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PSA test and bike riding after Prostatectomy

Posted by firespooks @firespooks, Jul 15, 2023

I had a Prostatectomy in 2006. My one doctor said I still should avoid bike riding a few days before my regular PSA blood tests. Has anyone else ever heard of this , since I no love have a Prostate? 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.

jc76 | @jc76 | Dec 8, 2023
In reply to @jwoy "My husband had robotic prostatectomy in June. His 3 month PSA was basically non existent. The..." + (show)
@jwoy

My husband had robotic prostatectomy in June. His 3 month PSA was basically non existent. The surgeon told him you scored the home run, go live your life. So, we bought e-bikes. I ride a lot, he fits it in between golf a couple times a week. He has his 2nd PSA check on Dec 29. Should he not be biking, or for just a certain amount of time before the test is done?

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I see the other post addressing this. This recommendation for not bike riding prior to PSA test is for those who have a prostrate. Riding a bike can irritate the prostrate and cause a rise in PSA test.

If your husband had his prostrate removed there is nothing to irritate the prostrate as there is not one. But he had surgery to remove it so ask if riding a bike could irritate the surgery. This would not affect the PSA but could affect the recovery of his surgery.

I was a long distance bike rider (25 miles) and was already told not to ride by PCP prior to my PSA tests even before my radiation treatments and follow up PSA tests.

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spino | @spino | Dec 8, 2023
In reply to @trusam1 "I bike a lot, 5000 miles a year, on the road, gravel, dirt, home trainer. When..." + (show)
@trusam1

I bike a lot, 5000 miles a year, on the road, gravel, dirt, home trainer. When I had a prostate, I avoided biking for 48-72 hours before PSA test. Now after removal, I no longer think about the timing of the test in relation to bike rides. All tests after surgery in April this year are undetectable.

The prostate is located in the space which rests on a bike saddle. One study showed a rise in PSA in men who rode within 2 days before a test. Other studies have not shown a correlation. The theory is, pressure on the prostate causes the increased release of the PS antigen. Without a prostate, I don't see why biking should affect the PSA results.

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I take it you're riding again. How has that been. I had a lot of pelvic pain after the surgery when biking, but I think that has diminished as I approach two years. It sounds like everything has gone incredibly well for you!

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1 reply
trusam1 | @trusam1 | Dec 8, 2023
In reply to @spino "I take it you're riding again. How has that been. I had a lot of pelvic..." + (show)
@spino

I take it you're riding again. How has that been. I had a lot of pelvic pain after the surgery when biking, but I think that has diminished as I approach two years. It sounds like everything has gone incredibly well for you!

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I avoided sitting on a bike saddle for three months after surgery, per surgeon's orders. I was apprehensive starting up again. I've used saddles with a center cutout for over 20 years. I started out on a bike trainer for 20 minutes, then 45, then on a bike path for 1 hour 15 min on 3 successive days. I used Aquaphor on my nether parts. Having no pain at all in the perineum, the only limiter after that was just slowly getting into cycling fitness.

I had been swimming, running, lifting weights judiciously starting 3-4 weeks after surgery. I waited two months after re-starting cycling to go off-road (gravel biking, not mountain biking now @ 75).

Now I am able to do whatever I want on a bike...ride for 4 hours in the mountains, stand-up, sprint, race triathlons. I don't know why it was so easy for me, maybe being a life long cyclist in multiple venues helped (bike commuting, racing, multi-day tours, etc.) But I give most credit to the surgeon...

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Dec 8, 2023
In reply to @jwoy "My husband had robotic prostatectomy in June. His 3 month PSA was basically non existent. The..." + (show)
@jwoy

My husband had robotic prostatectomy in June. His 3 month PSA was basically non existent. The surgeon told him you scored the home run, go live your life. So, we bought e-bikes. I ride a lot, he fits it in between golf a couple times a week. He has his 2nd PSA check on Dec 29. Should he not be biking, or for just a certain amount of time before the test is done?

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We have quite a few cyclists in the Prostate Cancer Support Group. Here are few related discussions:

- Post Prostatectomy Incontinence: When can I start bicycling again?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/post-prostatectomy-incontinence-bicycling/
- PSA test and bike riding after Prostatectomy
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/psa-test-and-bike-riding-after-prostatectomy/
- Cycling after radical prostatectomy (RP)? Increase risk of recurrence?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/cycling-after-rp/

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jc76 | @jc76 | Dec 9, 2023
In reply to @firespooks "I was told by my one oncologist, not to ride my bike 24 hrs prior to..." + (show)
@firespooks

I was told by my one oncologist, not to ride my bike 24 hrs prior to taking my PSA test. Never found out why. I still practice this advice. I’m on my second recurrence. So go figure 🤷‍♂️

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bike riding can irritate the prostrate gland. It is standard practice now to not bike ride prior to PSA test. I was told at least 72 hours not just 24 hours.

In fact when my PSA numbers were rising but still normal my PCP and I thought it was my long distant bike riding (25 miles each time twice a week) and dismissed my rising PSA number.

My PCP said let be sure and we stopped the bike riding and did a PSA test. Did not go down so referred to urologist, MRIs, biopsies, and cancer diagnosis.

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northoftheborder | @northoftheborder | Dec 9, 2023
In reply to @jwoy "My husband had robotic prostatectomy in June. His 3 month PSA was basically non existent. The..." + (show)
@jwoy

My husband had robotic prostatectomy in June. His 3 month PSA was basically non existent. The surgeon told him you scored the home run, go live your life. So, we bought e-bikes. I ride a lot, he fits it in between golf a couple times a week. He has his 2nd PSA check on Dec 29. Should he not be biking, or for just a certain amount of time before the test is done?

Jump to this post

I still have a prostate (radiated), and am keeping my PSA < 0.01 with Firmagon and Erleada. I saw no change in the result when I was cycling in the spring or summer, but I can't remember if I'd cycled within 72 hours of getting my blood drawn.

REPLY
jc76 | @jc76 | Dec 9, 2023
In reply to @trusam1 "I bike a lot, 5000 miles a year, on the road, gravel, dirt, home trainer. When..." + (show)
@trusam1

I bike a lot, 5000 miles a year, on the road, gravel, dirt, home trainer. When I had a prostate, I avoided biking for 48-72 hours before PSA test. Now after removal, I no longer think about the timing of the test in relation to bike rides. All tests after surgery in April this year are undetectable.

The prostate is located in the space which rests on a bike saddle. One study showed a rise in PSA in men who rode within 2 days before a test. Other studies have not shown a correlation. The theory is, pressure on the prostate causes the increased release of the PS antigen. Without a prostate, I don't see why biking should affect the PSA results.

Jump to this post

trusam1, Completely agree!

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