Benefits of cycling with regard to Covid-19

When facing a virus, there is not much we can do. But a little can mean something. A virus must be defeated by your body with its own defences, but there are factors that help your body to fight it. Cycling is one of those and we will tell you why.

Cycling against Covid-19

Coronavirus has changed the way we relate to each other, our habits of life and even our practice of sport. Nowadays, it is not easy to go out and ride in a group, or to do so at certain times and there have been hard moments when we have not even had the chance to leave the house.

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However, cycling, like sport in general, has the capacity to improve our organism in the face of any virus. Of course, the best way to deal with a virus is not to become infected, so first of all we would like to insist that it is always the best option to take measures to prevent infection, rather than to practice sport in exposed situations.

But if you cycle safely, the benefits are remarkable. Firstly, and this is something we discovered when we were allowed to go out only for tasks such as sport, because cycling and sport help against states of anxiety and depression. We spent more than a month indoors and allowing ourselves to go out for a bike ride was undoubtedly the best feeling of all those weeks. Cycling mentally evades you and releases dopamine and endorphins, which make you feel a sense of well-being and happiness respectively.

But in addition, if you catch the virus, dealing with it requires a strong organism. Cycling improves your cardiovascular and respiratory systems, making them stronger, and it is precisely the latter that is most directly affected by the Coronavirus. If you're strong, you'll fight that battle with that strength. If your lung capacity is very high, you have room to manage its problems, which are usually pneumonia or pulmonary fibrosis.

But, in addition, overweight is usually a risk factor for any pathology or disease, also for Covid-19, of course. And cycling will help you maintain an appropriate weight, avoid any overweight that can aggravate your condition.

Finally, it's been proven that your immune system is also strengthened after sport, just like cycling. Most studies speak of even moderate exercise as being sufficient to achieve the best levels of defence because, in fact, excessive exercise and over-exercise (mainly very long anaerobic or aerobic workouts) can cause a sudden drop in your defences.

If you have already suffered Covid-19, be careful

Taking care of your diet and cycling will give you a better chance of overcoming the virus. But if you have already been infected, all this is partly relativized. In other words, exercise is still recommended, but cardiologists have issued a very clear warning: have a cardiology consultation before starting training again. Nothing will be the same after this pandemic, that is clear.

Because it has been proven that the Covid-19 often leaves some after-effects in the mid-term, and it can be a risk to face a demanding cycling route again without a proper medical check-up to certify that everything is in order. So, don't forget: if you have overcome the Coronavirus, consult your doctor before riding again.

Although always the best defence is, of course, to avoid contagion. The Junta de Andalucía has prepared a protocol for training and competitions with advice on how to avoid it. Any information, any expert advice, is welcome.