Bicycling is lauded by some as a low-impact exercise that allows you to exercise without damaging your bones or other internal structures. Contact sports can be very damaging to the body when accidents occur, and even individual activities like running can stress the muscles and joints in the body and lead to recurring injuries. Cycling has its benefits, but even too much of this low-impact activity can lead to problems in your bones.
Impact Benefits
Cycling is considered low-impact compared with activities like running, which causes impact shock to travel through the ankle, knee and hip joints with every stride. Some people who develop joint injuries in the lower body might struggle to run without pain and the risk of additional damage to the joint. Cycling is a good alternative for these people and for others worried about the health of the joint -- although the joint gets exercised in a healthy way, it does not suffer from any potential trauma.
Joint Injuries
Injuries to the joint can come in several forms. Arthritis is a common development in the joints and can make the impact of other exercise very painful. Cycling can help alleviate the symptoms and severity of arthritis. Weakened or reduced cartilage in the joints also can expose your joints to bone-on-bone grinding, but cycling prevents the cartilage from deteriorating at such as fast rate.
Bone Density
Some research suggests that too much exercise featuring exclusively cycling can have a negative effect on your joint and bone health. This research, conducted by the Department of Health and Exercise Science at the University of Oklahoma, suggests that the minimal weight-bearing exercise provided by cycling eliminates necessary stresses on the bones that prompt the body to maintain bone density. The result is a loss of bone density that can lead to or accelerate osteoporosis and increase the risk of fractures.
Considerations
If you do exercise primarily through bicycling, you can help maintain bone density by performing cross-training exercises like running, jogging or even walking. This eliminates the risk of weakened bones and joints while providing your body low-impact cardiovascular exercise, strengthening the heart and encouraging healthy joints.
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