Riding an Electric Bike for Bad Knees or Arthritis: A Comprehensive Guide

Leon Wang:05 Sep, 2023

Table of content



Introduction

Disease, be it any kind, can change your life pattern significantly, and Arthritis is one such condition that hampers physical activity like a catastrophic event. More than men, women are prone to Arthritis, and the American population is no exception. These patients are restricted from doing any heavy exercise or hitting the gym often as it worsens their pain. Then, how to maintain weight and health, as any extra mass will lead to trouble in the supporting joints. 

You can try joint-friendly exercises, such as swimming, walking, or even biking. So, if you have a condition such as your knees or Arthritis, we have a solution for you in the form of e-bikes that can help you with daily chores while smoothly supporting your routine. And cycling as a cardio is good for the heart and prevents diabetes, stroke, and heart diseases, it also helps reduce stress and anxiety while improving blood flow to the brain and making you sleep better to keep up with daily life and tasks. Let's get started.

Challenges Posed by Bad Knees and Arthritis

Before moving towards how e-bikes can help you with mobility in Arthritis, let us understand the limitations of bad Knees or Arthritis.

Arthritis or bad knee conditions can pose swelling and extreme pain and lead to restricted mobility, too, as a worst-case scenario. Mainly, connective tissues, along with joints, are affected by this disease. These symptoms may come and go as per your disease's condition and can cause inflammation if proper care is not taken. In such times, exerting extra pressure on your body can enhance swelling and other requirements. You may need extra help with mobility, and e-bikes are the best thing.

Is Cycling Good for Joints?

Sports like running, rope skipping, etc., involve extra effort by the body, and people with bad knees or Arthritis may find it difficult to follow these regularly.

So, cycling can be an aerobic exercise as it poses less pressure on the knees and thus prevents any mishap or dislocation leading to knee injuries. Besides being safe, cycling also helps in the mobility of lower body muscles involving areas around knees, ankles, and hips. Once you strengthen them, you get better stability and joint support.

When you pedal a bike in a circular motion, your joints experience a controlled and smooth movement. It helps reduce inflammation and stiffness in joints and Provides better mobility chances.

Cycling can do beautiful things you may need to be made aware of. Being a simple yet effective masterpiece, it helps distribute the weight of your whole body between handlebars, saddle, and pedals. Due to this even distribution, you will experience lesser impact on certain joints and can reduce your hip or knee problems.

But for this, you need a unique bike that helps prevent knee damage when traveling uphill or encountering biking sections that are hard to manage.


Choosing the Right Electric Bike

For the right results, you must opt for the right electric bike. Let us help you with this in detail, covering each section of the cycle individually.

  1. Frame Selection

A frame with a low step design or a step-through feature assists people with Arthritis with extra support while mounting or dismounting an e-bike. It gives them full support while getting down or going up on an e-bike as they have lower leg stability due to knee or joint pain. This is why opting for an ideal frame while electing your e-bike is essential.

  1. Suspension System

Opting for e-bikes with full suspension ensures you get minimal or no shocks while traveling on e-bikes. It is ideal for people with joint or knee pain as they may feel pain elevation even due to a minor jerk. A full-suspension bike helps absorb all the shocks due to friction between the terrain and the tire.

  1. Ergonomic Design

An excellent electric bike offers users an ergonomic design, especially those with arthritic knees. For example, pedals can lead to extra knee pressure, and a step-up design can help. In the same way, a good posture can be achieved, and back pain can be reduced or avoided if the handlebars are positioned in the right place. 

Moreover, a seat with a cushion that is comfortable to sit and an optimizable handlebar makes it easier for patients with Arthritis to ride the e-bike easily.

 

Riding Tips for Knee and Arthritis Issues

Here are some riding tips for you to follow to lessen knee and arthritis issues while riding an e-bike:

  1. Proper Posture

To reduce the strain on knees and pain in joints, a good posture must be attained while using an e-bike. For this, you must opt for an e-bike with an ergonomic design. It helps you gain a comfortable position, making a forward lean and taking support of the handlebars. In this position, you may feel lumbar spinal stenosis, which makes you feel better while leaning forward.

  1. Pedaling Cadence

If you have pain in your knees or have Arthritis, it is not advisable to push heavy gears using a low cadence, somewhere around 60 -75 rpm. It is so because, with each pedaling stroke, your kneecap is loaded with a high load, which is not beneficial for your health and aggravates the knee pain. Instead, you can improve your endurance by using lower gears for spinning. So, please maintain a comfortable and steady pedaling cadence so as not to stress your knees.

  1. Terrain Selection

Pain in your knees may not allow you to go to places with rough terrains as it may increase knee pain or worsen your arthritis. On the contrary, if you travel on a plain or flat terrain and gently roll using the natural flow of the path, it will lessen the exertion on your knees. 

  1. Protective Gear

Riding an electric bike safely is essential, but using protective gear like a helmet, knee pads, and gloves provides extra protection in case of a mishap and prevents a significant injury. Whereas helmets are essential for protecting and preventing a head injury, gloves are needed to keep you warm in cold weather. Gloves also allow you to maintain your grip on the handlebar, providing better steering capability. Knee pads offer extra support to the knees and make it easier for the user to bend the knee at certain levels while using an e-bike. 

 


Why is Hiboy EX6 your best choice for Arthritic Knees?

Hiboy Ex6 is your ideal e-bike if you suffer from arthritic knees. Its ergonomic design involves adjustable handlebars and a seat that can be customized per your comfort level. On the other hand, there is a step-up frame, which is an ideal thing for knee pain and arthritic people as it makes the mounting and dismounting easier. The bike also has fat tires that are meant for all terrains. Moreover, for a buttery smooth ride, you get a hydraulic suspension fork system that helps you quickly tackle rough terrains. 

 


Final Words

We have provided you with all the parameters you must remember if you have bad knees or Arthritis and still want to ride an ebike. You must remember to have the proper low-step frame selection, an ergonomic design, and a sound suspension system. Moreover, a few riding tips, like terrain selection, adequate posture, protective gear, and pedaling cadence, help you ride your bike easily. 

Hiboy Ex6 is the ideal e-bike with all the abovementioned features, making your ride smooth with its fat tires and excellent hydraulic suspension system. So, it can be your perfect choice for bad knees or Arthritis.