and

cardiovascular health.

It is important to note that to lose weight you should cycle for about 45

minutes! This is not easy, but a goal to build toward. A good investment

is a heart rate monitor because this will enable a person to follow their

fitness. I keep mine in a " good " zone, about 145 beats per minute, which is

strenuous but does not kill me!

With cycling it is VITAL to stretch. The cycling can cause our legs to

seize up - in particular the hamstrings and femur muscles and hip flexors.

This can make our gait very strange (as if we needed more to make us walk in

an interesting style!). I do not stretch pre cycle, I just go for about a

kilometre or two slowly to get my muscles warm and blood flowing, then at

the end I stretch comprehensively for about 15 minutes.

My physiotherapist just gave me an ankle orthotic to correct my foot

placement when walking (my left foot can roll quite easily). I wore it

cycling the other day and it also made a huge difference to my fatigue

levels after cycling. I am not sure what others think, but this was given

to me specifically for sports.

Good luck!

Donna from London