Originally Posted by
richardg40
I ride a bike once in awhile but because i am getting seriously overweight 50 lbs to be exact i'd like to buy a better bike and ride everyday . Due to hockey injury 1 year ago i have a lot of siactic nerve pain on and off in my right leg . I am affraid that riding a bike an hour or two a day will make it worse but maybe i'm wrong and it could help me . Any comments ?? I'm going to turn 55 this year . Thanks
I have 3 bikes and I can get some back pain from each of them on occasion. But I try to do stretching & strengthening exercises for my back every day. When I do them, I have little or no pain...
But, last summer I rode my friend's mountain bike with an upright position (instead of the lean-forward of my bikes). My back ached for 2 weeks after I gave it back to her...
... I don't think that there are any magic formulas or intrinsic right or wrong.
But, where possible, I am a strong believer in stretching and strengthening: The spine is really not much more than a tower of blocks piled one on top of another. The real work keeping everything straight is done by the muscles and tendons. And, when we get a back ache (especially those that clear themselves in a week) they are caused by those muscles squeezing on a nerve (rather than the bones or disks that we here so much about).
I would say try the bike -- but get one that fits well ... (and the comfort bikes may not be the best for you -- they aren't for me.)
And take care of your back as best you are able with careful stretching and strengthening ...