Is cycling significantly better for knees compared to running?
I've been running 3+ times/week for cardiovascular fitness and other benefits but recently been feeling a bit of strain on my right knee. Its not painful but I guess it's prudent to hear the message that the body is trying to send and replace running with something more knee friendly.
It seems to me that the action of pushing the pedal does put stress on the knees so all that cycling really seem to do (compared to running) is to eliminate the sudden impacts of feet hitting the ground.
Given above -
How much more/less stressful on knees is cycling compared to running?
Is cycling really more knee-friendly compared to running or is it just a different type of equivalent stress?
Are there any scenarios where it could be worse on some joints/tendons/muscles than running?
PS:
1. I won't be getting a bicycle with gears etc.
2. The objective is to minimize joint damage while improving overall fitness.
3. Not planning to train for races etc.
(1)1 Comments
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TLDR: Yes, cycling is better for your knees (and more than that)
Cycling is significantly better for not only your knees but also your ankles and your entire spine. The fact that you push a pedal won't hurt your knee, the sudden impacts while running is what will hurt the join. These sudden impacts are also the reason why it's worse for your spine and ankles.
Cycling is actually a good sport if you have problems with your spine, for instance if you have a herniated lower back.
Keep in mind: You burn less calories while cycling than whilest you're running, so if your goal is to lose weight you have to keep in mind you'll have to spend more time on a bike to burn the same amount of calories.
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