Osteoporosis: How well protected are we...

[redefined_cycles]

Known for a while now (kindof) since being a student that protecting from osteoporosis has a role to play from doing weight bearing exercises. It helps increase (or at least stops from decreasing) bone density.

Basically cyclists are at risk but moreso road cycling as opposed to mtb-ing (I'd assumed or read). Recently my elder brother (who's a know-it-all and thinks the forums - he's not heard of us - know more than good solid knowledge) started running and told me impact sports are gonna protect him from brittle bones etc. I had no reason to doubt whay he'd said and took at face value. Anyway, turns out it was BS (potentially) and after reading this* I thought I'd mention it here...

Possibly the fact that I injured my tailbone after a super-duper slow fall which wouldnt generally have been an issue**, and 11 days later I'm still not confident going out on the bike will be a safe/healing thing to do, has had me reexploring my daily exercise activities. In a nutshell I think I'm gonna go back to some weights every few days (as opposed to just press ups which the article states isn't really as effective for nine density)...

Just thiught I'd share.

*https://www.runultra.co.uk/Training/May ... d-Maintena

** this got me revisiting the strong notion that I have of wearing a helmet and enforcing it on family and friends (at least the kids and those I'm riding with) as that whack could easily have been the base of my skull or worse

[composite]

My training sessions have always included a weight lifting element. My main reason has always been to make sure that I'm giving my body balanced exercise, but Osteoporosis prevention is a factor as well.

Currently, my gym sessions are:

• 2 sessions a week full body weight-lifting. Basically working every muscle group, mostly with compound exercises but a few isolation ones to.
• 2 sessions a week core work out. I find this very beneficial for long miles on the bike as it seems to help my core and shoulders not get so tired. I think this is mostly reducing how much I Iean on the bars.

I'm doing plenty of base miles so I also like to try to get in some interval sessions on the turbo where I can.

Happy to share the detail of the gym exercises if anyone is interested.

EDIT: A quick point about weight-lifting while trying to lose bodyweight. It's very difficult to build muscle while eating at a deficit, but it can help retain muscle mass while you are losing body fat.

[Thisisnotaspoon]

Im sure Ive seen a study showing mtb is comparable to running for building/ maintaining bone density (the other category was triathletes which similalry had better bones due to the running compared to swimmers or road cyclists). Its the constant vibrations and impacts that stimulate the bone to grow which is what roadies lack, often to their detriment as all three sports typically involve spending weeks/months at a time with a calorie deficit so the body isn't nesicerily maintaining itself as well as it should.

[fatbikephil]

On a related note, I'd highly recommend doing other exercises to compliment cycling, as per Composites post, to also protect you from knee and back pain. In particular I can't stress enough doing what it takes to protect your knees. I'm into month 8 of duff knees and now looking at a couple of months of light cycling (plus a ton of other exercises) to try to sort it which is royal PIA. Prevention is better than cure and all that.....

[Dave Barter]

BB200 once a year. Sorted