My Bike Ride....ouch!

[ladysusan]

The Dr told me to get more exercise and he wants me to ride a bike a mile a day. Well....I came back from that ride about an hour ago and my legs are like jelly, they hurt, the burn and my heart is pounding a mile a minute! :worry: Looks like I'm gonna take a couple of rides a day to make that mile...then tell the Dr I did it all in one like he wants!

Any suggestions on how to help the burning in my legs? I have fibromyalgia and I can't take asprin due to my blood being so thin from the stroke I had last year. Any help would help...thanks. :)

At least my hands & fingers till work, I don't know what I would do if I couldn't type!!! :laugh:

[Glam]

I suggest a nice warm bath to soothe your muscles (unless that isn't okay with your other medical conditions - i.e. your heart pounding). Did you do a warm up and cool down before riding? If not, this may help you with future rides. Congratulations on starting your excercise program - it'll get easier! :)

Editing: What I meant to say was -did you warm up before riding and then do a cool down after riding, meaning did you stretch before and after. :cool2:

[melonhed]

The burn will get better with time. Don't just hop off your bike and sit down somewhere, walk a bit to release the lactic acid in your muscles, maybe even stretch your muscles a bit. If your muscles are sore tomorrow, work thru it, they will feel less sore after your next ride Worse than jelly legs is getting 'saddle sore", you may find some sore parts in the shower tomorrow.

[skpaw]

I can't ride bikes without severe knee pain. I have fibromyalgia too. I do much better with walking--I can go 10 miles or more--or with water exercise. See if your city pool has water aerobics, it is much easier on the joints. Talk to the doctor and tell him you want to exercise but don't want to hurt yourself. If you are going to do the bike, I would do just 5 min at a time with a break between rides till you work your way up to the amount you want.

[ladysusan]

Thank you Thank you everyone!

I tried the warm bath and it helped a bit. The jelly legs are gone and saddle sore will be there tomorrow. There are no indoor pools were I live, we have a beach about 1 mile away, so I need to waiting on the swimming till it warms up more. The pool at my complex doesn't open until late April. But that sounds like a good idea. I guess I'll just have to take my time riding. :)

[Glam]

I forgot to mention, you can go to a bike store (or look online) and get a cushion for your bike seat - I got a big thick sheepskin cover for mine and it really cut down on the "saddle sore".

[ladysusan]

Thank you glamorosi that would help alot! :)