Not really for me this but I'm trying hard to get my husband to take up cycling. He is a big man (age 53). He had a heart attack just over 3 years ago and the first thing he was told was to take up cycling or swimming. Neither of us even thought of cycling but last year I bought a second-hand bike (an impulse buy) and now love cycling, so much so I commute to and from work and go everywhere on it.

My husband needs to lose weight and I'm trying so hard to get him on a bike but he keeps making excuses particularly his back. About 15 years ago he had part of two discs removed and he is afraid he will hurt his back again. It doesn't stop him doing anything else though! He did have a problem last year with his back and went to see a good osteopath who put things right for him. He said that cycling should not harm his back so long as the bike is properly set up for him.

How can I persuade him that taking up cycling will be very beneficial to his health?

Advice please.

Hi Python

about 10 yrs ago my partner had very back back problems (to the extent of having to take a year off work) that resulted from an earlier growth imbalance when he was in his late teens.

He started off with swimming, but soon picked up biking. He's now been biking (both off and on road) for about 8 years, and loves it (to the extent of verging on the fanatical!). He is now extremely fit and healthy.

However, not all back problems are the same. I would suggest the following:
- re his concern with back pain, does he have confidence belief in what the chiro said?
- If he does, can you ensure that he has the right sized bike and set up? (this would probably mean buying new and going to a decent bike shop that would measure him and ensure the saddle / bar positions are right)
- Does he have other concerns about cycling that he is not mentioning - eg worried about fitness, doesn't want to feel out of his confort / control zone? It would be worth trying to get to the bottom of his concerns about cycing.
- See if he would be willing to try it for a half day. Choose a place / route that he would enjoy, maybe with a visit to somewhere that he would like to go to. And above all make sure he enjoys the day - listen to his conerns (for example if he wants a break) and go at the pace he feels happy with.

Finally, it might just be that he doesn't want to cycle, and forcing him to do it would not be good for either of you or his health! If that's the case, maybe's there's another activity that you could both take up that would improve his health.

Good luck

Sue

He did say once that he was scared of being out somewhere and having another heart-attack. I said that is something that could happen to anyone, anywhere (heart-attacks are no respecter of age or fitness as we found out when hubby had his - a young man of 19, looked very athletic had a heart-attack much worse than my husbands. He was transferred to a specialist unit 40 miles away once they'd got him stablised).

The other thing is I think because he's fat he's also self-conscious. He's been muttering things like "Hmph! Wouldn't be seen dead in shorts like that" etc.

He's getting a bike from one of my work colleagues in the next fortnight who has got a new bike so I'm hoping he'll venture forth then. I think he'd be surprised at how quickly he'd feel so much healther and how it would help him to lose weight too.

Hi
What a shame your hubby isn't too keen (at the moment), I hear what Sue says that maybe it just isn't for him, but he hasn't tried so how would he know. He's probably feeling a bit self conscious and I fully understand his fear of having another attack but like you say this could happen anywhere anyway. If you do venture out maybe get a GPS, that way if the worst did ever happen you can give an immediate grid reference of where you are to get someone there quickly.

That aside, I can see he's worried about hurting his back. I have had back probs all my life, had two discs removed, spinal fusions and resulting osteoartritis/facet joint wear & tear and I suffer pain. But I love biking and even with pain I still love biking. The best thing I have learnt is to not go too mad too quickly, plan ahead and have the best bike possible.

For me a full suspension was a major leap forward to alleviate back ache, but if that's out your budget, get a suspension seatpost they take the shock instead of your back getting it and make it a softer ride. I rode with one for years before going full suss.

I now swear my sports massage too, this just keeps me tip top. Funnily enough a lot of my pain in recent years has been because of muscle imbalance and tightening of my quads which pulls back out of shape & then goes into spasm, keeping myself freed has been a major way forward.

If he doesn't like the idea of lycra shorts, then get some baggies or 3/4 length baggies like Endura Humvee. They're really popular, have a hidden lycra short inside which pops out and not too expensive (£50 ish).

Be careful with the bike you're getting off your mate if it is wrong fit for hubbie then it could make his back worse & put him off.

How about hiring a bike and seeing how he gets on. they will make sure he has a bike that fits or another thought is take out a demo bike from a bike shop there's more and more available now.

You don't say if you want to road or mountain ride but either way bike fit is still as important.

I hope you manage to encourage your hubbie that biking is fun and tell him from me (and all the doctors I have spoken to about my probs) cycling is one of the best forms of exercise for someone with a bad back and being fit is 100% better for your back than sitting about doing nothing..
Good luck CJ

It sounds like you need to work out exactly why he isn't as enthusiastic as you first...

Alot of GPs refer people who have had CV problems (but need to take up exercise) to local gyms, for basically supervised excerise sessions - I am just wondering if this will help him in motivation/enthusiasm/confidence to go cycling (or do any exercise to get him heading in the right direction).

Maybe you need to start with the losing weight bit first so he is happy to be seen out on a bike - ie fast walking/jogging/diet as a first step forward.

Hope this helps