A large new study shows that people who ride bicycles have less knee pain and arthritis than non-cyclists.Pamela Jo McFarlane/Getty Images Hide Caption
Toggle caption Pamela Jo McFarlane/Getty Images
A large new study shows that people who ride bicycles have less knee pain and arthritis than non-cyclists.
Pamela Jo McFarlane/Getty Images
We're in the midst of National Bicycle Month, and cycling enthusiasts love talking about the benefits of their favorite activity.
“This is definitely my longevity medicine,” says Brooks Boreek, 65, who has been an avid cyclist for decades and used to commute to the office by bike.
A wealth of evidence supports the health benefits of cycling, from strengthening your immune system to increasing your chances of living longer. People who cycle regularly are significantly less likely to develop osteoarthritis and experience knee pain by age 65 than those who don't cycle, according to a new study. got it.
The study, which was partially funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in the flagship peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, involved approximately 2,600 men and women with an average age of 64. They were surveyed about their lifetime physical activity. As part of the study, the researchers took X-ray images of the knee joints to assess signs of arthritis. “Bicyclists are 21% more likely to have X-ray evidence or symptoms of osteoarthritis than non-cyclists,” said study author Dr. Grace Roe of Baylor College of Medicine. It was low,” he explains.
“We were surprised at how strong the benefits were,” Loh says, given the profile of the participants. The people enrolled in the study were not competitive athletes, but “average” people ranging in age from their mid-40s to 80 years old. All of them had an increased risk of developing knee arthritis due to their weight, family history, or past injuries.
This study is an observational study that evaluated osteoarthritis at one point in time, so it cannot prove causation. But the findings, published in the medical journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, support the advice many health care providers are giving their patients about the benefits of cycling and other non-weight-bearing exercise. .
“Cycling has a very low impact,” said Matt Harkey, a musculoskeletal researcher and assistant professor at Michigan State University and co-author of the study. Cycling strengthens the muscles around your knees and helps protect your joints. Additionally, the rhythmic motion of pedaling a bicycle moves synovial fluid, a viscous, albumen-like fluid within the joints, reducing friction and absorbing shock. “What it does is it circulates synovial fluid throughout the joint and helps with some sort of lubrication. [the joint] It then delivers nutrients to the cartilage,” says Harkey.
Cycling enthusiast Brooks Boreek calls cycling “longevity medicine,” and research backs that up.Alison Aubrey/NPR Hide Caption
Toggle caption Alison Aubrey/NPR
Cycling enthusiast Brooks Boreek calls cycling “longevity medicine,” and research backs that up.
Alison Aubrey/NPR
Of course, there are many forms of exercise that are good for your health, but cycling seems to be better when it comes to protecting your joints. Often, people give up contact sports like basketball as they get older because of the risk of injury.
Norman Lazarus, professor emeritus at King's College London, said: “Physical activities that place little weight on the joints, such as running, are likely to be more beneficial than exercises that involve constant foot stomping, such as running.” Says. It was the late 80's and I'm still cycling. (NPR featured his cycling research in 2018.)
Lazarus said that while cycling does come with risks of injury, new research showing benefits is not surprising. He says it's important for cyclists to understand the risk of injury from overuse, as well as the importance of technique and getting a properly fitted bike. Thousands of cyclists are injured in motor vehicle accidents each year, and older people are at higher risk of serious injury. Research shows it's safer to cycle on trails and trails that are isolated from car traffic.
Risks aside, research shows that cycling is good for longevity. “There's good data to support that bicycling can help you live longer,” Lo says. She points to research showing that people who cycle for one hour a week are about 22% less likely to die prematurely. This study focused on people with diabetes, so people without diabetes may benefit more.
“This is a practice [people] “You can participate in it for the rest of your life,” Lo says, and it can also be done indoors on a stationary bike. “I think this is a great preventative measure against many things, including arthritis,” she says.
Cycling enthusiast Brooks Boreek says cycling brings him joy and a sense of accomplishment. “I'm very goal-oriented,” he says, and the daily rides give him something to focus on. “It gives me purpose in life.”
A sense of purpose that keeps your heart beating and your muscles strong. He said he wants to continue riding until he dies.
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