Cycling UK Forum

Over the years to try and keep fit I have run swum and cycled.I just love the convenience of being able to put on a pair of trainers etc and heading out the door and going any where I want to.but there can be a price to pay.
And today yet again I paid that price and it was a damaged a Achilles's muscle so no more running for me for a while.
But this time it will be different as I will not be returning to running because cycling steadily as I do its an injury free sport.
The only thing is is that I will have to allow for the extra time to cycle further than I would run to get the same exercise benefit.

Cycling is supposed to be a low impact (whatever that is) activity, as opposed to running, and you may have demonstrated that fact. However it is also a non weight bearing exercise, but presumably standing on the pedals is counted as weight bearing, although that's usually done periodically - unless you have a bent.

Standing on the pedals may be weight bearing but it's still non impact which is the important thing.

Hi,

hondated wrote:Over the years to try and keep fit I have run swum and cycled.I just love the convenience of being able to put on a pair of trainers etc and heading out the door and going any where I want to.but there can be a price to pay.
And today yet again I paid that price and it was a damaged a Achilles's muscle so no more running for me for a while.

There's no achilles muscle as such just the tendon which conects to calf muscles.
How what did you damage Is it permanant

hondated wrote:But this time it will be different as I will not be returning to running because cycling steadily as I do its an injury free sport.

+1

hondated wrote:The only thing is is that I will have to allow for the extra time to cycle further than I would run to get the same exercise benefit.

This I cannot agree with this as an ex runner myself it is possible to be equally as fit if not more so, If you were putting the effort in in running then you can do the same without the fatigue of feet ankles and lower legs.

Two and a half hours of running round a forest might have left me totally exhausted, and t the same time on a bike could do the same, but on a bike you can wind the throttle back 10 % and go for twice the time and then some.

Running can not be done slowly as your legs bend more (jogging) and it has the same weight bearing fatigue as full blown running I.M.O.

Walking is different as one foot is always on the floor, running you are air born for 10 % of the time................

I run around 200 miles a month and have done for years with no issues at all. Mind you I've never bought into the "must have 'proper' running shoes, change them every 500 miles" philosophy of running (nor do I have special diets, eat gels, pre race meals or any of the other nonsense that seems to permeate anything involving the masses who seem determined to explain away their lack of performance on anything other than their actual lack of effort).

Funnily enough though, every time I up the mileage on my bike I get sore knees for a few months, nothing major just a bit of soreness which eventually goes away. I've played with seat adjustments, shoes and all the usual but nothing makes any difference, just seems that my knees like to complain about the continuous rotation.

I don't think any sport is injury free, they all have their characteristic problems. I have given up swimming due to Surfers Ear, walking due to a knackered ankle, I have nerve damage from cycling, and I've now given up everything as the result of exercise induced AF.

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,

hondated wrote:Over the years to try and keep fit I have run swum and cycled.I just love the convenience of being able to put on a pair of trainers etc and heading out the door and going any where I want to.but there can be a price to pay.
And today yet again I paid that price and it was a damaged a Achilles's muscle so no more running for me for a while.

There's no achilles muscle as such just the tendon which conects to calf muscles.
How what did you damage Is it permanant

NATURAL ANKLING you may have given me the correct analysis of my problem as I have had a long going problem with my calf muscles. I actually was referred to an hospital some years ago now when I badly tore one of them and the physician told me that as the fibres were so small they could not operate on them and that I would just have to rest it and the fibres would overtime regrow - re-join further up my leg.
Ever since I have worn calf support socks. So in reply to your question yes the injury is a permanent one.
I will take on board your point about the running v cycling fitness and just get out more on my bike and put more effort into it as well.

Hi,
The achilles tendon is very strong.
I have sprained my ankle so many tims I have lost count over my life.
And one such time I twisted my achilles tendon at the heel and I suffered pain for years with that.
It was'nt till about ten years ago that I was diagnosed with over flexible ankles, by a chiropodist.
Not till about five or so years ago that I was given execises for my ankles which I do every day, also to ward off tendonitous in my calfs . achilles tendon.
Inflamation of the tendon / sheath which its runs through.

Your muscles repair in five days, after that its something else like a tendon, thats is up to six weeks and it will never be as good as it was before as the fibres pull apart and then knot leaving a thickening which is stiff and weaker. Needs ultrasonic treatment soon after the damage.
Ligaments do not repair them selves and an operation would be neccesary, to reatach etc.

To damage you achilles needs you to sprint on your toes, having never been that active in your life, chasing a burgler etc,
Normal mild sports will strengthen them to be very resilient.

Another problem might be nerve damage after an operation, this will take decades sometimes.
How old are you? as over fiftys suffer mostly with tendonitous, over use etc.
Sounds like tendon type thing, but only you know from your history what it is.

Until you see a physio, my problems were never addressed, GP's dont do that you have to ask for referal normally.

Running is a young mans sport, cycling and swimming are regarded as good for supleness and of course are less damaging as your are not load bearing (unless you want to in cycling)
Sounds like you have not followed up your original problem or have not seen a physio yet

Good luck.

I've been extremely unkind to my leg joints and suffer arthritis.... 20yrs in the Army, the era when ALL running was in boots. 3,740 parachute jumps didn't help.

Now 58, I've recently re duce my 25 mile a week running to 10 and started cycling.

I'm doing about 100 miles a week on a hybrid, with a 40-50 mile ride once a week. The rest just small rides.

Knees are a lot less painful during cycling, bit the biggest difference is during recovery days. Runningy knees would take days to feel better. With cycling they are back to the normal/usual arthritic pains.

c53204 wrote:.... 20yrs in the Army, the era when ALL running was in boots.

I know someone who was 20odd years in the Army. He has a bad back (constantly using strong painkillers), and he's very hard of hearing. As far as I know, his knees are ok. He puts his ailments down to carrying heavy backpacks, and firing weaponry without any ear protection.

I was in the RN for 27years, and I'm fit and healthy.
Sounds like you and my friend joined the wrong service!

c53204 wrote:I've been extremely unkind to my leg joints and suffer arthritis.... 20yrs in the Army, the era when ALL running was in boots. 3,740 parachute jumps didn't help.

Tell me about it.
Wrecked knees and deaf as a post from being a Bren gunner.......and worst of all, the Queen knows nothing about it.

I was talking to someone about two years ago about my ailments. He advised me to claim. I now get a disability payment from the MOD for knees, arthritis. I served from 1973 to 1993. Was made redundant after 20yrs, under the original 'options for change'. You should look into it.

I was hoping for redundancy under Options for Change, but they never offered it to my rate and specialisation. I hung on another year or two and eventually tendered my notice instead.

I left in mid April 1996 after nearly 27 years.

c53204 wrote:I was talking to someone about two years ago about my ailments. He advised me to claim. I now get a disability payment from the MOD for knees, arthritis. I served from 1973 to 1993. Was made redundant after 20yrs, under the original 'options for change'. You should look into it.

Indeed I did and took it all the way with the backing of the British Legion to a section of the High Court ....and lost.
Apparently our grateful politicians introduced some retrospective legislation which stipulated that any health complaint must have been noted at the medical examination upon discharge. Unfortunately for me when I was discharged in 1967 there were no medical examinations upon discharge and therefore my conditions were not noted. When I discussed claiming for my hearing loss with the consultant he told me that I could expect many difficulties to be thrown in my way by the department and that it would take years, and so it proved. Papers lost and lost again and in the end, all to no avail.
All long past now and at present I'm too busy worrying about my latest heart attack.