Nine knee surgeries ago, Kim Mazik tore her meniscus on a high school basketball court. Orthopedically-speaking, she’s tough, a modern-day Joe Namath. “Any time my clients complain about pain, I tell them they don’t even know what pain is,” recounted Mazik, a physical therapist at Hailey Sport and Spine. But after her fourth or fifth surgery (two were to remove hardware) she started to center her rehab on cycling. “The bike made a night- and-day difference. Just the way my knee felt post-operatively was so much better. I didn’t lose as much strength and endurance. I credit cycling for helping me put off a complete knee replacement for so long. The more I cycle, the better I feel.”
And Mazik isn’t alone in her sentiments. “Cartilage doesn’t have a very good blood supply and it gets its nutrition from synovial fluid inside the knee. Moving the knee on a bike helps keep the joint lubed,” explained John Koth, owner of Koth Sports Physical Therapy in Ketchum. Knees feature prominently in Nordic and alpine skiing, so the bike acts as the perfect personal trainer for those who want to get in shape or repair injuries.
Skiing and biking are beautifully complementary. All of the major leg muscles are used when biking, with the quadriceps muscle group largely responsible for your power. They’re also the main source of strength when you’re on a pair of skis. Summer biking or indoor Spinning in the winter can really enhance strength and endurance—critical components of surviving ski season injury-free. Conversely, Nordic skiing can keep you fit for cycling. Greg LeMond (three-time Tour de France winner) skate skied to train during the winter months, as did cyclist Davis Phinney.
Greg Martin, Wood River Trails coordinator for Blaine County Recreation District, director of the Wood River Bicycle Coalition and a retired mountain bike racer, swears by his bike and appreciates its low-impact qualities. “I run a little bit to keep in shape. But I can ride a bike all day long and not feel it in my knees in the same way,” said Martin, who logs 20 to 30 hours a week training on a road bike because “it allows you to really dictate your ride in a way that’s hard to do on a mountain bike.” He uses Strava, a free app for smartphones, to track miles and provide a training log. A backcountry telemark and Nordic skier, Martin cycles because he loves it, but also because it keeps him fit for his winter pursuits.
Getting on the bike isn’t a bad way to see the sights, either. There are more than 1,000 miles of mountain biking trails and about 30 miles of bike path in the Valley. For those who cross-train, Blaine County Recreation District meticulously maintains the Harriman Trail and other ski trails that add up to 215 kilometers of pathways in paradise. Check www.bcrd.org for trail conditions and maps.
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2012 issue of Sun Valley Magazine.
