Photo Credit: mag3737

And just when you thought a bicycle couldn’t help the public health system any more than it already does…

A study from Japan actually has stated that the ability to ride a bicycle can help doctors determine a Parkinson’s diagnosis. Researchers from the University Wakamya Medical University assessed the reliability of the “bicycle sign”-the loss of the ability to cycle- as a way to better diagnose the disease and determine whether or not a patient has Parkinson’s disease or atypical parkinsonism.

Uncertain on the difference between the two disorders, I had ECF Health and Policy officer Benoit Blondel step in:

“Parkinsonism actually refers to the family of disorders of which Parkinson’s disease is part of. Parkinson disease is a specific degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. All other forms of Parkinsonism are referred to as atypical parkinsonism. 

People with atypical parkinsonism have some of the same symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, but it is instead caused "by a loss of neurons plus degeneration of cells in other areas of the nervous system".

Blondel continues on to say that “while cycling has not yet been proven to prevent parkinson’s disease (or atypical parkinsonism) it can certainly help your doctor to make the right diagnostic and differentiate these forms of parkinsonism"

According to the study 88.9 percent of patients with atypical parkinsonism had stopped bicycling during the time their illness began while only 9.8 percent of those with Parkinson's disease stopped riding. It appears that the simple question of “Can you still ride a bicycle?” has significant diagnostic value when separating Parkinson's disease from atypical parkinsonism. The treatment of Parkinson's disease typically involves dopamine replacement, while people with atypical parkinsonism do not respond to this treatment. The "Bicycle Sign" could therefore save a lot of time and money. 

Yet another reason why policy makers should try to get more people on bicycles...

The study can be found here

 About the Author

Julian Ferguson is the Communications Officer for the European Cyclists’ Federation. Originally hailing from Australia and a keen bicycle advocate, he plans one day to ride his bicycle from Brussels to Melbourne