Is cycling good for stroke patients? [Yes, but which type?]

Last year my uncle had a minor stroke. He lives with me in my house and has been for the last 2 decades. It’s great having him around and he is probably one of the greatest handymen for anything that I can’t figure out. Typically, it has to do with anything electrical. After he had his stroke, he was in bed for some time and was transferred to physical therapy for several months. It was a long process, but they got him to where he was comfortable walking again. Outside of this they wanted him to come back once a week, for several more months and afterwards they transferred him to a local physical therapist to keep his body moving. The main question that I had before he was let out was about cycling. Is cycling good for stroke patients? The answer from the team was a resounding yes.

In this post we will discuss my uncle’s recovery with cycling and his minor stroke. We will discuss which exercises are the best for stroke recovery. We will also discuss stationary bicycles and the amount of rest that he used to recover from his stroke. After this you should understand my uncle’s stroke and physical recovery and should be able to use this as one case point in your further research and your discussion with your doctor to help your own case. I am not a doctor nor am I providing a prescription to anyone’s stroke, I am simply telling my uncle’s story.

Is cycling good for stroke patients?

Yes, cycling is good for stroke patients. Cycling was great for my uncle because he was able to regain motor access to his body while also being mobile in his legs daily. He could adjust how he was moving, and when he was cycling, he could decide when he wanted to continue or stop. After he saw his doctor and his trained physical therapist, they were together able to come up with a plan to cycle to help him walk again, remain healthy and happy with his body. From what I saw, the most important aspect of his recovery was the consistency of cycling and moving. Each week he spends some time at his appointment doing many bodily exercises including cycling on a stationary recumbent bicycle. We even purchased this one for the home. We chose this for the house because it’s easy to get in and out of for him to exercise.  

What is the best exercise for stroke recovery?

It was recommended that we do anything that was cardio related for him. This would be swimming or cycling. We chose cycling because we could set up the recumbent stationary bike in our home and he could ride next to his bed when he chose. We noticed that over time, his range of motion increased, and he found it really easy to use. Swimming was a good choice for some time though it was a bit for me to take him to the gym and back. Both were great options, though.

Is stationary bike good for stroke patients?

Yes. We found the stationary bike to be great for my uncle. It was a great physical therapy add on and it was easy to control the quality of his workouts. It worked great to also increase his range of motion along with cross training when we were able to get him in the water. For my own cause, when I bought it, it was pretty easy to assemble and came quickly.

Should you rest or exercise after a stroke?

It was recommended by my uncle’s licensed physical therapy team to do a collection of both rest and exercise. The exact amount is useful for him to talk to with his physical therapy team and doctor. They said that if he feels tired at all, then he needs to stop. I liked the recumbent bike for that reason because at any point when he wants to begin exercising, he can, and at any point he can stop and is very convenient at my house.

What is the best exercise after a mini stroke?

My uncle always felt the best and felt his head was sharper and he had more mobility after doing anything in the cardio category. He really enjoyed biking with his stationary recumbent bicycle and always came out of it seeming more joyful and had a bit more bounce in his step. I think it was because it was anything that got him moving, and the consistency which has kept him happy while exercising.

Conclusion

If you are suffering from a stroke and looking for some advice, please take my uncle’s story as a pointer in the right direction. However, I am absolutely not a doctor or physical therapist. I am a person on the internet sharing the story that I saw with my uncle’s stroke in relationship to stationary cycling and how he was able to walk and think sharp again. Is cycling good for stroke patients? We found cycling to be great.