FACTOR FITNESS - So you can enjoy sports safely

Benefits

Cycling is highly recommended for people with haemophilia because it enables you to develop muscle strength in your legs without putting weight-bearing stress on your joints.

History of the sport

Soon after the bicycle was invented people started using it to race against each other. The sport's earliest routes can be traced back to France and England. The first organised bicycle race took place in the Parc St Cloud Paris in 1868 and was won by an English resident, James More. Cycling was included in the first modern Olympics in 1896 and remains part of the games today.

The aim of the sport

Cycle racing takes place in purpose built stadiums called velodromes. The standard championship track length is 333 metres.

Road races include time trials, massed starts, criteriums (massed start, high-speed bicycle races over a relatively short closed course) and stage races. In long distance road races such as the Tour de France, the race is decided over many days and the overall winner has the best times from the event as a whole, with the fewest penalties. The course includes a mixture of hill climbs, flat roads and descents.

Great stuff

• The greatest number of wins in the Tour de France is six by Lance Armstrong (USA) between 1999 and 2004
• The closest Tour de France race ever took place in 1989, when, after 3,267 km (2,030 miles) over 23 days, Greg LeMond (USA) beat Laurent Fignon (France) by just 8 seconds

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Mandatory

Optional

Always consult your haemophilia centre and / or your physiotherapist prior to taking part in a new sport. They can advise you on what protective wear you may need.

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WARMING UP

A good general warm-up activity for a cyclist may be to ride at a low intensity on a flat course, or to jog on the spot.

For more information, select a specific stretching exercise from below or view all

Cooling down

Following exercise, a cool-down involving some light aerobic activity and some stretches is important to restore the muscle lengths, lower your body's temperature and reduce your heart rate and blood pressure back to normal levels. Working the major muscle groups gently will also help remove waste products that accumulate in your muscles. Cooling down correctly can also help to lower muscle soreness and stiffness.

The cool-down should consist of at least two to three minutes of light aerobic activity such as light jogging, closely followed by a static stretching routine.

It is also important to re-hydrate following sporting activity and to treat any suspected injuries with RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation).

If you suspect a bleeding episode, you should contact your local
haemophilia centre immediately and/or treat with factor.

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• Ride at a controlled speed
• Keep your bicycle well maintained
• Use bike tracks wherever possible

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