For years, trainers, and possibly even Geezer, have recommended resistance training for building stronger bones. But wait. Now comes a study from the University of Missouri suggesting that high-impact
activities, such as running, might build strong bones even better than resistance training does. According to this release from the university news office, researchers at the school examined the effects of long-term
running, cycling, and resistance training on whole-body and regional bone mineral density (BMD), taking into account the effects of body weight and composition, in
men ages 19 to 45. After adjusting for differences in lean body mass,
the researchers found that runners had greater spine BMD than cyclists.
Because lean body mass was positively associated with BMD in both
resistance-trained individuals and cyclists, but not in runners, researchers believe that high-impact activity may override the benefits of lean body
mass on BMD.
Read more from the University of Missouri news office.