thiocyclist

Over the last year I have had a spate of health problems I never, ever used to experience when I had an easier and flatter commute; nor prior to that when I had no bike commute at all. I am wondering if commuting daily, especially with certain setups (bike fit/weight) or commuting environments (hills/conditions) has any wear and tear on the body cyclists should look out for. (Please don't get mad at the question, as my intent is honest and sincere -- I encourage others to commute by bike all the time.) Obviously I am not talking about accidents, but chronic repetitive injury. My particular problems are internal medicine related (think abdominal and below) and I have seen the doctor about them a few times, with the conclusion that not much is happening except perhaps "stress". (My job is stressful as always, but this is not really anything new, so...)

My rig is a Public D e-bike, which is about 50 lbs., and I use about half of the assistance level so I get some exercise but don't break a (big) sweat. I prefer to wear a messenger bag rather than panniers. Previously with a "real bike" I was a total mess when I got to work, and I found it hard to get there early enough to get a shower in reliably. I also hate hauling the extra gear to shower and change. Hence the e-bike.

I hope you all don't mind but I'd rather not say exactly what my new maladies are -- they are not life threatening, though, so don't worry about me. If any of you have experience with wear and tear bike-related injuries or exercise scientists surrounding this question I'd love to get your feedback so please speak up. Again, I'm not trying to arouse any anger with this question. If anything I hope to educate myself about how to commute in a way that keeps me from injuring myself so I can keep doing it for life. If literally no one here is having problems but me, maybe I'm an outlier and it has nothing to do with the bike, and that would be good news too.

gsa103

Stress is probably the big driver for health impacts. The thing is bike commuting has a whole lot of impacts, some positive, some negative. Generally, bike commuting takes longer than driving, so the extra time commitment can make you feel more harried and time crunched. Increased physical activity also takes its toll, especially if you've significantly increased your average daily exercise level. Commuting everyday can sometimes leave you drained and tired, as opposed to healthy and energized.

For me, every day commuting is too big a time commitment, and would be overly fatiguing at my current fitness level and commute distance (20mi roundtrip). I prefer commuting every other day to break things up. Cycling is a reward for getting things done and a way to relax after a hard day. When it becomes a chore and a drain, its time for me to dial it back some.

CliffordK

I'm not convinced that it is good to run 5 to 7 days a week. One's body needs some time to rest and heal.

I don't know about cycling. Certainly there are some things that may get stressed, knees, back, muscles, butt??? It may depend on how long of a commute it is. I would think some things like muscle aches could be minimized by easing into the schedule, and keeping with it.

I would encourage you to list the "issues" you're having as people may have some suggestions that you hadn't thought about.

For example, some people suggest that higher cadences are easier on the knees.

Perhaps also consider posture changes, or even a recumbent for certain ailment.s

TransitBiker

Heat & sun exposure?

- Andy

hockey

Perhaps a proper bike fit is in order. Reliably comfortable seat, correct seat height and angle etc. I commuted most of the year for 10 years and never really experienced any of the problems you are having and if anything......felt exhilarated and alive for the work day. Hope you can resolve your issues.

Reynolds 

I've commuted by bike for years and never had any health problems I could trace to cycling.

Gresp15C

I figure that I have to do something to stay active, for the sake of both my body and my brain. And cycling is relatively low impact -- unless I get run over of course.

I find that at my age, I have to carefully adjust the fit of my bike, and use particular components such as swept handlebars. I can't just hop on any bike and ride it. If I injure myself doing something else, I may have to adapt my riding habits until the other thing has a chance to heal.

I'm involved in another activity, playing the double bass, which can be downright dangerous if done improperly. The situation for the bass, and other stringed instruments, is so extreme that the training process focuses a lot of attention on playing techniques that avoid injury. I have played for 30+ years with no noticeable deterioration of my hands and wrists. In contrast, we just tell people to hop on a bike and ride.

wphamilton

Two elements that come up often in statistical health studies: exposure to air pollution, and increased chances of traumatic injury.

I have also seen medical papers refer to reduced bone density resulting from cycling, since it is not a load bearing exercise in the sense that running is. I am skeptical, since most people don't run all that much and cycling replacing doing nothing wouldn't reasonably lead to lower bone density.

I am a little skeptical of the air pollution negative also, since I have also seen measurements of pollution 4 to 5 times higher inside a car in rush hour traffic than outside of it. The statistical studies seem to just cite the ambient pollution levels and note the increased time involved without justifying it. So it may or may not be a relative negative - or positive.

martianone

Have been a utility/commuting cyclist since 1960, cannot think of a malidity that was exaggerated by cycling- perhaps except an occasional spill. However overtime have adjusted bike fit/bikes, hydration, diet and cycling practices to help reduce and prevent ills. For example, some exercise drinks contain carbohydrates that upset my GI system and cause serious social repercussions - so I don use them. I've changed and tweaked saddles a number of times to help optimize riding comfort. Also have a recumbent bike.
Cycling is usually a parallel synergy to health.

TrekCommuter

One downside is how irritated I get when my schedule dictates that I go by car.

FBinNY 

Assuming you're fit enough for the exercise level, and we're not talking about peak output for days on end, the daily activity should do nothing but good. That discounts direct wear and tear on the joints, especially the knees, and parts of the feet. Much of the benefit comes from increased circulation of well oxygenated blood.

Most cyclists riding 1-4 hours per day report everything getting better including resistance to cold and the like.

But there could be indirect negative effects. For example the increased activity probably mean increased food intake, so if for example you had digestive or any kind of GI problems, that could lead to problems.

In any case, we're all different in many subtle ways, which is what makes medicine an art as well as a science. So, if you suspect a linkage between a cause and an effect, you have to find a mechanism to explain how that linkage works. It's a process whereby you form a working theory, then test the theory through some controlled experiments.

If it proves through the tests, you have a real diagnosis, and a basis for action. If not, go back and form a new theory.

wolfchild

I've been riding 7 days per week for the past 8 years in a row and I haven't noticed any negative health effects. My daily ride is only about 20 miles round trip so it's not too much.

gregf83 

I think people get ill for a variety of reasons. Biking regularly is healthy but it doesn't make one immune to illness.

Don't confuse correlation with causation. A small % of people get the flu each season. Some % of the people that get sick, happen to get sick right around the time they get a flu shot and blame the flu shot for causing the flu. The flu shot didn't cause their flu, just a couple of events that happened around the same time.

badger1

OP,

You are very unspecific about 'what ails you', but with that said ...

I'm 63. I do 3-season commuting + extended rides (weekdays and weekends) March through December. Lightish mountainbiking added on in the summer months.

I'm not, and never have been, 'athletic' in any sense of the word. I have severe degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis (both genetic), that will only get worse. I also have a (congenital) condition referred to as a 'sliding stomach' colloquially; this -- along with the aforementioned stuff -- does entail a moderately non-aggressive riding position, but ...

regular cycling is the best thing I could be doing for all of the above. It does not aggravate any of these things; quite the contrary. I am always in physiotherapy in a major sports medicine clinic, and am regularly tracked by my physician. All say the same thing: whatever is wrong with you, and there is some stuff, riding your bike cannot hurt, and can only help to slow the progression of whatever crap genetics and life/lifestyle throw at you.

Subject to any hard information your docs may have, I very much doubt your health problems have anything to do with riding your bike. That is to say, I doubt that riding is causing the problems. If you have problems, riding might exacerbate the symptoms, but that's something you should ask your medical professionals, not a bunch of Interwebz 'experts' like me

megalowmatt

OP - how far is your commute? Especially with an ebike it's hard to imagine injuries but without the specifics there's not much to go by. I know people who ride 200 miles a week (although not commuting) without ongoing injuries.

I'm finding as I get older stress has a very big impact on my health so if anything it may be that. Again, without specifics I'm not sure how to respond. Maybe look at netter saddles or how you're positioned on the bike?

12strings

I would guess that most abdominal and below issues would be related to poor bike fit, bad saddle, etc...reproductive or urinary problems possibly related to pressure in the wrong places. Another thing....I am not a doctor, so I don't know if repeated stress "down there" can contribute to things like prostate cancer, but it's something I sometimes wonder about. I do know that once I got my seat positioned well, at the right height, setback, and tilt...my netherreagions felt a lot better on a 24 mile ride than they ever did on even a 5 Mile ride.

wolfchild

I am curious what the problems are ??...tell us don't be shy...The problems may not be life threatening but they do affect your quality of life...I am just guessing and maybe I am wrong, but if your (abdominal and below) problems are ED, then it has nothing to do with cycling.

FBinNY 

I don't think a forum is the place to feel pressured to discuss your own medical issues. If you want to, that's fine, but you shouldn't feel pressured to do so.

You should discuss the issue with your doctor, and if necessary find one who'll listen, and step back and look at the whole picture. These days many doctors don't like to look for unusual causalities, and actually think. So you might have to seek out one with more intellectual curiosity, and either an understanding of bicycling and sports medicine, or a willingness to go the extra mile to find the actual relationship between bicycling and your issues.

rmfnla

Well, he is asking for advice...

kickstart

Like with most things, too much of a good thing can be harmful. Listen to what your body is telling you.

FBinNY 

Yes, and if he want's to share more he will. But it's for him to volunteer, and not for use to ask. At least in my opinion.

If anyone here is a medical pro, it might make sense to discuss details via PM rather than an open forum.

Another option (too late now) would be for someone wanting to discuss something very personal to create a new forum identity for the sole purpose of getting help while keeping the private private. I don't know if forum rules allow, but I doubt it would be an issue if it's not abused.

locolobo13 

Too many unknowns. But you said "internal medicine...abdominal and below". Are you doing other exercises besides bicycling? Could it be weak core muscles? Just a thought.

My commute definitely makes me feel better. But it's only 20-30 min at a moderate pace twice a day, 5 days a week. We all have a point where we are over training. Figuring out where that point is not always easy.

My thoughts are to change things and see what happens. Commute on alternate days. Go for a recreational ride on a day off. Does it get better or worse?

Good luck.

Leebo

Carrying a heavy bag and pedaling a 50 lb bike? Ok e bike. Distance and time? Overall health and fitness? My commute is 18 mies one way, 2-6 trips per week. Plus mt biking on the weekend. Need some rest? Cross fitness? I like yoga for stretching and fitness. Maybe just sitting and 1/2 pedaling are not the answer for you. I too am sweaty, I wash up in a sink when i get to work( 1 person bathroom). Any gym nearby you could get shower use? Less weight on your back might be helpful.

jyl

I have seen some positive and no negative effects from my daily, year-round, but pretty short bike commute. In general, it helps keep my weight down, when doing other things I notice that I have good cardio/lung endurance, I have appreciable muscle on my legs, and I feel less stressed.

However, there are many things that the bike riding doesn't do anything for. It doesn't help me at all with flexibility (except lower back), core strength, upper body, the specific muscles used in walking/running, and I can still get stressed at work (but to be fair I have quite a stressful job).

I used to suffer from various "internal" maladies (gout, gallstones, kidney stones, cholesterol, etc) and those have all gone away. I'd credit a substantial weight loss with most of that, with the exercise component of cycling also helpful.

In general, if your ride is fairly easy (using e-bike assist would suggest that), your weight has not significantly changed up or down, and you don't have signs of overuse/strain in your legs/joints (which is where they'd first appear, I think), then I would guess that the daily bike commute is not making enough demands on your body to be a big factor - one way or the other, i.e. not causing your medical issues but also not preventing them. I'd thus suspect your medical issues are unrelated to the cycling.

Obviously my opinions are not based on a whole lot, so i hope you are working with a doctor. And I don't see the harm of a layoff from cycling, just to see what happens.

rmfnla

Nothing wrong with asking; he can either reply or not...