Cycling UK Forum

I have been ill with the flu for five days now and off my bike, I am noticing already my knees are going stiff and my calf muscles are cramping. I don't ride far when on the bike but I am out most days.
The stiffness and cramps could be the virus? how does your time off the bike effect you if it does at all
Pat

I know, horrible feeling!

I felt obliged to stay off the bike, out of the pool, away from the weights & my running shoes for the first 11 days of the New Year (Nb. Chest infection, ear infection et al). My expectation was that the break would be fanastic in terms of giving the muscles a rest - instead four days back on the weights I'm having to struggle to lift 2/3rds of the weight, out on the bike was purely a leisure speed ride and I haven't risked the 8 mile early morning run yet (Nb.One can't take the easy route home when running )

Any complete lay off will affect your 'form'. It usually takes me a week to clear any lingering effects from cold/flu - 2 or 3 lower intensity rides and i'm generally back on all cylinders. I'd rather take a few days off than keep riding and drag recovery out, missing a ride or two won't do any harm to your base fitness.

Injury/illness lay offs are another matter - i'm still coping with the effects of an off 6 weeks ago and it took me a good 6 months to get back to a reasonable level after a 3 month lay off.

gbnz wrote:I know, horrible feeling!

I felt obliged to stay off the bike, out of the pool, away from the weights & my running shoes for the first 11 days of the New Year (Nb. Chest infection, ear infection et al). My expectation was that the break would be fanastic in terms of giving the muscles a rest - instead four days back on the weights I'm having to struggle to lift 2/3rds of the weight, out on the bike was purely a leisure speed ride and I haven't risked the 8 mile early morning run yet (Nb.One can't take the easy route home when running )

If my knees would let me I think I would like to try running which i would never have considered when I was younger, here there are loads of footpaths across the fields I could run on hardly touching any roads.
I was out this morning with the dog, she takes me no matter what i feel like, she insists, I was so cold and shivering I felt like a true pioneer in Alaska, and we where only 200 yards down the road
Now i am suffering cabin fever being off the bike.
Pat

A few years ago I used to have 4 -6 weeks gaps without cycling due to work. When I got back on the bike I could still ride reasonable distances (50 miles plus) straight away without any difficulty. I was just riding not trying to hammer around. The one thing I did find was the next day as soon as I sat on the bike again it was sore, my seating area was quite tender. By the third day it was OK again.

I would suggest whatever exercise you get back into you do so slowly and listen to your body.

Patrickpioneer wrote:

gbnz wrote:I know, horrible feeling!

I felt obliged to stay off the bike, out of the pool, away from the weights & my running shoes for the first 11 days of the New Year (Nb. Chest infection, ear infection et al). My expectation was that the break would be fanastic in terms of giving the muscles a rest - instead four days back on the weights I'm having to struggle to lift 2/3rds of the weight, out on the bike was purely a leisure speed ride and I haven't risked the 8 mile early morning run yet (Nb.One can't take the easy route home when running )

If my knees would let me I think I would like to try running which i would never have considered when I was younger, here there are loads of footpaths across the fields I could run on hardly touching any roads.
I was out this morning with the dog, she takes me no matter what i feel like, she insists, I was so cold and shivering I felt like a true pioneer in Alaska, and we where only 200 yards down the road
Now i am suffering cabin fever being off the bike.
Pat

Full sympathy with respect to the cabin fever , don't overcompensate (Nb. Have to admit I drank & overate in eleven days to a greater extent than throughout the autumn / Christmasperiod - [paying the price now, with lentils, dried beans eta l back on the menu!).

I've never been into running (NB. Apart from a few months here and there running 12-30 miles a week), but it's amazing how quickly the speed and enjoyment picks up. Having to give the pool a bit of a miss at present and compensating with the rowing machine, speed & enjoyment increasing at a fair pace)

I wouldn't go running or take any other kind of strenuous exercise until the infection has gone. Flu is generally an upper respiratory tract infection, but if you do anything that makes you breathe hard you could suck it deep into your lungs and have a very nice case of pneumonia. In which case you don't worry about being stiff but about being a stiff.

Audax67 wrote:I wouldn't go running or take any other kind of strenuous exercise until the infection has gone. Flu is generally an upper respiratory tract infection, but if you do anything that makes you breathe hard you could suck it deep into your lungs and have a very nice case of pneumonia. In which case you don't worry about being stiff but about being a stiff.

That's pretty much what my GP told me recently when I visited with a chest infection.
Foolishly I ignored his advice and finished up with acute bronchitis,which has taken weeks to recover from,but it could have been worse,as you say pneumonia can be a killer.
I've learnt my lesson

Hi,

foxyrider wrote:Any complete lay off will affect your 'form'. It usually takes me a week to clear any lingering effects from cold/flu - 2 or 3 lower intensity rides and i'm generally back on all cylinders. I'd rather take a few days off than keep riding and drag recovery out, missing a ride or two won't do any harm to your base fitness.

Injury/illness lay offs are another matter - i'm still coping with the effects of an off 6 weeks ago and it took me a good 6 months to get back to a reasonable level after a 3 month lay off.

Gets much worse as you get older.
I am finding I get unwell once a year, as well as any other ills.

My GP offered an antipneumococcal injection which is supposed to ward off infections in addition to the normal flu jab. Don’t know if this is available in England but here in Scotland those over a certain age can get it. I took it anyway since it lasts for some years. I was told “ it should see you out”. Not terribly reassuring.

Hi,

ambodach wrote:My GP offered an antipneumococcal injection which is supposed to ward off infections in addition to the normal flu jab. Don’t know if this is available in England but here in Scotland those over a certain age can get it. I took it anyway since it lasts for some years. I was told “ it should see you out”. Not terribly reassuring.

Normally only at risk groups (well flu jab is for at risk groups) normally get the pneumococcal, I have been for some time decades.
Not sure of the frequency of jabs.

Postby ambodach » 19 Jan 2019, 7:32pm

My GP offered an antipneumococcal injection which is supposed to ward off infections in addition to the normal flu jab. Don’t know if this is available in England but here in Scotland those over a certain age can get it. I took it anyway since it lasts for some years. I was told “ it should see you out”. Not terribly reassuring.

I had this about ten years ago and was told it should last for life. I was chatting to a visiting colleague from Northern Ireland shortly afterwards. He told me that a member of hi family had received it recently and they were told it was for three years.

How was I to interpret that? Still, I've made another decade.

I generally find a good brisk ride about 4 days after sympnyms have abated sets me up good and proper and probably aids a faster recovery.

Carpediem wrote: do anything that makes you breathe hard you could suck it deep into your lungs and have a very nice case of pneumonia a stiff.

Foolishly I ignored his advice and finished up with acute bronchitis,which has taken weeks to recover fromn [/quote]

This thread appeared relevant, how long should I leave it

Have to admit got hit by a serious chest infection 8 days ago which laid me low - 5 days in bed for 17-18Hr's, temperature so high the duvet & pillows soaked through, seriously struggled to walk a 5 minute walk to the supermarket last Tuesday, no exercise for eight days

It's now clearly over, though my hearings still half gone, eyes ache , constant headache despite redhydration solutions et al . But another week ahead, at best sitting sunbathing? I need to be out, a couple hundred miles on the bike beckon, but should I take it easy for another week and join the OAP brigade sitting around town

Hi,
Take it easy, don't ever exercise when you have upper respiratory tract infection, colds included, three day need to pass after it clears up.
At worse you can damage the heart permanently even suffer a heart attack.
If you are recovering from flu wait a time after you feel normal, the bike can wait.