After a knee injury or surgical procedure, you will need to maintain proper flexibility in your knee joint during the healing process. One tool that can be very effective for promoting this flexibility is a bicycle. Beyond serving as an effective joint mobilization tool, cycling can also provide exercise and strength training to your daily routine. Before starting any cycling program, be sure to speak to a medical doctor for more information.
Low-Impact Exercise
One of the major benefits of riding a bicycle for knee therapy is low-impact conditioning. As the Cartilage Health website suggests, bicycles allow you to strengthen your leg muscles and knee joints without needing them to also serve as shock-absorbers, as is the case with running. The act of cycling, as the website suggests, is non-weight bearing and can be considered very "knee friendly" if you are a recovering knee patient or battling a chronic joint disorder. One example of a low-impact knee exercise you can complete is simply pedaling your bicycle slowly in order to bend your knee joint.
Increased Strengthening
Another exercise you can complete on the bicycle involves added resistance to the pedaling process. For example, if you are using a multi-speed bicycle, setting the pedal resistance to a higher level will force your leg muscles to push harder in order to move the bicycle. If you are not using a multi-speed bicycle, pedaling your bike uphill can have the same effect on your legs. This exercise should only be completed if you are comfortable and able to push your muscles without risking further injury to your knee joint.
Partial Pedaling
If you have a more severe knee injury or chronic joint condition, you can also benefit from using a bicycle for therapeutic purposes. While seated on a bicycle, fully support your body and balance with both legs. Next, while keeping one leg on the ground and the other on a pedal, slowly push the bike forward with your arms so that the tires roll forward.
This movement will cause the bicycle's pedals to rise, thus creating a passive exercise movement for your leg on the pedal. Do not push the bike forward more than necessary to move your knee only slightly before returning the back to starting position.
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