Build a Sturdy Skeleton

All that pounding during a run—what’s it doing to your bones? It’s helping them, new research reveals: Running may be better than resistance training for building bone mass and reducing your risk of osteoporosis. In a study of cyclists, ­runners, and weightlifters, runners were found to have the greatest spine bone density (a measure of overall bone strength), after researchers corrected for differences in the athletes’ body types. Cyclists had the lowest bone density. The impact of a runner’s foot hitting the ground stimulates the bones to grow stronger, says study co-author Pam Hinton, PhD, of the University of Missouri.

 

 

Photography by Alexander Savchenko

 

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