By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. Many studies show that a lifetime of vigorous exercise makes the heart stronger and healthier and does not harm it. However, as I reported earlier, a few studies that got a lot of media attention suggested that chronic intense exercise can damage the heart to cause irregular heartbeats. Now a study of elite lifetime endurance athletes has found no … [Read more...] about The Latest on Irregular Heartbeats in Lifelong Exercisers
Medical
Knee Pain after a Crankarm Change
You just got a new bike with 175-mm crankarms instead of the 170s on your old bike. Now your knees hurt. Are the longer cranks to blame? It depends on what sort of knee problems you’re having, so the short answer is—maybe. When you switch to longer crankarms, your knee must extend more at the bottom of the stroke in order to reach the pedal because it's farther away (5 … [Read more...] about Knee Pain after a Crankarm Change
No Evidence Cycling Weakens Bones
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. No data exists in the scientific literature showing that any type of exercise weakens bones. Bone growth depends on the forces exerted on them by gravity and contracting muscles. So any activity or exercise that causes you to contract your muscles will strengthen bones (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, November 2009). … [Read more...] about No Evidence Cycling Weakens Bones
Inactivity Increases Risk for Knee Pain
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. Eighty percent of North Americans have X-ray evidence of osteoarthritis by age 65, and 60 percent have significant joint pain. More than 700,000 people in the United Stateshave their knees replaced each year. It now looks like inflammation, lack of exercise and being overweight are the major causes of knee joint pain. A study following more than … [Read more...] about Inactivity Increases Risk for Knee Pain
Being Overweight Increases Cancer Risk
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. A new study from Spain of 54,446 people (Prev Med, Jan 17, 2018) shows that: Overweight women are 12 times more likely to develop cancer and five times more likely to suffer a heart attack than women of normal weight; overweight men are two times more likely to develop cancer than those of normal weight. The study also showed that only 26 percent of … [Read more...] about Being Overweight Increases Cancer Risk