Are Motorcycle Riders Healthier?

Motorcyclists hear about the dangers of riding on an almost daily basis. They have all heard that there are only two types of motorcycle riders, those that have laid their bike down and those that haven’t…yet. Everyone knows that motorcycles are cheaper to operate and better for the planet than cars, but are there actually health benefits to riding, as well?

Are Motorcycle Riders Smarter?

According to Andrew Sterman[1] riding a motorcycle actually stimulates the brain and activates the prefrontal areas in ways that driving a car does not. This stimulation leads to improvements in the cognitive function that can be measured. These improvements will be lost if the rider does not ride his/her motorcycle regularly. These findings were supported by a study performed by Tohoku University which also found that riding helps keep drivers feeling young.

Motorcycle Riding as a Treatment for Diabetes?

I am not advocating that diabetics throw down their insulin and pick up a bike, but studies have shown that low impact exercise improves insulin sensitivity. According to the American Diabetes Association[2] light aerobic activity and resistance training increases insulin sensitivity. The good news is that riding your motorcycle qualifies as low impact exercise. This may mean that if you have Type 2 Diabetes, riding a motorcycle on might decrease your need for insulin on days which you ride.

Motorcycle Riding to Rehab Bad Knees

According to Dr. Pamela Reilly[3] riding a motorcycle is good for rehabilitating old worn knees and to strengthen the knee and make knee injuries much less likely. The reason for this is that motorcycle riding uses the thigh muscles a lot. This increased strength in the thigh muscles results in greater knee strength, as well.

Motorcycle Riding Burns Calories

Here is a big health benefit, riding burns calories. Whether you are tooling around St. Pete Beach, downtown St. Petersburg or riding long distance on the highway, riding a motorcycle burns calories. Nobody, anywhere, ever said they were going to take a leisurely afternoon drive in their car so that they could burn come calories. Motorcycle riding simply requires a level of physicality not required when driving a car. On a typical ride, 200-300 calories per hour can be burned by the motorcycle rider. To provide a point of reference, it is important to consider that walking can be expected to burn a similar number of calories per hour. Next time you don’t feel like working out, pull your motorcycle out of the garage and go for a ride. You will feel better and be healthier for it.

Contact Jones Law Group

Have you or a loved one been injured in a motorcycle accident? Contact an experienced St. Petersburg motorcycle accident attorney at Jones Law Group today. When you contact our office we will immediately set an appointment where you will meet your attorney and be provided with his/her personal contact information. If you do not have transportation or you cannot drive, your attorney will travel to meet you and discuss your case with you.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident caused by the negligence of another, you should immediately call an experienced personal injury attorney in St. Petersburg at Jones Law Group at (727) 571-1333 during regular business hours or (727) 753-8657 on weekends or after regular business hours. We will evaluate your case for free and you will never pay us a dime unless we recover compensation for your injuries.

Jones Law Group
5622 Central Avenue
St. Pete, FL 33707

References:

[1] http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/26/11/2977.full