By Ahmad Adil
NEW DELHI (AA) – Coinciding the World Bicycle Day being celebrated across the planet on Thursday, India’s leading medical practitioner believes that cycling was a panacea to rheumatic, heart, and mental diseases, besides keeping a person healthy.
In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency, Dr. Aman Sharma, professor at Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology Wing of Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh, said bicycling can play a role to cure those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
“RA is an independent risk factor for heart disease, and doing exercise like cycling would surely benefit a great deal from that aspect also,” he said. He said the cycling can help patients in whom there is no severe knee ailment and who can cycle easily.
According to Dr. Sharma, since the pandemic has triggered concerns of mental health, bicycling can play a positive role.
“The current COVID-19 pandemic has taken a great toll on the mental health of every human being, cycling helps positively,” said the doctor, a leading expert on rheumatology.
He said like other exercises, cycling brings a “feel-good” factor which is necessary not only for physical but mental well-being also.
The doctor said it was encouraging to see people taking to cycling in India, where a large portion of the population is battling lifestyle diseases.
“Cycling is a very good exercise and it has been brought into focus during the current pandemic. Since gyms are closed, we are getting reports that the trend has now picked up,” said Dr. Sharma. He described the trend as very encouraging.
– Emergence of cycling groups
The noted medical expert also said that many cycling groups have emerged over time, helping people to connect and also spend quality time together.
"I have been going cycling with my colleagues and I can tell you that this is the only time where there is some form of informal social interaction these days. When we hit the road, we see so many people cycling these days, either alone or in groups. It will help in different ways,” he said.
A World Health Organization report in 2019 had ranked India eighth in the world index in the prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adolescents.
While the lockdown due to COVID-19 has further restrained physical activity, people are increasingly taking to cycling.
Prashant Kumar,30, from northern Punjab province is one such case. Last year in March, when restrictions were imposed across the country, Kumar and his friends formed a small group in their locality to do cycling every morning.
“We are happy that more and more people are joining us every week and the group is growing,” Kumar told Anadolu Agency.
He said cycling has helped him to reduce weight and feel fit.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Rahul Trehan, 35, a resident of the capital New Delhi said he purchased a new bicycle this year when restrictions were lifted.
"During the lockdown last year, we were mostly inside the home. So, when my friends turned to cycling, I joined them as well," he said.
According to a report compiled by Credit Rating Information Services of India Limited (CRISIL) — credit rating and analytical agency — India’s bicycle industry is pedaling to decadal-high demand growth of 20% in this financial year, with sales likely to touch over 14.5 million units compared with 12 million units during last financial year.
"The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has spurred demand for bicycles owing to improving fitness consciousness and leisure requirements," the report noted.
