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We’ve known for years that professional and avid cyclists are at risk for low bone density—which can up your risk of osteoporosis and increases chance of fracture—because our sport lacks the impact needed to stimulate bone formation. Heck, one study found Tour de France riders’ bones were up to 17 percent less dense than their non-cycling peers.
So a new study from Norway published in BMJ showing that young elite road cyclists have lower bone mineral density (BMD) compared with middle and long distance elite runners wasn’t exactly a surprise.
What was a bit disconcerting was that 10 of the 19 cyclists (12 men and 7 women) were classified as having low BMD, despite the fact that the majority of the cyclists also reported participating in heavy strength training for at least two consecutive months during the past two years.
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But off-season strength training, which is what cyclists typically do, may not be enough to keep a cycling skeleton strong, note the researchers, especially if you ride a lot. And to be clear, these cyclists rode a lot—more than 900 hours a year.
“At that point, you’re a little bit like an astronaut with very little impact on your bones,” says Nicholas DiNubile, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and best-selling author of the FrameWork series of books. “People like cyclists and swimmers who do primarily non-impact activity should be strength training year round.”
Of course, the riders in this study were lean, elite pros. And though the study found that all the athletes took in adequate amounts of calcium, the researchers didn’t measure how many calories they took in. Research shows depriving your active body of the energy it needs—as endurance athletes often do—is detrimental to bone development.
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They also may have been sweating out more calcium than they were taking in, leaving their bones even more vulnerable. The researchers noted that losing large amounts of calcium during exercise can trigger hormonal activity associated with bone loss. Though they didn’t ask about calcium timing, some research suggests that eating a calcium-rich meal 90 minutes before intensive exercise can help lessen that bone-depleting hormonal activity.
Finally, it bears mentioning that this study was conducted in Norway, a country that has one of the highest rates of osteoporosis and bone fracture rates in the world, possibly due to insufficient sun exposure, which helps the body create bone-building vitamin D.
Bottom line: To keep your bones strong, pay as much attention to your strength-training routine—yes, that means making the time to fit it into your routine year-round—as you do your riding. Check out these 10 essential strength moves for cyclists, and how you can implement them into your program.
And don’t forget about the bone-building effect your diet can have, too. Experts recommend getting daily doses of vitamin D by eating foods like fatty fish, egg yolks, and fortified milk all year round (as well as through sun exposure during the warmer months) to help keep your skeleton strong.
