Cycling

depends

by Tracey_E - 2023-10-05 12:43:44

 Depending what type you have and how you pace, cycling might be a challenge. If you use rate response on the pacer to get your rate up, and if you have a pacer that senses motion to get your rate up, then the pacer may not notice you are cycling and not raise your rate.  

Most medtronic pacers use an accelerometer, aka based on motion. Why do you have the pacer? If it's heart block, you likely don't use rate response. If it's SSS or something else sinus, then you may struggle on hills, etc. 

Aware of?

by piglet22 - 2023-10-05 12:54:15

I think cycling is getting more risky in the UK and I've been doing it for a very long time.

Venture onto public roads at your own risk.

There's a section of the motoring or should I say internal and probably non-internal combustion fraternity that positively hate cyclists.

Of course, if you come off, there's a risk of damage to the pacemaker.

When my cycle missed it's grip on a damp negative camber junction, I picked up three fractures.No harm to the PM. Three days in A&E.

On another occasion, being nice and giving way to a van on a narrow road, I put my foot on what I thought was a solid verge. It wasn't, it was a ditch. The handlebars span round and caught me in the chest.

It hit me right below the collar bone. If it had been the other side, it would have been full onto the PM, connections and leads. A mighty bruise and a haematoma lump that's still there four years on.

If you want to cycle, stick to cycle tracks and be aware that anything can come out of the blue.

Other than that, there's nothing about cycling or the bike that's going to do any harm.

Tracey

by piglet22 - 2023-10-05 13:03:49

That's a good point.

Accelerometers react differently to different types of motion.

The step counter in the mobile phone works the same way.

What I do know is that phone gives a completely different count when walking to cycling. In fact it hardly picks up the cycling at all, despite keeping the phone in a thigh pocket and it getting quite a lot of movement.

It may be programmed differently for walking and cycling but the difference is striking.

When cycling, you tend to keep the upper body fairly steady and that might make a difference to the PM.

Cycling and Pacemakers

by Selwyn - 2023-10-05 17:21:05

I was cycling the week I got my first pacemaker (I was forbidden to drive my car). No problems. 

I would try an ensure the rate response is turned on.

If you are a competitive cyclist the rate response may not be adequate. My techs say this is the only time they use the Boston Scientific ventilation rate response. 

I cycle regularly, this summer enjoying cycling Wales ( those hills are a struggle!), the Isle of Mann and Denmark ( as flat as a pancake!).

Cycling is a great way of keeping fit.  Do wear a helmet ( my sister in law went over the handlebars without a helmet and fatally smashed her brain).  Watch out for pot holes! Last year I cycled with a 92 year old raising money for Guide Dogs for the Blind. Cycling is Eco friendly and  health promoting.  If you are bothered about traffic and weather you can always get one of those 'torture'  pedaling machines.

Selwyn

by piglet22 - 2023-10-06 08:05:47

I've cycled since I could walk and started out with one of those little tricycles made by Triang, progressing through "fairy" cycles, secondhand bikes and my first new school bike, a BSA Star Rider.

Followed by a Bob Jackson road bike and now a Ridgeback commuter bike.

My home town is full of narrow streets and impatient drivers. I was knocked off the bike in the middle of town by a lady driver who couldn't wait 5 seconds and decided that hitting my handlebars was the best option. As it turned out, the chat we had afterwards delayed her a lot more.

If you can manage to get out of town, there are some decent cycle tracks, though not without their perils.

One is just feet from fast moving dual carriageway traffic and to my knowledge, at least two vehicles have crashed onto the cycle track. On another, a gritting lorry taking a short cut, covered me in salt and sand. That cost Highways England £100.

That, plus the injuries means that reluctantly the bike is put away and the walking shoes are on.

Over 3-million steps this year and nearly 1500-miles. If only they fixed the pavements it would be fine.