A new study led by McMaster University has found that regular cycling can greatly improve mobility in patients with myotonic dystrophy (MD), which is a genetic disease that causes muscle degeneration. The results of the study were published in the journal, 'Journal of Clinical Investigation'.

Senior author Mark Tarnopolsky said that cycling for 35 minutes three times a week for 12 weeks led to a 32 per cent increase in overall fitness in people with MD. Patients who took part in the study also saw a 1.6-kilogram increase in their muscle mass and a two per cent reduction in body fat. They were also able to walk an extra 47 metres in six minutes when tested by researchers at the end of the 12-week trial.