The Ironic Link Between Running and Bone Health

The Ironic Link Between Running and Bone Health: There are two preconceived notions about runners.

First, the ultra-fit runner who is in peak physical condition and appears unstoppable; this is the runner who will still be competing in marathons when she is 80 years old.

The second sort of runner is the one who regularly struggles with stress fractures while trying to increase mileage and travel further than they did the previous month.

The change in bone density between the two runners is something you can’t see.

You force be setting yourself up for a life where running strengthens your bones, or you might be putting yourself up for troubles with bone density and conditions like osteopenia in the future, depending on your food, lifestyle, and training.

KEEP RUNNING FOR BONE HEALTH

Running is a weight-bearing exercise that benefits bone health. Women’s bone health has been shown to improve with as little as one minute of daily exercise.
Johnston argues that in order for bone to remodel, improve, and change, you must load it. Unlike cyclists and swimmers, runners participate in a load-bearing endurance activity.
You exert force through your legs with each step when your weight strikes the ground, and studies from 2009 and 2016 on marathon runners found that running was equally effective at improving bone density as weight training.
Considering that jumping and plyometric exercises can also increase bone density, trail runners who frequently jump over rocks and roots may have an edge.
You still want to be strengthening your upper body and core, so this doesn’t mean you should stop strength training, but you shouldn’t be anxious if you haven’t started yet. On the correct path, you are.

DO WEIGHT-BEARING ACTIVITIES

Strength exercise is essential for boosting bone density, especially as you age. This need not entail walking into the gym, taking up a bar of weights at random, and lifting weights without a plan.
All runners can attempt lifting weights or performing bodyweight activities. Johnston argues that all must be done while remaining within reason to safeguard joints.
“Having stated that, if weighted activities are performing correctly, I am fine with them. To get started, runners should find a knowledgeable coach or trainer.
Johnston advises buying some resistance bands and exercising with those rather than weights to get the results of loaded exercise with less possible risk if you don’t have somebody to help you or aren’t interesting in going to the gym.

WATCH FOR OVERTRAINING

According to Johnston, “everyone has a distinct balance point between when they cross over into too much loading and where it truly causes the collapse.
” While some running might increase bone density, overtraining can harm bone health, especially when combined with undereating. Johnston, who has experienced this herself. Argues that once a runner sustains one stress fracture, she is more likely to suffer another one in the future.
Although you might believe that only elite runners experience stress fractures and overtraining. This isn’t the case. Make sure you’re taking enough time off from running, feeding your training sufficiently. And giving your body a rest when you experience any form of pain during a run if you want to prevent stress fractures and the detrimental effects they have on your health.
In a study Johnston recently published. The majority of the women with stress fractures reported pushing through pain to continue jogging.