Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Do you suffer migraines? At least one doctor recommends a session on the turbo trainer

Swedish study indicates regular indoor cycling could alleviate symptoms

You’ve probably always looked upon the turbo trainer as a source of pain, but apparently it can also alleviate it. That’s the claim being made by a doctor in the US who is recommending indoor cycling as a means of treating migraines.

There is currently no cure for migraines, but Fox 21 reports how Dr Carolyn Bernstein believes that exercise can help alleviate the symptoms. “When we exercise, a lot of the time we feel better afterwards. We get all kinds of neurotransmitters going in our brain that can decrease pain levels,” she explains.

Bernstein is a migraine sufferer herself and favours indoor cycling as a form of exercise, partly because it is low impact. There is evidence to support her view as well. A 2008 study carried out at a headache clinic in Sweden put 26 migraine sufferers through a 12-week indoor cycling training regime and gauged the effectiveness.

The programme was to train three times a week with VO2 max, migraine status, side effects and quality of life all monitored throughout. As you might imagine, VO2 max improved over the course of the 12-week period – but so did quality of life.

At no point during the study period did migraine status worsen, while the last month of treatment saw a significant decrease in the number of migraine attacks, the number of days with migraine per month, headache intensity and the amount of headache medication used. There was one migraine attack which began shortly after the onset of training, but no other side effects were reported.

Dr Emma Varkey, co-author of the study, commented:

“While the optimal amount of exercise for patients with migraine remains unknown, our evaluated program can now be tested further and compared to pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments to see if exercise can prevent migraine.”

The study claimed that individuals who regularly suffer headaches and migraines are typically less physically active than those who don’t and may even consciously avoid exercise, citing it as a trigger. The effectiveness of indoor cycle training as a treatment may therefore hinge on the frequency, intensity and duration of sessions, so bear this in mind before sentencing yourself to a punishing new routine of hard intervals three times a week.

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

Add new comment

9 comments

Avatar
mogrim | 9 years ago
0 likes

Lack of sleep and low sugar levels seem to cause mine, both of which are generally due to getting up early then beasting myself in the gym...

Avatar
trekker12 | 9 years ago
0 likes

"The study claimed that individuals who regularly suffer headaches and migraines are typically less physically active than those who don’t and may even consciously avoid exercise, citing it as a trigger."

I get a severe migraine every three - four months on average. I commute 120 miles a week in winter and add Audax rides at weekends in the summer. I'm not 'less' active and don't cite it as a trigger. I wonder where this 'science' comes from sometimes.

I'm carrying that same bag of salt and feel for the poster above who states he gets them weekly.

Avatar
Ian Allardyce | 9 years ago
0 likes

mine come after 3 cups of coffee. so i blame myself.

Avatar
Ratfink | 9 years ago
0 likes

United States of Sweden?

Avatar
Beefy | 9 years ago
0 likes

Strangely if I eat too much garlic i get full blown migraine with vomiting and visual disturbance other things like stress trigger it too but less so. Frustrating as I have avoided garlic for years now and I love eating it. I don't know if it coincidence but since January I have been following a Trainer road programe with lots of VO2 max training. I have had a big reduction over that period with no change to diet or stress levels. Perhaps itis the VO2 max training which has an affect?

Avatar
11speedaddict | 9 years ago
0 likes

Over sleeping triggers my migraines too

Avatar
dotdash | 9 years ago
0 likes

Over sleeping triggers my migraines mostly

Avatar
Gkam84 | 9 years ago
0 likes

I'm on the trainer alot, have been for the last 5 months, Migraines still come weekly and just as bad as ever, so I think I'll take this with a bag, rather than a pinch of salt

Avatar
bikeclips replied to Gkam84 | 9 years ago
0 likes

"I'm on the trainer alot, have been for the last 5 months, Migraines still come weekly and just as bad as ever, so I think I'll take this with a bag, rather than a pinch of salt"

That might help - I think mine come on more often when I'm salt-depleted after riding in hot weather etc.

Latest Comments