Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

The Physiological Effects Of A Cross Country Bike Ride On Novice Cyclists, Wade Weatherholt

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Purpose: The physiological responses and adaptations experienced by novices engaging in cross-country cycling have received little attention in the scientific literature. Such endeavors typically involve a sizeable increase in physical activity for most individuals, but the acute and chronic effects of such an endurance feat are not well understood. Similarly, research shows that experienced cyclists often demonstrate osteoporosis in the spine, linked to many years of training accompanied by little or no weight bearing stress upon the axial skeleton. Greater understanding of these issues is needed, as long distance cycling has increased in popularity in recent years, and exercise professionals …