A follow up to “Is it really so bad to take the whole winter off the bike?”
By Stan Purdum
In my last column, I replied to Jason K’s question, “Is it really so bad to take the whole winter off the bike?” In short, my answer was “No, not if you stay otherwise active.” You can read my full reply here.
That led a reader named Richard to ask, “How do injuries to senior citizens factor into this subject (Even when being careful and patient in their return to cycling)? Individual variations aside, can fitness and mobility loss sometimes unexpectedly turn permanent for seniors, or does research suggest that seniors do retain the capacity to rebuild? Furthermore, is there research suggesting that extended periods of limited activity may have positive long-term benefits?”
I’ll start with an anecdotal response. When I was in my 20s, I had a retired neighbor, Fred, who was in his 80s, but, almost every day, he could be found in the woodshop he had set up in his garage. Most of the time he had a project or two under construction — often building furniture for members of his extended family — and when he had no project, he spent his time cleaning the shop or hauling in lumber. In warmer weather, he also cultivated a vegetable garden. At the time, I was working on some building projects of my own. I didn’t have a lot of experience in such matters, so Fred became a source of advice. On one visit to his shop, I commented on his industriousness, and he told me about his older brother, who spent his retirement sitting in a chair on his front porch. “Within a year after retiring,” Fred said, “he died. So I decided that when I retired, I was going to keep moving, and that’s what I do.” Five years later, when I moved from that community, Fred was nearing 90 and still maintaining his activity.
As a life lesson, I boiled Fred’s story down to “You’ve got to keep moving.” And now that I am in my early 80s, I still take that lesson seriously and believe it has served me well.
So before even looking at research about the effects of extended periods of limited activity, my bias is to say “Keep moving.” So while I stand by my conclusion, expressed in my previous column, that taking the whole winter off cycling is not a health catastrophe, replacing it with couch sitting is likely to be detrimental, and if the inactivity goes on too long, it will be a steep climb to rebuild your fitness.
But Richard asked about research, not anecdote, so let’s look at some research. According to a 2021 paper in the HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine, “Physical inactivity, defined as not meeting guidelines for physical activity beyond baseline daily living activities, is common among older adults (age 65 and older) and contributes to increased morbidity, increased mortality and increased health care spending.”
Conversely, the study says, “Physical activity and exercise are effective in the primary and secondary prevention of chronic diseases that can lead to physical impairments, disability and/or premature death. Physical activity and exercise have been shown to improve cognitive dysfunction and painful musculoskeletal disorders as well as diminish frailty and reduce falls, which are highly prevalent among older adults with a significant impact on their ability to function and perform daily activities.”
However, regarding Richard’s question “… can fitness and mobility loss sometimes unexpectedly turn permanent for seniors, or does research suggest that seniors do retain the capacity to rebuild?” the weight of medical research is that prolonged limited activity in people over 70 can cause significant muscle loss (sarcopenia) and functional decline, but it is not usually irreversible — with the right nutrition, exercise and medical support, recovery is possible, though it may take longer and be more challenging the more muscle is lost. One voice expressing that conclusion is Harvard Health Publishing, an arm of Harvard Medical School. See their advice here.
So, to say it again, taking the whole winter off cycling is not a health disaster, as long as you keep moving. Make it a winter habit to walk, do some weight training, ski — something active, with regularity.
One reader using the handle “The Senior Ripper” responded to my take-the-winter-off-cycling article by saying “I will be 71 in February. I live in Park City, Ut, so it’s not easy to ride outdoors during the winter, and I really don’t enjoy cycling indoors. I’m considering attempting the Great Divide in August next year, or at least sections of it, and I’ve been worried about taking the winter off from cycling. During that time, I continue my twice weekly weight training sessions, I ski almost every day that conditions permit, and I ‘skin’ up mountains under my own power several times a month, so my fitness stays relatively high. I’m hoping that will be enough to be ready for the Divide by August.” My response: “I expect it will!”
And reader “Steve” said, “As someone who lives ‘where the snowflakes storm’ I’ve convinced myself that structured off season workouts like weight training and aerobic and anaerobic sessions maintain my bike fitness even though I spend little time on a trainer. Am I off base?” My response: “Not at all!”
Stan Purdum has ridden several long-distance bike trips, including an across-America ride recounted in his book Roll Around Heaven All Day, and a trek on U.S. 62, from Niagara Falls, New York, to El Paso, Texas, the subject of his book Playing in Traffic. Stan, a freelance writer and editor, lives in Ohio. See more at www.StanPurdum.com.