bicycling and hip bursitis

Question
I have a 52 year old male friend who insists that his every other day ( weather permitting as He likes to get outdoors occasionally, being an office worker ) at least one hour long riding his bike on city streets ( asphalt or cement surfaces ) has not only not been responsible for his hip bursitis but claims that it does not contribute to it nor aggravate it in any way !? He says His Physical Therapist and Orthopedist both claim that it was most likely caused by the fact that He works 8 hours a day SITTING in front of a computer. Also I must mention that He often spends hours after work reading books ! He maintains that bike riding is not the same as pure sitting because one's weight is partially borne by the arms and shoulder, plus the thigh and feet do absorb some of the pressure and do most of the work pedaling?! Is He in "Denial" or what ?? :-)

Thanks in advance,
James K

Answer
Hi James,

I would have to side with the Physical therapist, Orthopedist and him. Riding is definitely not the same as pure sitting and he is  correct that the weight is distributed differently, he would also be correct that the muscles in the hip area are being strengthened. His bicycle riding is actually probably good therapy for the hips as it will help getting the fluid moving in the joint, the synovial fluid in the joint is the lubricating fluid and acts much like oil on a wheel.

I would say if anyone is in denial it would be you, James.

It is much more likely that the sitting for long periods of time without much activity is the main culprit, that is one reason I promote an ebook called Healthy Computing which has "exercises" that you can do at your desk.

Here is a link to download your copy http://www.bmgfitness.com/healthycomputing.pdf

Hope this helps

Have a great day

Jerry