Getting going and moving more is about knocking down the barriers to getting started. One by one.

So, let's start with the BIG one..


1. ‘My [HIP or KNEE] hurts, so I can’t cycle…’ 

One of the biggest barriers. And it can seem insurmountable. I hear it a lot in clinic. 
 
BUT... in newsletter #009 and #010 we walked through the science. The evidence that clearly shows it’s often the other way around...


‘My [HIP or KNEE] hurts ‘cos I’m not moving enough’
 
Sure, if you’ve not done any exercise for a while (or perhaps ever), and you cycle for 30 minutes your hip or knee will scream at you.
 
BUT... start pedalling for 1 minute on an exercise bike today. Seat nice and high.
And STOP after 1 minute. You’ll be able to cycle for 1 minute tomorrow.
And 1 minute the next day. 
 
AND... you’ll be able to pedal for 2 minutes / day next week. That’s 2 minutes in Week 2. 3 minutes / day in Week 3.
And so on…

When you get started your hip may be a bit sore the next day. But that’s ok. Start slowly, and build up until you’re doing 20 to 30 minutes most days. 

Slow progress is key.
 
Dive straight into a 20-minute spin class and your hip will really complain.

Scale up slowly and the muscles around your hip will get stronger, reducing the inflammation in your hip.

That’s over 6 to 12 months. NOT over 6 to 12 days. 6 to 12-months, and you’ll notice fewer flare ups. Fewer painful episodes.
 

Why cycling?

Well, for stronger muscles, any low impact activity such as cycling, swimming, or jogging is good for you. 

BUT... a full exercise bike set up at home puts you in control.

You can cycle for 2 minutes and stop if it hurts. However... go for a 10-minute fast walk or run, and if you get pain you can't just stop. You’ve still got to get home.

Walking and jogging give your lower back and glutes a workout.

Cycling does that AND works your quadriceps. Strong quads mean strong hamstrings. And that means a strong brace of muscles around your knee. Your muscles become your knee brace.

Newsletter #009 confirmed the science, that mixing it up is best.

Strong quads take the strain on uneven ground, downhill or down stairs. Muscles takes the strain instead of painful joints. That avoids the sharp catching ‘OOoofff’ of joint pain...

2nd barrier out of the 4...
 

2. ‘I’m on the go all the time’

Great.

BUT... walking and everyday movement keeps your lower back and glutes strong.

Cycling moves your back and hip in a different way that builds additional strength. AND that builds that all important quads strength. Try this..

Fold your arms across your chest and stand up from sitting...

1. Can you stand slowly with good control?
2. Can you stand without throwing your upper body forward?
3. Can you put one heel forward and stand using only one leg?
4. Can you do that with the other leg? 
5. Is each leg equally strong?

If the answer is ‘no’ to any of those questions then cycling will build back that lost strength.

So, keep going 'on the go all the time'. But make some time each day for the bike.

 
3. 'I don’t have room for an exercise bike'

Yep, exercise bikes do take up room.

Borrow or buy an exercise bike. Set it up in front of the telly or listen to the radio… because it’s boring. And give it a try.

What if your pain gets 20% better after a few months of pedaling? That’s what the evidence from over 8000 people tells us. Think about carving out some space, as well as some regular time for the bike.

 
4. ‘I can’t complete a pedal’

This can be the most challenging barrier to overcome. Everyone's starting point varies. And this is the hardest place to start from.

So, start slowly...

People who are really struggling with joint pain can have difficulty completing ONE pedal revolution. They might try once and give up. However, I recommend taking a slow approach.

Raise the seat nice and high. With your heel on the pedal, you should be able to lift your bum ever so slightly off the seat.

Try as large a revolution as you can. Swing back and forth as far as you can without pain. Do that for 1 minute. Back, and forth.

Within a week your range will increase. And with time you will be able to turn the pedal. Then turn those pedals for 30 seconds / day.
1 minute / day the following week.

And so on…
 
It doesn’t matter where your baseline is. What’s important is remaining pain free or no worse. Pain free or no worse and you can do cycle regularly, every day. Getting stronger every day.

Scale up slowly and build back that muscle strength.

Good luck!

Thank you to everyone who has helped grow this newsletter to over 180 subscribers...

Over Christmas we're all a little less active and perhaps gain a bit of bodyweight.

Listening to our joints, with a deeper understanding of our hip or knee pain can point towards turning that around. Towards doing more with less pain.

Please forward this email and nudge any loved ones over the Christmas break who get hip or knee pain.  Tell 'em to hit the Subscribe button below and catch up on my first 10 newsletters at www.danhwilliams.com/#subscribe