Cyclists experience less knee pain and arthritis than non-cyclists, a large new study suggests.
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Cyclists experience less knee pain and arthritis than non-cyclists, a large new study suggests.
Pamela Jo MacFarlane/Getty Images
We’re in the middle of National Bicycle Month, and biking enthusiasts love to talk about the benefits of their favorite activity.
“It’s definitely been my longevity pill,” said Brooks Boliek, 65, who has been an avid cyclist for decades and used to commute by bike.
A wealth of evidence supports the health benefits of cycling, from boosting your immune system to increasing your likelihood of living a long life. Now, a new study finds that cyclists are significantly less likely to develop osteoarthritis and knee pain by age 65 than non-cyclists.
The study, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and published in the American College of Sports Medicine’s flagship peer-reviewed journal, included about 2,600 men and women with an average age of 64. They were surveyed about physical activity throughout their lives. As part of the study, researchers took X-rays to assess signs of knee arthritis. “Compared with those with no history of cycling, cyclists were 21 percent less likely to have X-ray evidence and symptoms of osteoarthritis,” explained study author Dr. Grace Lo of Baylor College of Medicine.
“I was surprised to see such a large effect,” Lo said, given the profile of the participants. Those who participated in the study were not competitive athletes but “ordinary” people, ranging in age from their 40s to 80s. . All of them were at higher risk for developing knee arthritis due to their weight, family history or previous injury.
The study cannot prove cause and effect because it was an observational study assessing osteoarthritis at one point in time. But the findings, published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, confirm the advice many health care providers give their patients about the benefits of cycling and other non-weight-bearing exercise.
“The impact of bicycling is very small,” said musculoskeletal researcher Matt Harkey, an assistant professor at MSU and co-author of the study. Cycling also helps strengthen the muscles around your knees, which helps protect your joints. Additionally, the rhythmic motion of pedaling moves synovial fluid, the thick, egg-white-like fluid in your joints, which helps reduce friction and absorb shock. “Its job is to help circulate synovial fluid throughout the joint to help lubricate it. [the joint] and provide nutrients to the cartilage,” Harkey said.
Cycling enthusiast Brooks Boliek calls cycling his “longevity medicine,” and research backs up his claim.
Alison Aubrey/NPR
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Alison Aubrey/NPR
Cycling enthusiast Brooks Boliek calls cycling his “longevity medicine,” and research backs up his claim.
Alison Aubrey/NPR
Of course, there are many types of exercise that have health benefits, but cycling seems to have the advantage when it comes to protecting your joints. Often, as people age, they give up contact sports like basketball because of the risk of injury.
Norman Lazarus, emeritus professor at King’s College London, said, “It is foreseeable that physical activities in which the joints bear little or no weight will be more beneficial than those that require constant pedaling (such as running).” Still riding a bike. (NPR profiled his bicycle research in 2018.)
Lazarus said the results of the new study, which pointed to its benefits, were not surprising, although he noted that cycling does come with the risk of injury. He said it was important for cyclists to understand the risks of overuse injuries and the importance of technique and getting the right bike. Every year, thousands of cyclists are injured in motor vehicle accidents, and older adults are at higher risk for serious injuries. Research shows that biking is safer on trails or paths away from traffic.
Risks aside, research shows cycling is good for longevity. “There is good data to support that people live longer when they ride bicycles,” Luo said. She points to one study that found people who cycled for an hour a week were about 22 percent less likely to die prematurely. This was a study in people with diabetes, so the benefits may be greater for people without diabetes.
“This is an exercise [people] It’s something you can do for life,” says Lo, and it can also be done indoors on a stationary bike. “I think this is a good prevention strategy for a lot of things, including arthritis,” she said.
Cycling enthusiast Brooks Bolick said that riding a bicycle brings him happiness and a sense of accomplishment. “I’m very goal-oriented,” he said, and daily riding keeps him focused. “It gives me a reason to live.”
A sense of purpose that made his heart beat and his muscles strengthen. He said he would like to continue riding until the day he dies.
Find Allison Aubrey on Instagram: @alison aubrey and on X @aubreynpr.
