Bicycle riding

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Ouch_Ouch_Ouch
Ouch_Ouch_Ouch Member Posts: 508 Member
edited September 2014 in Anal Cancer #1

Of those of you who still have rectal-itis of some kind, have any of you been able to go back to bike riding? Maybe with a specialty seat? Or is my bike going to end life as an expensive spider condo?

It would be a good way for me to build up stamina again.

Than you for your time.

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  • sephie
    sephie Member Posts: 650 Member
    #2
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    no bike for me

    i still can not ride a bike or a horse..... i am 5 years post tx..... still have pain and bleeding with bm's ..... but there are plenty of others that have done a lot better......sephie

  • eihtak
    eihtak Member Posts: 1,473 Member
    #3
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    Ouch......

    "Ouch" about sums it up, at least in the beginning. It was about 2yrs post treatment that I rode semi comfortably. I used my daughters bike that has one of those convex type seats and also found that wearing a pad (which I pretty much do 24/7 due to drainage as part of my ostomy surgery....whole nother story but yes I still have my anus and theres mucus) lol ...... anyhow the pad seemed to have added just that little buffer in the fried anal area. I probably should have tried sooner as it wasn't bad at all!!

    I've seen some spandex biker shorts that have padding as well.

    Good luck, let us know how it goes.

    katheryn

    *I think I mean concave....it was slightly scooped out like a shallow bowl!Wink

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #4
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    Ouch

    I wondered the same thing after I finished treatment 6 years ago.  Many years ago, I was an avid bike-rider, doing long rides, including a full century and a metric century.  In recent years, I haven't ridden that much, but there is a nice trail near our home where we would take the bikes occasionally.  Well, one day I got brave enough to try and I did just fine!  No special seat required, only the usual padded bike shorts (which I highly recommend if you don't have some).  We still take the bikes over there sometimes, as that's the activity that my husband enjoys the most.  I am more of a runner these days.  If you can give it a try, you might just be surprised.  You may find that you'll need to make a few adjustments on your bike, such as seat  or handlebar height for maximum comfort, but I would encourage you to give it a shot!  Happy peddling!

    Martha 

  • Ouch_Ouch_Ouch
    Ouch_Ouch_Ouch Member Posts: 508 Member
    #5
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    Thanks!

    Thanks for the encouragement, bikers. I never bought padded bike shorts before, but maybe now is the time, since I've lost weight and all.

    eihtak: do you mean what the used to call a "banana" seat?

    PT just started me on one of those big gym ball excercise programs today. My abdominals and legs are whimpering right now, so I guess I'm not as yet fit as I thought.

  • Lorikat
    Lorikat Member Posts: 681 Member
    #6
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    Ouch_Ouch_Ouch said:

    Thanks!

    Thanks for the encouragement, bikers. I never bought padded bike shorts before, but maybe now is the time, since I've lost weight and all.

    eihtak: do you mean what the used to call a "banana" seat?

    PT just started me on one of those big gym ball excercise programs today. My abdominals and legs are whimpering right now, so I guess I'm not as yet fit as I thought.

    Three years out, NED, and

    Three years out, NED, and cannot ride my bike....it hurts my knees now!  Yep, not my bum, my knees, lol!

     

  • eihtak
    eihtak Member Posts: 1,473 Member
    #7
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    Ouch_Ouch_Ouch said:

    Thanks!

    Thanks for the encouragement, bikers. I never bought padded bike shorts before, but maybe now is the time, since I've lost weight and all.

    eihtak: do you mean what the used to call a "banana" seat?

    PT just started me on one of those big gym ball excercise programs today. My abdominals and legs are whimpering right now, so I guess I'm not as yet fit as I thought.

    Ouch....

    It was not a banana seat, That may be uncomfortable to the tender girly region in front of the anal area. It is I think??? refered to as a wide contour seat. I know they also make gel seat covers to fit a variety of seats and that sounds like a comfortable way to go as well!

    I stated once before that I was hospitalized then transfered to a nursing home for a couple months during treatment. While I was having complications, most involved my colostomy related to radiation. It was surely no picnic and was "forced" or so I felt to participate in a physical therapy program there when by week 4 it was the last thing I could do. With a bitter attitude toward the therapy dept. I went and continued daily throughout and for a couple weeks after treatment. Now, although I still don't agree with the necessary requirement during the heat of this ordeal (I think they were uneducated on what I was going through) I am NOW thankful for the mindset it put me in afterwards. I did not know otherwise at the time as I was not part of this board so just assumed that PT was part of recovery and continued once discharged. I joined a "yoga for cancer recovery" type class and got my shrunken leg muscles used to stretching again. My once rock hard abs may be gone for good due to ostomy surgery and I have to be mindful when working out not to overdue as hernias in that area are a high risk, but I do a lot of stretches to strengthen from the side in towards the core. Gym balls are great, even just to spend some time sitting and maintaining good posture....it doesn't even feel like a work out!

    You can't rush it, you'll get there!

    be well......

    katheryn

  • Ouch_Ouch_Ouch
    Ouch_Ouch_Ouch Member Posts: 508 Member
    #8
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    eihtak said:

    Ouch....

    It was not a banana seat, That may be uncomfortable to the tender girly region in front of the anal area. It is I think??? refered to as a wide contour seat. I know they also make gel seat covers to fit a variety of seats and that sounds like a comfortable way to go as well!

    I stated once before that I was hospitalized then transfered to a nursing home for a couple months during treatment. While I was having complications, most involved my colostomy related to radiation. It was surely no picnic and was "forced" or so I felt to participate in a physical therapy program there when by week 4 it was the last thing I could do. With a bitter attitude toward the therapy dept. I went and continued daily throughout and for a couple weeks after treatment. Now, although I still don't agree with the necessary requirement during the heat of this ordeal (I think they were uneducated on what I was going through) I am NOW thankful for the mindset it put me in afterwards. I did not know otherwise at the time as I was not part of this board so just assumed that PT was part of recovery and continued once discharged. I joined a "yoga for cancer recovery" type class and got my shrunken leg muscles used to stretching again. My once rock hard abs may be gone for good due to ostomy surgery and I have to be mindful when working out not to overdue as hernias in that area are a high risk, but I do a lot of stretches to strengthen from the side in towards the core. Gym balls are great, even just to spend some time sitting and maintaining good posture....it doesn't even feel like a work out!

    You can't rush it, you'll get there!

    be well......

    katheryn

    Thanks...

    ...for the "wide contour seat" info. I never heard of that type before. I never had rock-hard abs, but did have rock-hard tushy muscles. Somewhere along the line these past few months, they fell off without me even noticing. Bummer!

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