Is Cycling Healthy In The Long Run?

[gimp27]

What with this years Tour De France encouraging more people to take up the hobby, is there any long term disadvantages, and due to the colossal amount of vehicles on the roads, is it REALLY a safe option to promote to inexperienced road users and children alike?

 

This is a report on the possible effects on the skeletal system;

 

http://breakingmuscle.com/cycling/cycling-might-be-bad-for-bone-health

[altus]

What with this years Tour De France encouraging more people to take up the hobby, is there any long term disadvantages, and due to the colossal amount of vehicles on the roads, is it REALLY a safe option to promote to inexperienced road users and children alike?

 

This is a report on the possible effects on the skeletal system;

 

http://breakingmuscle.com/cycling/cycling-might-be-bad-for-bone-health

 

The abstract from the report gives a better perspective:

Background

 

Cycling is considered to be a highly beneficial sport for significantly enhancing cardiovascular fitness in individuals, yet studies show little or no corresponding improvements in bone mass.

 

Methods

 

A scientific literature search on studies discussing bone mass and bone metabolism in cyclists was performed to collect all relevant published material up to April 2012. Descriptive, cross-sectional, longitudinal and interventional studies were all reviewed. Inclusion criteria were met by 31 studies.

 

Results

 

Heterogeneous studies in terms of gender, age, data source, group of comparison, cycling level or modality practiced among others factors showed minor but important differences in results. Despite some controversial results, it has been observed that adult road cyclists participating in regular training have low bone mineral density in key regions (for example, lumbar spine). Conversely, other types of cycling (such as mountain biking), or combination with other sports could reduce this unsafe effect. These results cannot yet be explained by differences in dietary patterns or endocrine factors.

 

Conclusions

 

From our comprehensive survey of the current available literature it can be concluded that road cycling does not appear to confer any significant osteogenic benefit. The cause of this may be related to spending long hours in a weight-supported position on the bike in combination with the necessary enforced recovery time that involves a large amount of time sitting or lying supine, especially at the competitive level.

 

Note that report only really covers those who do it at a competitive level.

 

It's well known that impact and weight bearing exercise promote bone growth but they can cause problems for some people and too much of either can cause problems as well. Other non weight bearing forms of exercise, e.g. swimming, would presumably show the same problems for those who do enough of them.

 

Also, as that article says, inactivity is associated with poor bone health as well - you'd probably find that having a sedentary job has a bigger effect.

[onewheeldave]

What with this years Tour De France encouraging more people to take up the hobby, is there any long term disadvantages, and due to the colossal amount of vehicles on the roads, is it REALLY a safe option to promote to inexperienced road users and children alike?

 

This is a report on the possible effects on the skeletal system;[/b

 

http://breakingmuscle.com/cycling/cycling-might-be-bad-for-bone-health

 

No it's not- it quite clearly states, in bold-

 

Now, before jumping to the conclusion that cycling causes osteopenia, I want to say it’s important when looking at results like this to consider alternative perspectives. Perhaps having low bone density means having lower bodyweight, and the reason pros have lower bone density isn’t because they are really good cyclists, but rather they are really good cyclists in part because of their lower bone density. Less weight is an advantage in cycling. Not as much advantage as in running, but runners have higher bone density for other reasons. It’s the impact and weight bearing aspects of exercise that increase bone density and mineralization, so the nature of running makes athletes have stronger bones. With that in mind, however, I don’t think it’s a big enough justification to assume that cycling isn’t potentially detrimental to bone health. At the very least it won’t help your bones.

 

i.e. it could well be a case of correlation rather than causation. at no point in the article does if even mention a way in which cycling could diminish bone health. At worst, it's saying that cycling may not have a positive effect on bone density/health.

[csd1]

'Now, before jumping to the conclusion that cycling causes osteopenia'

 

I found this an interesting statement, and I can shed some light on this subject through my experience. Briefly, although not overweight I was not particularly fit and a chance ride on a borrowed bike rekindled the enthusiasm of youth. Due to a herniated disc in my lower back, I couldn't jog or take part in many sports. I thought maybe through cycling I could get fit and have some fun at the same time.

 

I got fit pretty quickly, and actually became quite addicted to getting out on the bike and racking up a few miles. Except it didn't remain 'just a few miles'... I started to train hard both on and off road whenever I could and gave up all other forms of transport. Of course, there were the inevitable knocks and scrapes of falling off the bike on occasions (including one incident where a car knocked me off). I just got back on and continued with no injuries worth worrying about.

 

Winter never stopped me training, and I didn't think for one second that cycling so much could be causing any problem. One bright winter day I found out. I was used to snow and ice - and accepted the odd fall when off-road, so when I began to fall on this occasion I thought, ok here comes a nice bruise... But when I hit the floor I got an incredible pain in my right hip and as I slid along I began to feel sick. I knew I must have broken my hip.

 

Fast forward to hospital, and a confirmed fracture of the neck of the femur. The consultant says "We normally see this kind of fracture in elderly people". It was pinned, and when I got home I researched everything I could about a possible link with cycling. Sure enough, there it was in many studies - a reduction in bone mineral density through intense, regular cycling leading to osteoporosis.

 

At a follow-up meeting with the consultant, I mentioned cycling causing osteoporosis and he was sceptical - shaking his head saying 'osteopenia' (this is a reduction in bone density which can lead to osteoporosis). However, a subsequent Dexxa scan revealed I did actually have osteoporosis.

 

Non weight bearing exercise such as cycling and swimming does not promote healthy bones - but that's not all. During vigorous exercise, calcium is lost from the body in sweat. Calcium is also used in muscle contraction. Our bodies are smart - they adapt, and we can see how the body might think 'you obviously don't need calcium to build strong bones - so why not divert this to muscles'.

 

After recovery, I began cycling again but I cut my mileage down and began to do brisk daily walking. I was prescribed alendronic acid and calcium tablets. 2 years later, I was hit by a car while on the bike and thrown about 15 ft through the air - the landing was on the same hip. Luckily, I had armoured shorts on which soaked up most of the impact. I presume that changing my routine and taking the medication had also restored some bone density.

 

I would just like to say to any keen cyclists and swimmers who might be reading this - please don't focus exclusively on these sports !

 

Safe riding / swimming

Edited October 13, 2014 by csd1

[Jeffrey Shaw]

Is running healthy in the long cycle?

[babyblueeyes]

I cycle on my bike every morning for an hour up at high hazels park keeps me fit and helps me my mentality mind when things bring me done.

[tzijlstra]

As someone from a cycling mad nation I think there is a distinction to make: if you cycle daily and in a relaxed manner, rather than see it as a sport, it is a massive boon for your long term health as it is basically a gentle cardio exercise each time you get on the bike.

 

If you cycle for sport than there are numerous things that can go wrong in the long term. A friend of mine cycled at a high amateur level and had to retire from that aged 24 due to wear and tear on his back (probably exacerbated by being 6'4 and a basketball player as well). I have bad knees and found that after 50 km+ tours I would have more pain, again exacerbated by basketball I might add. So if you have underlying problems it might well be a bad idea to take up cycling as a purely sport-focussed exercise.

[Cyclone]

Just reading an interesting bit of journalism (after doing a bit of research myself) and came across this

 

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tomchiversscience/100246626/boris-dont-ban-cycling-with-headphones-youll-make-people-die-younger/

 

At the moment that's in the news, because six people have been killed in the last two weeks on London's roads, usually in collisions with HGVs.

But even taking that into account, a person of average fitness can expect to live about 45 minutes longer for every hour they cycle.

 

This number comes from the work of two well respected scientists and statasticians. Ben Goldacre and David Spiegelhalter.

 

Also, I must keep a link to this quote.

 

calling Spiegelhalter, again, and Ben Goldacre to my aid here, they found in a BMJ article that the evidence for helmets' protective effects are unclear at best and probably minimal. And studies from countries where helmets have been made compulsory found a sudden and dramatic drop in cycling uptake – so in an attempt to gain a very notional health benefit, they've inflicted a large health cost.

 

---------- Post added 04-11-2014 at 13:19 ----------

 

Is running healthy in the long cycle?

 

Probably even better than cycling, as for a given distance it's harder, takes longer and has a lower chance of being killed by a car.

[Mister M]

I'm surprised by this as I thought that exercise sauch as cycling helps build bone density as well as helping muscle growth.

Personally I struggle with running as I find that it's harsh on my knees!

[Cyclone]

It makes sense that cycling doesn't particularly stress any bone structures (apart from maybe around the ass)...