The FastDay Forum

Hey guys
I was just having a chat with my boy-half and we were talking about 5:2 and what not (he wants to try it but doesn't have the book- I told him just to come here, wayyy more informative lol) and I was saying I would love to be able to exercise but with my back going to the gym or running or even walking are out of the question. I was swimming but our local pool is closing down for refurbishment and I'm not really fond of swimming in the middle of winter!
I was saying I would love to have a stationary bike because then I could work out at home and it's rather low impact. And then he mentioned that when he used to go to the gym he used to use recumbent bikes. I was just wondering if anyone here has every used one and if they know if it'll put strain on my lower back, will it make it worse? I really want to do some sort of exercise but I'm at a loss as to what to do!!!

Thanks all

Dreamer x

Hi daydreamer that's the kind of bike I can only use along with the elliptical treadmill. I had some sessions with an exercise physiologist used to people who had injuries and found her a good practitioner to take into account your physical problems and work our a suitable program which includes a cardio with cardio equipment, the gym machines and weights which suited and and stretches. I go at my own pace and have slowly built up.

I just find that and the regular use of an osteopath is what keeps my spine much more robust. But that is my experience and I am still surprised. Wishing you all the best

Having ridden a relatively upright hybrid bike, a forward leaning road bike, and a recumbent stationary bike in the last 2 years -- I can attest that the recumbent bike puts much lowered strain on the back than the others -- particularly if you put your arms on some side grips to put even less weight on your spine. In my non-medical opinion, if you can sit at a dinner table and eat for 60 minutes in a normal chair, I can't see how recumbent cycling can cause any greater harm (and you will be losing weight as opposed to gaining it -- as you would at dinner).

I love recumbent bikes in the gym, you can read a book while you ride, but still get a great sweat happening. I'd love to add one to my bike collection, they'd be great to ride around the parks here, don't think I'd do much road riding with them. Would be much less strain on your back.

A few words about recumbent bikes and exercise performance on them is comparison with traditional bikes.

Despite the current popularity of recumbent bicycles in recreational and rehabilitation settings, few studies have made comparative investigations of cycling performance between upright and recumbent postures.

Peak power output has been shown to be higher in the upright compared with a 75^o recumbent (R) posture following a short 3-min bout of supramaximal exercise. Whereas peak power is not affected among upright and 30^o R, 40^o R and 50^o R postures.

When high-intensity submaximal exercise is performed at progressively lower body tilt angles from the upright (67^o) to 47^o and 32^o, performance is unaffected. However, exercise performance is significantly prolonged in these three tilt angles (67, 47and 32) when compared with a supine (0^o) posture. Even though perfusion pressure is progressively reduced (via a progressive reduction in hydrostatic pressure) as body tilt angle is lowered from the upright to the supine posture, it has been suggested that when the heart lies above the level of the active muscle(s), the reduction in perfusion pressure does not produce a subsequent reduction in performance, at least during plantar flexion exercise and at body tilt angles above 30^o.

Exercise time to failure (maximal exercise) is unaffected when the inclination of the upper body is lowered from the upright (90^o) to 65^o R or 30^o R postures, but performance is significantly higher for these three inclined postures when compared with a supine posture. Postural alterations induced by tilting the body upright slows development of fatigue and prolongs exercise time to failure during voluntary exercise.

The postural effect (upright vs. supine) on performance and fatigue is related to muscle blood flow and its effects on the dynamics of oxygen uptake.

Egaña M, O'Riordan D, Warmington SA. (2010) Exercise performance and VO2 kinetics during upright and recumbent high-intensity cycling exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 110(1): 39-47
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20386919