For those who don’t know, a recumbent bicycle is a work out bike for those with chronic pain conditions (especially the elderly), where the user is seated in a rested position and pedals forward, instead of downward.
If you’re starting to age, but don’t want to stop keeping fit and active, then a recumbent bike is for you.
Consider the position of your body on a traditional bicycle, your legs are pedaling below your waist, but with a recumbent bicycle, your legs are in line with your waist, pedaling at a 90° angle to the body.
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Benefits of Recumbent Bicycling for Seniors
This sitting position comes with some benefits, which I will be discussing in this article.
They are as follows –
1. Reduced Risk Of Back Pains
The major advantage of riding a recumbent bike over a traditional bike is the reduced risk of developing back pains.
With a traditional bike, there is no back rest, so it’s really up to you to maintain your posture while riding. The truth is, most riders of traditional bikes do not even sit upright, they lean forward in a hunch-back position to grab the handle bars, while resting their upper body at the same time.
This posture is bad for your lower back, as it is bound to cause aches and pains. This is so because being in a hunched position stretches out the ligaments and weakens the muscles over time.
For an older person, being seated in an upright position is what you need, but the regular bicycles do not give you this option. It is not so much of a problem for the younger folks though, since they have a better muscle mass.
Many seniors have signs of hunches, since they did little to take care of their back and posture in their younger days, but thanks to a recumbent bike, all that can be taken care of.
A recumbent bike provides upright back support, which in turn helps you maintain a better posture. The back support means that your muscles won’t be working as hard as it would have been if it were a regular bike.
A recumbent bike can also help you heal faster from a back injury. When you are seated in a recumbent bike, there is no pressure whatsoever on your back, and this will permit back injuries to heal faster.
If you are caught between choices of using a treadmill or a recumbent bike, it is better you go for the latter, especially if healing your back is your goal.
2. It Reduces Tension On The Knee Joints
Another advantage of using recumbent bikes for elders is that it doesn’t apply much pressure on the knee joints.
A regular bike has the user’s knees placed right under the body, which means there is a lot of pressure mounted on them with every single pedal. Having weak thigh muscles can even make matters worse, as it can pull the knee in one direction and increase the stress on it.
With the recumbent bike however, the knees are positioned in front of the body so there is way less pressure on them. Also, the movement pattern of this bike gives the knees a better chance of being in line with the hips.
This bike is excellent for elders who suffer from knee injuries, since a recumbent bike puts less pressure on your knees, it means your knees will heal faster.
3. It Requires Less Stabilization
Another advantage of riding a recumbent bike is that it requires less stabilization. This is good news for the elders, being that age causes one to lose balance and stamina.
Older people will find that balancing a regular upright bike is more tasking than a recumbent bike. The back rest on a recumbent bike means your upper body is already balanced, so it’s really the lower part of your body that’s left with work to do.
For elders who have never cycled before, recumbent bikes are a great way to get started, since it requires less stabilization and the risk of falling has been greatly reduced.
4. It Is A Great Form Of Cardiovascular Exercise
Last but definitely not least, another advantage of riding a recumbent bike for elders is that it is a great form of cardiovascular exercise.
Yes, a recumbent bike can help you build up leg muscles, stamina and balance, but it is also great for cardiovascular reasons.
Research has shown that engaging in fitness activities for an average of 20 minutes per day helps your heart pump better and improve blood flow. Also, older folks who engage in regular physical activity are at a lower risk of heart disease.
Since recumbent bikes put less pressure on your back and knees, it means you can easily achieve the 20-30 minute daily workout time required for optimum cardiovascular health.
Recommendations
There are so many brands and models of recumbent bikes in the market, I came across some models which I consider among the best recumbent bikes for seniors. They are –
Main features –
- It comes with 25 levels of resistance and 29 programmed workouts
- It is designed with built-in fans and speakers
- Built-in heart rate monitor
- On-screen workout data display
- Downloadable workout data using Bluetooth connection
2. Diamondback 910SR Fitness Recumbent Bike
Main features –
- It has 35 workout programs and 32 levels of resistance
- Features a digital monitoring system
- It is adjustable and very durable
- Comes with a heart rate monitoring system and a polar compatible wireless receiver
- It has an input for iPad, iPod, iPhone and other mp3 players
- Can carry up to 325lbs
Conclusion
Over the years, you may have already gotten used to the regular upright bike and find the idea of using a recumbent bike strange. Who’s to say you cannot use them both? They are both great choices for low-impact exercises for the elderly.
However, the recumbent bikes for seniors has some special advantages for the elderly, which include –
- Better balance
- Less stress on the back
- Less stress on the knees
Good luck!