Healthy Bones
Bodybuilders work hard, but skeletal muscles aren’t the only thing subjected to stress - the bones to which muscles are connected are also subjected to enormous forces and stress loads and undergo changes as a response to training stresses.A recent study examined the bone health of 152,095 Finnish army conscripts over the course of 102,515 person-years to assess the risk of bone-stress injuries in the hips, pelvis, thigh and knee. Naturally, these conscripts undergo or have undergone extensive physical training and are therefore subjected to training-induced stresses.
To assess the risks of bone-stress injuries, researchers subjected participants to extensive MRI testing and measured body composition and physical fitness.
After collecting and analyzing the data, researchers found that the risk of injuries for females was significantly higher than for their male counterparts. Tests indicated that injuries of the sacrum were most common for females and that bone-stress injury in females was due primarily to poor muscle strength and poor performance on a timed 12 minute run.
The Sacrum
The sacrum is a large, triangular bone at the base of the spine and at the upper and back part of the pelvic cavity, where it is inserted like a wedge between the two hip bones. Its upper part connects with the last lumbar vertebra, and bottom part with the coccyx (tailbone).
While not bodybuilders, this study is applicable to bodybuilders because it highlights several key points. First, bodybuilders of both sexes are at risk for developing short-term or chronic training-related bone stress injuries as a result of repeatedly subjecting the skeletal system to enormous training stresses.
Secondly, the study shows that poor muscle strength is a risk factor for bone injury. To prevent injury, it’s important that bodybuilders strengthen develop even strength of both major and ancillary muscles - major muscle groups and smaller muscle groups that support larger muscles.
Finally, the researchers identify female gender as a risk factor for bone-stress injury. This highlights the fact that females undergoing repeated stress have unique concerns not faced by their male counterparts. As a result, females need to identify their unique concerns (i.e. higher rate of sacrum injuries) and develop appropriate risk-prevention strategies to stay healthy.
Make no mistake: training subjects your bones to injury risk and taking steps to prevent these risks from turning into real injuries is critical. Supplementation and a focused and appropriate training approach that identifies and remedies any weaknesses is the best approach to prevent injury and stay healthy.
Source: Bodybuilding.com
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