Why Bone Health Matters

Sunday, September 09, 2018 · Mike Davis

Good morning

The past week was tough, as I either had the flu or one heck of a cold. Hopefully I am on the mend and this week ahead will be much better. Being sidelined with running because of my leg is one thing, but not having the energy to strength train really crushes the spirit. Nevertheless, I am ready for an awesome week!

Currently I do not have the most healthy tibia, however thanks to the physiological process, my body is remodeling a stronger and healthier tibia. The process of growing a bone (remodeling) is called “osteoblast,” and it is extremely important to all of us. However, once we get out of our growing stage (for most of us that is in our teens), osteoblast ceases unless there is motivation (stress). While it is uncommon to add length to our bones (get taller), once we get out of our development stage, but with activity we can certainly develop thicker and stronger bones.

Runners certainly stresses (strengthen) certain bones, such as those in the feet and legs, and if the running (training) is done properly, this is a very good thing. So, run smartly and keep running and you will be improving some important bones.

“Smartly,” is the word that trips us runners up. Most of us are not thinking about bone growth, density, osteoblast or any of the physiological stuff when we run. Mostly we think about increasing our mileage, improving our pace, losing weight and so on… However, “smartly” is, what matters for healthy long term running, as well as healthy long-term functioning. As both a level II certified running coach and personal trainer, I have come to understand the value of proper training (training smartly) and the negative impact of poor guidance and training.

Many years ago, my wife Kathy had a bone density test and she was told she had osteopenia. Most people are familiar with osteoporosis, but osteopenia is typically the early stages of poor bone health. Along with taking supplements, Kathy became more disciplined with her overall fitness and along with running, she biked and strength trained. Over a period of time, further test showed that Kathy had greatly improved her bone density. Running was certainly a benefit, but total bone health requires additional stresses and adding resistance activity was critical.

Many of us do not have “osteopenia” hanging over our heads, but if our activities are limited to stressing only those bones that are associated with running, we are neglecting many bones that we require in daily functioning. Our core is certainly critical and while we think about it in terms of our abs, it is also important to think about it in terms of the bones in our hips on up through the spine. Strengthening these bones through proper resistance training will help our daily functioning and even improve our running.

We all want to function capably for as long as possible and with some investment, we have the capability. Running, biking, swimming, elliptical and other cardiovascular activities are all great and helpful but adding resistance activities is a critical component of long term health and mobility.

One last thought. Yoga is fantastic and helpful, but yoga is typically not enough for improved muscular and bone health. Stressing the muscles and bones requires resistance.

Hope you enjoyed this mornings chat, thanks for having coffee with me!

Have a great week and God Bless!

Mike