How important is exercise for our health and fitness?

Let’s start with a few statistics: More than half the population of Germany is overweight. Every year some 400,000 to 500,000 Germans are fitted with permanent prostheses – and this number is increasing. And practically everyone in Germany suffers from back pain at some time in their lives. The most frequent cause of health problems such as obesity or joint pains is simply lack of exercise. Sporting activities increase the supply of oxygen to the brain, the joints and the cardiovascular system, in fact to the whole body, and are able to slow down the process of ageing and other degenerative processes. Exercise makes people healthy and keeps them healthy!

How much exercise is healthy?

Daily exercise can help keep illnesses at bay. In fact, there is evidence that fifteen minutes of physical activity every day are enough to extend life expectancy by all of three years. The World Health Organisation recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week (resulting in higher pulse rate, slight breathlessness) in order to achieve positive effects. The basic rule is: any form of physical activity is better than being totally inactive!

What role does the bicycle play in your work?

Cycling is ideally suited for people who experience pain when they walk, because the strain on the joints can be controlled more effectively. In our practices we use the cycle ergometer for the recuperation process, e.g. following an operation, for warm-up prior to a training session or for endurance training and weight reduction programmes.

Where do you see the benefit of eBikes for people’s health?

The special feature of the eBike is that the stress can be regulated and adapted to suit the stamina and state of health of the rider. As a result, the eBike is perfect for patients who have just had a joint replacement – it’s an ideal means of remaining active. In this way they can step up the stress levels in a series of stages. For patients who are less fit, the power assistance enables them to make up for any physical deficit. Nowadays the eBike is used in professional sport – including Germany’s national football team – for regenerative training units or to counterbalance the everyday soccer routine..

How can an eBike ensure more exercise?

The supportive effect of an eBike and the rapid successes achieved can encourage the user to make more frequent use of this “sports equipment”. With the pedelec distances seem much shorter. The eBike can also be used for trips which are usually undertaken by car, for example to commute to work or for the weekly shopping expedition. In this way exercise can become part and parcel of everyday life. Some people will find additional motivation by using a fitness tracker which indicates precisely the achievement of training targets. In the case of the eBike this is the onboard computer, which can be attached to the handlebars of the bicycle. But people must decide for themselves what their motivating factor is – the main thing is that the exercise is enjoyable!

What is important to remember when eBiking?

The basic requirements for eBike users are, firstly, to have sufficient joint mobility to mount the bicycle and secondly, to be able to react quickly and confidently to the situations which arise in road traffic. Anyone who uses a pedelec for health reasons should seek expert advice and request a training programme based on a performance check. An ergonomic seating position is also essential for continuous enjoyment and comfort when cycling. It is therefore advisable to check with one’s dealer to make sure that the frame, handlebars and saddle are set to the right height and everything else is correctly in position.