'Can Low-Impact Sports Like Cycling Be Putting Your Bones at Risk?'
01-30-19, 09:23 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
'Can Low-Impact Sports Like Cycling Be Putting Your Bones at Risk?'
'A disquieting new study of bone density in elite cyclists and runners suggests that the answer might be yes. The study found that the cyclists, both male and female, had thinner bones than the runners, even though all of the athletes were young, healthy and enviably fit, and many of the cyclists lifted weights.'
01-30-19, 10:59 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 23,208
Mentioned: 89 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18883 Post(s)
Liked 10,646 Times
in
6,054 Posts
Yes. This is well known.
(Road) cyclists aren't just worse office than runners, we're worse off than couch potatoes. So it's got to be a combination of the lack of impact, plus mineral loss through sweat. Your best way to deal with this is to choose your parents wisely, but if you missed the memo and it's too late, weight lifting, running, even walking and mountain biking will help.
You should be able to get your risk assessed soothe a DEXA scan.
(Road) cyclists aren't just worse office than runners, we're worse off than couch potatoes. So it's got to be a combination of the lack of impact, plus mineral loss through sweat. Your best way to deal with this is to choose your parents wisely, but if you missed the memo and it's too late, weight lifting, running, even walking and mountain biking will help.
You should be able to get your risk assessed soothe a DEXA scan.
01-30-19, 11:00 PM
#3
In Real Life
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,152
Bikes: Lots
Mentioned: 141 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3203 Post(s)
Liked 596 Times
in
329 Posts
Old study. Old news.
We cyclists have known this for the last decade or two already.
Oh look ... a NY Times article from 2009. Fancy that. A decade ago.
https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/...or-your-bones/
And here's a study from 2000 ... almost 2 decades ago!
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10949001
If you google 'cycling and bone density' you'll see pages of articles on the subject. Common knowledge.
And yes, the answer is yes.
We cyclists have known this for the last decade or two already.
Oh look ... a NY Times article from 2009. Fancy that. A decade ago.
https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/...or-your-bones/
And here's a study from 2000 ... almost 2 decades ago!
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10949001
If you google 'cycling and bone density' you'll see pages of articles on the subject. Common knowledge.
And yes, the answer is yes.
__________________
Rowan
My fave photo threads on BF
Century A Month Facebook Group
Machka's Website
Photo Gallery
Rowan
My fave photo threads on BF
Century A Month Facebook Group
Machka's Website
Photo Gallery
Last edited by Machka; 01-31-19 at 02:00 AM.
01-31-19, 10:27 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,794
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1027 Post(s)
Liked 325 Times
in
204 Posts
More discussion on the topic here: https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...t-good-me.html in case anyone is interested.
01-31-19, 10:43 AM
#5
Occam's Rotor
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 7,248
Mentioned: 61 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2366 Post(s)
Liked 2,331 Times
in
1,164 Posts
02-02-19, 10:25 PM
#6
just another gosling
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Everett, WA
Posts: 19,531
Bikes: CoMo Speedster 2003, Trek 5200, CAAD 9, Fred 2004
Mentioned: 115 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3886 Post(s)
Liked 1,938 Times
in
1,383 Posts
Yep. I just had a DEXA scan. Bone density at left femoral neck was T=-3.3, Z= -1.1, which is classified as osteoporosis. I run, DH ski, lift weights, hike, backpack, etc., and have done for decades, but there it is. The doc says sweat has nothing to do with it, though that's what I always thought, too. I worked until a few years ago and was always on my feet, lifting and moving heavy stuff, etc. The doc was unaware of the stats on cyclists. The fact that it's well-known among some cyclists including YT has not been helpful for this cyclist.
The doc put me on alandronate. I've also increased my milk consumption. The doc says that latter is a good idea but probably won't help much if at all. I've had a good diet for the last 45 years, eat yogurt and a good bit of cheese, lots of green veggies. The past few years, I've been lifting heavy ~9 months/year. Never had a broken bone, rare among high mileage cyclists. My mom had bad osteoporosis in her late 80s.
I happened to get a DEXA scan because I've started a regimen of low dose prednisone to take care of an odd auto-immune disease called PMR. The doc ordered a baseline scan because prednisone is known to affect bone density.
The doc put me on alandronate. I've also increased my milk consumption. The doc says that latter is a good idea but probably won't help much if at all. I've had a good diet for the last 45 years, eat yogurt and a good bit of cheese, lots of green veggies. The past few years, I've been lifting heavy ~9 months/year. Never had a broken bone, rare among high mileage cyclists. My mom had bad osteoporosis in her late 80s.
I happened to get a DEXA scan because I've started a regimen of low dose prednisone to take care of an odd auto-immune disease called PMR. The doc ordered a baseline scan because prednisone is known to affect bone density.
__________________
Results matter
Results matter
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Juhan
General Cycling Discussion
45
12-13-22 08:34 PM
Machka
Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling
32
06-21-18 06:24 AM
Jan Feetz
Southern California
16
06-06-12 11:48 AM
christ0ph
General Cycling Discussion
8
11-12-11 06:38 PM
nancy sv
Touring
64
10-01-10 08:19 AM
