This summer, researchers from Bournemouth University demonstrated that just 30 minutes of cycling a week can help treat hip pain.
For most of the year, I’ve been nursing an increasingly sore lower back, with mild pain starting to radiate around my hips and pelvis.
I’m convinced that a lack of regular activity, an inordinate amount of time spent hunched over my desk, and my ever-increasing years are the main culprits.
But after interviewing one of the authors of the study, I was optimistic that static cycling could help arrest any further deterioration.
“It’s a nice way to put some gentle motion through those structures without much compressive load,” agreed my osteopath Matthew Martin (BOst, FAFS) at Active Backs. “There’s a reason why static cycling at a low resistance is a pretty universal go-to for post-surgical rehab of anything from the waist down.’
With Martin’s blessing, I hopped in the saddle. While the exact workouts used in the research are available for free online, I decided to just cycle at a low intensity for up to 30 minutes as part of my regular visits to the gym. Here’s what happened.
It unlocked my tight hips
At first, my hips felt a little rusty, but after a couple of minutes of revolutions, with blood and essential nutrients flowing into the area, they started to loosen up.
After 10 minutes, I moved on to my regular resistance training workout, and was pleasantly surprised not to feel any ill effects for the remainder of the day.
My lower back felt less stiff
The next day, the general stiffness around my hips and lower back returned—possibly because I stopped short of the full 30-minute session on the bike.
Later that week, I turned to the air bike, which combines pedaling with movable handles so your arms can help power the machine.
This time, I adhered to the 30-minute duration and again felt the positive effects around both hips and my lower back.
It reminded me movement can be a cure
Part of the success of the CHAIN intervention that was the focus of the Bournemouth University study, came from combining the 30-minute cycling workout with a 30-minute education workshop with a physio (all of which are available if you wish to follow them to the letter).
These educational sessions reinforced the idea that movement is good for hip pain and osteoarthritis. I’ve tweaked my back and locked up my hips a couple of times already this year, and know that complete rest is rarely the right remedy.
Doing so can encourage muscle guarding, a natural reaction by the body to protect the area by tensing up surrounding muscles. Once I started to experience how much better my hips and back felt after cycling, it motivated me to add more movement into my day—even just taking regular breaks from my desk to refill my water glass helped keep everything from stiffening up.
It boosted my cardio
I’m not an avid cyclist. It's likely the last bit of kit I’d turn to in a well-equipped gym.
But after a month of starting my weekly workouts with a 10-, 20- or 30-minute spin, I realized I had at least doubled the amount of cardiovascular exercise I’d typically get through.
Most of this was spent doing zone 2 training, a form of low-intensity exercise known to boost aerobic fitness, which I also often skip in favor of high-intensity workouts.
So a happy side-effect of using cycling to treat my hip and lower back pain was a reminder that I don’t always have to train flat out, and that slowing down occasionally would improve my cardiovascular fitness across the board.
It was kind on my joints
Swapping a weekly run for a weekly ride also helped reduce the mileage on my knees and ankles as much as my hips and lower back.
I might only be 38, but having had two bad anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, swapping some runs for swims or cycles to protect my joints is always a wise move.
My verdict
A month in, I've completely embraced the merits of a weekly ride as a remedy for my sore back and tight hips.
This alone won't fix the issue. I need to keep building strength around the area with regular resistance training, practicing good technique when lifting weights, and easing off when my body tells me it's nearing breaking point.
But, as the Bournemouth University study subjects can attest, regular riding is a low-risk, low-impact option to help maintain a healthy lower back and hips.
I might even dig out my old road bike and take it for a spin.
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